INOHA prepares sophomore album, tour
Photo by Jacob Glombowski
Independent San Antonio outfit INOHA is gearing up for their next major chapter, preparing to bring their new music to a 30-plus city headlining tour across North America.
The band, which transitioned from a local act to an independent success story with hundreds of millions of streams, is navigating the shift from internet viral sensation to full-time touring band.
“Going from an amateur act to a local band to a touring act has changed how we view the music,” said guitarist Gavin Gonzalez. “Now it’s a job.”
The band's sudden growth happened nearly overnight when a post went viral, forcing them to quickly scale up their team to match their ballooning audience.
“We’ve been constantly playing catch-up, trying to match our team size and what we can do as INOHA to our audience’s size,” said Gonzalez.
For a band heavily associated with digital spaces, the emphasis on visual content is intentional rather than secondary.
“I think a lot of people put down the media side of things, the TikToks, the reels, feeling like it doesn’t show the vision of the actual song,” said bassist Chris Young. “But I’d argue it’s about getting the song out to more people. That’s the main point. … It’s really an extension of the art.”
Despite their rapid national expansion, INOHA's identity remains deeply tied to their San Antonio roots — a city historically known as a rock and metal hub rather than an indie-pop incubator.
“San Antonio isn’t known for indie pop, it’s not a Boston or a Philly,” said Gonzalez. “Before us, there were hardly any indie bands, or bands making pop-sounding music, in San Antonio.”
The band members, all born and raised locally, credit their hometown community for their foundation.
“What INOHA shows, coming from San Antonio, is that this city is capable of cultivating diverse influences, sustaining that cultivation and letting musicians meet each other within the local scene,” said drummer Ricky Juarez.
This local chemistry guided the writing of their upcoming album, which took a more structured and deliberate path than their prior EP, “Chance 2 Dance.” Rather than writing collectively from the start, the members tracked their parts individually before assembling the songs.
“This album, even in sound, feels more intentional, every piece feels like it was put there with purpose,” said Young.
As they prepare to hit the road, INOHA is eager to translate their digital presence to the stage.
“We’ve spent so much time being an online band, with this internet virality,” said Young. “But bringing that to people live is a big step for us. … Nothing can replace real life.”
