Alumni and seniors form an indie-funk band called Horse Dentist To The Queen.

Horse Dentist To The Queen is an indie-funk cover band. The members of the band are alumni Juan Pablo Pedroza, Jame Kennedy, Josh Bianch, Lillie Salas, and senior Ailani Pedroza. Some of the members even had experience playing together already due to participating in the program Slam Funk as students. Band members Juan Pablo Pedroza, James Kennedy, and Ailani Pedroza open up about the backstory of the band.

“It wasn’t really hard. We started just jamming in Josh’s basement. It was a lot of fun, and we had all the gear we needed,” said band member James Kennedy.

The band plays songs from Djo to Tyler The Creator. They played many songs from Theo Katzman at their recent basement show.

“I introduced Lillie to my sister and James. Then later, Josh came too. Then we were like let’s start a band. It wasn’t really hard beginning a band because back then it was quarantine so we had nothing to do. Also we already all knew how to play, and all of the instrumentalists can just play by ear, which makes it easy to jam without excessive preparation,” said band member Juan Pablo Pedroza.

Many of the members have been singing or playing their instruments for eight to eighteen years.

“We don’t have a very defined plan at the moment, but we definitely will perform during breaks if we find a chance to. So far, it’s only been covers. We each have pretty different music tastes, so we haven’t been able to put ourselves in a distinct box. We haven’t written any originals yet, but it’s something that we all want to do soon,” said band member Ailani Pedroza.

Long-distance communication can be a challenge for many; however, Horse Dentist To The Queen defies these odds. Despite the distance, they continue to thrive off one another.

“It is not hard to stay in contact because we are all pretty good friends. I talk to the band members individually a lot, and we all like to have group FaceTime calls. It is hard to meet up in person sometimes because we are all so busy, but we make sure to make time for each other. Outside of the band, we are all good friends,” said band member Lillie Salas.

Recently, Horse Dentist To The Queen held their very first public performance. The performance was held in their bassist’s house on Friday, January 6.

“I loved it. I had no idea what genre they played when I walked into that venue, and it blew me away with the range they can pull off. They played R&B, Bossa Nova- they even played a song with rap lyrics. They did everything, and it was so fun to watch. My expectations were truly blown out of the water. I had no idea every member of the band was so musically talented. The singers’ voices were perfect for each other and harmonized so well. It was such a good show,” said audience member Davin Salas.

As time progresses, Horse Dentist To The Queen’s support system has grown stronger.

“I think they’re a band to watch out for. They are so musically talented, have great chemistry, and support each other on stage which makes for a solid band. Some confidence can improve their stage presence, but overall, they are a fantastic group of artists that can go far,” said Davin Salas.

“I think our recent performance was a success. Everyone made mistakes, but I think that’s part of the creative process. I think the way our band works is very chill and ‘go with the flow’,” said Juan Pablo Pedroza.