Paper Lantern

Alex Red, Anna Gabrielle and Daniel Van Dyk were destined to be together. This is reflected clearly in the seamless blending of their melodies and the electricity of their artistic chemistry.

The genre-bending indie, acoustic, folk band met in a classic Nashville way—at an open mic night at Café CoCo, a popular hangout for young aspiring artists with night-owl tendencies. Alex and Anna spotted Daniel across the room and decided to introduce themselves.

“I just had this strong feeling that we were supposed to be friends,” Alex said emphatically.

It was Anna that took the first step toward the bonds of friendship, striking up conversation by the sign-up sheet. Anna and Daniel hit it off, bringing Alex and Daniel to hit it off, kick starting what would become a transforming relationship. Daniel invited the girls to hear him play at Hotel Indigo, and they were hooked. They responded with an invitation of their own that sealed their fate as a band: to play with them at an open-air market the next day. The new sound was undeniable, and Paper Lantern was born.

“The three of us, we just work,” Daniel said. “We’re all really happy, and it’s our similar outlook on life that makes us work so well.”

Although each member of the band has a specialty, they exchange roles in order to keep their sound fresh and skills sharp.

--bio written by Becca Andrews