Equilibrium depends on music. Body, mind, and soul move in a perfect harmony together. Synapses fire and hearts thump in time like a drumbeat. In this respect, the right tune sung at the right moment works like the best kind of natural medicine. Maine-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Coyote Island—a.k.a. Mike O’Hehir—recognizes and reveres the restorative potential of songcraft. Mixing folk, reggae, pop, world, cumbia, and psychedelia, he stirs up a sonic elixir meant to invigorate and inspire.
Reeling in over 10 million streams and counting and packing shows, authentic intention underscores his artistry at all times.
“There’s a deeper purpose to my music,” affirms Mike. “Its pure healing energy has become apparent to me. We want to travel the world and hopefully be able to reach and, possibly, heal anyone in need..” Growing up in Maine, Mike uncovered his passion for music as a kid. Gravitating to folk, he picked up an acoustic guitar and played as many open mics as possible in between marathon busking sessions. His life twisted and turned geographically and creatively. Eventually, he packed a bag and traded the Northeast for Northern California with adventure and “some soul searching” in mind. Life experiences (and a few psychedelics) incited a spiritual epiphany. With senses heightened, his vision became clear.
“I realized that I was holding back quite a bit, and I was afraid to play music that truly showed who I was,” he recalls. “There is a spirituality to what I’m doing. I felt like I had a responsibility to share a higher vibrational energy with people.” Heeding this call, he returned to his old stomping grounds on the East Coast and absorbed inspiration from artists as diverse as MGMT, Milky Chance, and Hermanos Gutiérrez with healthy helpings of Afrobeats and “obscure psychedelic cumbia” as well. Meanwhile, the moniker Coyote Island presented itself in the form of what he calls “a repetitive experience with medicine cards.”
“I had an animal medicine card deck,” he goes on. “When you draw a card, each animal has a certain wisdom. For some reason, I kept drawing the coyote card, so I decided to pay attention. One night, I was in the studio and, of course, I pulled the card again. I saw the coyote and thought, ‘Dude that’s you.’ Later on, I woke up from a dream with the image of a coyote island in my brain. Hence, the name. A portal opened.”
It didn’t close either.
Riding this wave, he crafted Coyote Island’s debut single “Here Before.” The track amassed over 3.1 million Spotify streams and counting as he attracted a devout audience. The live lineup also took shape with Amir Rivera [guitar], Garrett Roy Jones [bass], and Ryan Benoit [drums]. Following the Origin Stories EP, he continued to create at a prolific pace. 2023 saw him level up again on Holy Illusion. It boasted notable collaborations such as “Casio Magic” with Matisyahu, “Everyone Need Love” with Surfer Girl, “Raise It” with Mihali, and “Quarantine” with Abitemi.
Across the record, reggae chords melt into organic danceable beats accented by smoky psychedelic
flourishes beneath Mike’s dynamic vocals. The sonic fluidity only strengthens the core message of the LP. “Holy Illusion is definitely about seeing through limitations,” he says. “The power of the heart and mind, as well as trust and faith, can pierce through any limitation. The ‘holy illusion’ is the ‘aha’ moment where you realize limits are created through your mind. We all have a responsibility to be able to see through them.”
With more touring and recording on the horizon, Coyote Island might just help you open your eyes and heal too. “When you listen to the music, I would love for you to get a sense of clarity,” Mike leaves off. “We spend so much time thinking about life outside of ourselves and caring about what people think and whether or not we are good enough. The music is almost like a shortcut for you to be free of your mind. I want to bring joy and make you feel good in this crazy world.”
