Joshua Ian
Joshua Ian is a L.A. base photographer for Kotolan. L.A. indie pop band Kotolan plays a mix of eclectic rock with a global influence with music rooted in vocal melodies and cinematic textures.
Lead singer and synth keyboard player Junko Seki honed her musical skills early on while growing up in Japan. Her global curiosity and undeniable sultry voice has propelled her onto stages as a solo artist like the Hollywood Bowl with performances in Mexico, Japan and the US. She has shared the stage with the likes of Chicano icon Lalo Guerrero, Linda Ronstadt and others.
Junko met audiovisual artist Otto Granillo through a mutual friend and both realized they shared the same interest in starting a band. Putting both their names together, they came up with their band name Kotolan.
After finishing his MFA at Cal Arts, Otto performed and recorded with Marc Anthony, Ozomatli, Monophonics, Jungle Fire, The Lions and others. It was in the soul reggae band The Lions where Otto plays with Cal Arts grads, drummer/producer Blake Colie also of Hollie Cook, Rocky Dawuni and Salvador Santana and saxophonist/vocalist Eddie Felix and brought them into Kotolan. Guitarist Carlos Kuhlmann joined the band early on and has helped in shaping Kotolans sound.
The band was asked to write a music cue and do a cameo for an independent movie in 2015 called Middle Man which was released in 2016 and made its rounds through independent film festivals in the United States and Canada. It was released in select cities nationwide in the United States in 2017.
In 2017, Kotolan was added to the Los Angeles Musicians Roster by the Los Angeles Arts Commission. The Commission invited them to record live music videos with the popular YouTube channel Jam in the Van. The videos were aired as part of the Commission’s annual Holiday Celebration from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on PBS.
Kotolan has also appeared live at LA's Grand Park+The Music Center 4th of July Celebration, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Autry Museum, Levitt Pavilion Summer Concerts, Museum of Latin American Art, Eagle Rock Music Festival, The California Endowment along with many other performances along the way.
