The tiny island of Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i would be pretty low on the list of places you’d expect to find the next generation of alternative rock, which is why Paradox Lockdown is packing up and taking their unique brand of synth- and guitar-driven rock to Los Angeles. A potent mix of danceable beats, clever lyrics, memorable choruses, and infectious hooks, the radio-friendly sound of Paradox Lockdown is simultaneously fresh yet highly accessible.

This is a big move for the young Kauai-raised band but they are all in. “We know it will be tough, but we are ready to show the rest of the world what we can do,” says founding member, singer/songwriter and keyboardist Cameron Williamson. The group is used to major challenges. Despite the fact that Kaua‘i is home to only 67,000 residents and the near-total absence of rock venues, they have been able to build a sizable local and online following.

Driven by a prolific songwriting duo, Willamson and fellow founding member Jonathan Obiano, the band has already released two self-produced EPs and the full-length album Dateless In July with help from Grammy-nominated band coach and co-producer Jeremy Hartshorn since the group formed in 2010. “I’ve worked with hundreds of kids and never have I seen such powerful combination of talent and drive in such a young band,” says Hartshorn, “These guys have got the goods—both on the stage and in the studio.” Obiano, a virtuoso pianist and singer, met Williamson in the 6th grade and they immediately started writing songs together. “We just want to make music that moves people,” says Obiano. Soon, they recorded their first song and began shopping for other players to fill out the band. After some classic band drama, they eventually settled into the current group including drummer Zack Silva, bassist Kai Olson and guitarist Eric Rivera.

“Cameron and I didn’t really have exciting back stories starting out, so we wrote mostly about our teen angst,” explains Obiano with a laugh. Their songs seemed to resonate with larger audiences earning them two back-to-back semi-finalist awards in the International Songwriting Competition in 2013 and 2014, as well as finalist in popular votes in the national Grammy U Amplifier Competition in 2014. They also gained heavy rotation on Kaua‘i’s premiere radio station, KONG. “I get all sorts of music pitched at me every day. I would have played their music on KONG FM 93.5 even if I had not seen them ‘wow’ the crowd when they were first started performing,” says Ron Wiley, KONG DJ, “They’ve got the perfect ‘radio in the car’ sound combined with live performance ability to help sell it.” Most recently, Dateless In July was nominated for Hawai‘i’s top honor, a Na Hoku Hanohano Award, otherwise known as the “Hawaiian Grammy.” “We’re all pretty hyped about our nomination,” says Silva who has been part of the line up since the band formed.

It’s definitely the end of an era on Kaua‘i for Paradox Lockdown, but they are more than ready for the next chapter of their musical journey.

For more information about the band, visit www.paradoxlockdown.com.