Fresh off a hot and humid playground photoshoot in June, we met Chesca Umeno in her home studio to talk about her indie-alternative project, Mypilotis. The conversation traced the band’s evolution, the artists who shaped her sound, and the friendship that anchors the group.

Mypilotis formed through overlapping circles. Joey Palacios first met Umeno in 2023, inviting her to perform Japanese song covers with his band, Roshii, at San Japan. Years before that, she and bassist Sophia Kurihara had bonded as rock-climbing partners. Those connections eventually blossomed into the current lineup: multi-instrumentalist Chesca Umeno, drummer Edgar Betancourt, bassist Sophie Kurihara, and keyboardist Joseph JJ Herron. 

Their endearing awkwardness onstage has become part of their identity, fueling crowd interaction, spontaneous antics, and a warmth audiences respond to immediately.