Belgian indie pop/rock band Girls In Hawaii release ‘Eldorado’ via Capitane Records. The second single from their upcoming album ‘Eldorado’, dropping September 25th, tells the story of a quest for an unattainable ideal, constantly shaken by human fragility and the doubt we carry within ourselves.
The Song: Chasing the Perfect Song
“This song tells the story of a quest for an unattainable ideal, constantly shaken by human fragility and the doubt we carry within ourselves,” the band explain. “It’s a tension where one is ready to face any trial, all fears except one’s own. In the end we accept the deal that is given: to keep searching, because perhaps that is, deep down, what drives us forward.”
Like gold seekers exhilarated by the fantasy of an extraordinary discovery, artists spend a lifetime chasing the perfect song. The album ‘Eldorado’ is an ode to that utopia—and “Eldorado” the single embodies this lifelong pursuit, a tension between readiness and fear, between the quest and the acceptance that perhaps the searching itself is what matters most.
The Album: An Ode to Utopia
‘Eldorado’ is also the story of a unique trajectory. Because when it comes to understanding who Girls In Hawaii truly are, this fifth album offers essential, almost existential, answers. This record speaks of a band formed in 2000 by Lionel Vancauwenberghe and Antoine Wielemans. It is a declaration of love to indie rock, to influences, to emotions, and to the people who, near or far, have shaped the story of this musical project.
And yet, everything could have come to an end in 2019, in the aftermath of ‘Nocturne’. Under the moon, then in darkness, the band lost its bearings, moving through a world at a standstill, confined, without a horizon. It is through mourning and remembrance that Girls In Hawaii rediscovered a taste for simple things: spontaneous melodies, unbridled energy, and the joy of being together.
This culminated in the winter of 2023 during four legendary concerts at Ancienne Belgique in Brussels. A year later, the project’s two driving forces began composing new material. Without producers shaping the next version of the band, away from sterile studios, the duo returned to the craftsmanship of their early days, to the thrill of first emotions.
Written at home, between the bedroom and the living room, the lyrics respond to a call from the heart. It is a matter of intuition and feeling. Like a reflection of the present moment, the words sing of our times, of the climate emergency, of impossible goodbyes. There are also personal wanderings, nostalgia, a bruised intimacy, but above all, the joy of being there, together as a band, more alive than ever.
The Cover: A Tribute in Stone
The cover of the new Girls In Hawaii album takes the shape of a “bloodstone”, a subtle tribute to the memory of a departed manager. Known as heliotrope, the mineral stone is believed, according to ancient traditions, to be a source of courage and stability—qualities that feel self-evident when listening to the new ‘Eldorado’.
About Girls In Hawaii
Formed in the early 2000s by two pairs of brothers—Antoine and Denis Wielemans, and Lionel and Brice Vancauwenberghe—Girls In Hawaii established themselves over the years as a cornerstone of the European indie rock scene. Despite their name, they are not from Hawaii and are not an all-female group.
From ‘From Here To There’ (2003) to ‘Everest’ (2013), by way of ‘Plan Your Escape’ (2008), the band built a musical universe that defined a generation. Their sound has been described as a mix of dreamy, fuzzy indie pop with hints of Grandaddy, The Flaming Lips, and Radiohead—melancholic, melodic, with layered, often acoustic-influenced arrangements.
Following the tragic death of drummer Denis Wielemans in 2010, the band’s return with the 2013 album ‘Everest’ received significant coverage for its emotional depth. In 2023, they celebrated the twentieth anniversary of their debut album with a sold-out European tour.
Now, with ‘Eldorado’ and singles “Is It Happening Right Now?” (April 2026) and “Eldorado” (May 2026), Girls In Hawaii deliver their first studio album since ‘Nocturne’ (2017)—a return that feels both like a homecoming and a leap forward.
Featured image by Simon Vanrie.
SOURCE: Official Bio