Originally from foggy San Francisco, Nick Hinman found himself in sunny Los Angeles after following a winding path towards success – five years in New York playing in punk bands and studying at Stella Adler. But then, in the cold winter of 2014, in a small apartment in South Williamsburg, Palm Springsteen was created. Hinman’s project was inspired by a unique blend of his favorite music artists, from The Jesus and Mary Chain to Alan Vega and Jonathan Richmond, but with strong self-awareness and identity. At the time, all Hinman was equipped with was an arpeggiator, a guitar, and synthesizers to create his first demos.

Palm Springsteen crystalized as a project only in 2016, after Hinman’s first solo performance at Hyperion Tavern in Los Feliz. Only this time, the project proved worthy of more than just a small keyboard and a single guitar; a full band was created, after which Palm Springsteen set off on its New York show circuit. After live performances at Berlin and a Cult Records/Alt Citizen showcase at Baby’s All Right in New York, Palm Springsteen returned to Los Angeles in 2017 to start working on an EP.

While in LA, Palm Springsteen completed their first annual “Palm’chella” Los Angeles World Tour; in the meantime, Hinman collaborated with different brands, including a campaign for J Brand, photographed by Darian Zahedi. Later that year, the band was invited to join Foster the People on a nationwide tour after playing a demo for Mark Foster. Today, already back in Los Angeles, Hinman has begun his work on Palm Springsteen’s first LP, “Trouble in Paradise,” together with his bandmate and producer Luca Buccellati joining him in the studio.

Text Marina Chillingaryan
Photographer Darian Zahedi