In this KGNU interview, Wendy Mills speaks with Joel Van Horne, the artist behind Covenhoven, about his multi-instrumental approach to music, his latest album The Color of the Dark, and the inspiration he draws from travel and nature. Van Horne reflects on the shift from creating solo recordings to embracing collaboration, highlighting the importance of community and connection in music. The conversation also touches on his extensive touring, upcoming European shows, and his April 11th performance at Chautauqua Community House, where audiences can experience his intimate, atmospheric songwriting live.
(Air Date: 3/30/26)
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Transcript:
Wendy Mills:
The time has come—I’ve been teasing this all morning. We have Joel Van Horne of Denver, known as Covenhoven, here in the studio. He’s an amazing artist. Welcome to KGNU, Joel.
Joel Van Horne:
I’m so glad to be here. Thanks for having me.
Wendy Mills:
You’re a multi-instrumentalist—singer, songwriter. What instruments do you play besides the harp and guitar I see in front of you?
Joel Van Horne:
Guitar, piano, bass, drums, a little ukulele, a little banjo—kind of all over the place.
Wendy Mills:
So you basically just need a multitrack and you can record an album.
Joel Van Horne:
Yes—but these days I like to involve friends.
Wendy Mills:
Which you did on your latest album, The Color of the Dark. It creates such a beautiful feeling—music really is a special place to go.
Joel Van Horne:
Yeah, absolutely.
Wendy Mills:
Let’s hear some music.
Joel Van Horne:
Performance.
Wendy Mills:
Beautiful. We have Covenhoven—Joel Van Horne—here in the studio at KGNU.
You have a show coming up April 11th at Chautauqua Community House in Boulder.
What inspires your music?
Joel Van Horne:
Travel, mostly—getting out and seeing things, being in nature. Spending time alone with my thoughts and a guitar or ukulele. That’s where ideas come from.
Wendy Mills:
Your songwriting feels very painterly—like creating images with sound.
Joel Van Horne:
That’s fair.
Wendy Mills:
Do you travel a lot?
Joel Van Horne:
A lot these days—probably 20,000 miles or more recently. Touring across the U.S., Canada, and soon Europe.
Wendy Mills:
How do you book shows in Europe?
Joel Van Horne:
I’m still figuring it out. There are booking agents, but also DIY scenes—house concerts, even things like “sofa concerts” in Germany. This will be my first run, so I’m learning as I go.
Wendy Mills:
You mentioned collaboration—artists like Gregory Alan Isakov. What does working with others bring to your music?
Joel Van Horne:
Early on, I wanted to prove I could do everything myself, so I made solo records. But over time, that felt isolating. Music is meant to be collaborative. Being in a room creating with others—seeing what they bring—is exciting and meaningful.
Wendy Mills:
Let’s hear another piece.
Joel Van Horne:
Performance.
Wendy Mills:
That’s lovely—and that’s from The Color of the Dark. I love that title; it feels very painterly.
Joel Van Horne:
Yeah, I think that idea came to me while traveling—maybe in Joshua Tree. I worked on that album over the past couple of years, often while on the road.
Wendy Mills:
What’s been most surprising about your career?
Joel Van Horne:
The friendships. As a touring musician, you build connections all over the world. Even brief interactions become meaningful. Music really brings people together, especially in smaller, more intimate settings.
Wendy Mills:
That intimacy—like house concerts—creates something very special.
Joel Van Horne:
Exactly. You get to meet everyone. It’s harder to do that in larger venues.
Wendy Mills:
Let’s talk about your April 11th show at Chautauqua. We’re giving away tickets—listeners can email [email protected] with “Covenhoven” in the subject line.
Are you up for another song?
Joel Van Horne:
Absolutely.
Joel Van Horne:
Performance.
Wendy Mills:
You can catch Covenhoven at Chautauqua Community House on April 11th. Any other upcoming shows?
Joel Van Horne:
Not locally for a bit—I’m heading to Europe. More Colorado shows will likely happen later this summer.
Wendy Mills:
And this show includes Corsa Canna as well.
Joel Van Horne:
Yes—Ben plays with me and will also open with his own group.
Wendy Mills:
The Color of the Dark is your latest album. Anything new in the works?
Joel Van Horne:
Lots of songs—I’m already working on another record, still in the early stages.
Wendy Mills:
We’ll be looking forward to that. Thank you so much for being here and sharing your music with us at KGNU.
