Fort Collins-based band Mystee, led by Ilana, joined KGNU for a live in-studio session. She shared how the project began as a solo effort in Boston before evolving into a full band through chance connections in Fort Collins. Mystee discussed her time living in Cardiff, Wales, where she gained valuable experience in the music scene, and reflected on her early love of songwriting. The band’s new EP Forget Me Not was recorded during a three-day retreat in Evergreen and features four tracks written across different stages of her musical journey. Mystee also previewed upcoming shows, including a mini tour, a Halloween performance, and a Fort Collins date at Washington’s. (Studio Session: 9/29/25)
Indra Raj: I’m going to be welcoming on local artist, Mystee, in just a moment here out of Fort Collins. Are you ready? All right, cool. We’re going to bring her on right now and put you on these mics here.
So welcome to KGNU, Mystee.
Mystee: Thank you. It’s great to be here.
Indra Raj: Yes. And just to clarify—Mystee is the name of your band, correct? Can you tell us a little bit about the makeup of your band?
Mystee: I started Mystee as a solo project back in 2021. I was living in Boston at the time, and I knew I didn’t want to stay there, so I kept it solo. I put out some songs and then moved here and met my bandmates.
We’ve got a drummer, Josh, a bass player, Keaton, and lead guitarist Joey. It was a random series of coincidences how I met them. Keaton was the first—I was running shows for Mishawaka at Chippers in Fort Collins, and he was running sound. We decided to collaborate a bit.
One day, I was going to get coffee at Mugs in Fort Collins, but something told me to check out Harbinger across the street. I went in, and Josh—our drummer—was working there. He told me he played drums, and I was like, “I’m looking for a drummer.” It worked out.
Josh knew Ryan, who was our first guitarist. He got too busy for the band but still produces for us. He introduced me to Joey, who’s now our guitarist. Everything just kind of fell into place.
Indra Raj: That’s great. Fort Collins has kind of a small-town vibe.
Mystee: Yeah, it feels like that for sure, and that’s part of why I like it.
Indra Raj: Well, you have new music out. We’re going to talk about that, but why don’t we hear a little bit of music from you to get things started?
Mystee: Yeah, for sure. I’ll play a song off the EP.
Indra Raj: Sounds great.
Mystee: This song’s called Soar.
(plays music)
Indra Raj: We’ve got Mystee live here in the KGNU studios this afternoon. Ilana, I’m reading on your website that you were born in Boston but raised in Cardiff.
Mystee: Yeah. I actually lived in a lot of places, but I was born outside of Boston. Then I lived in Cardiff for four years. It’s a long story, but I was in a band there, did a songwriting course, and learned how the music industry works. That was the most meaningful time in my life so far.
Indra Raj: Cardiff, Wales—correct? What was the scene like over there?
Mystee: It was great. When I visited, I saw people with guitars everywhere, lots of indie bands, and I played a lot of open mics. I got to know musicians—it was a great time.
Indra Raj: I always think of poets and landscapes when I think of Wales.
Mystee: Cardiff was declared the UK’s first “Music City” while I was there, which was ironic, because as soon as they declared it, they started tearing down venues. My university even deported me for playing music—which is a long story—but I still love Cardiff, just not some of the landlords there.
Indra Raj: So you have some heavy influence from there. But tell me, how did you first get into songwriting?
Mystee: I started playing guitar when I was six. Someone’s dad in preschool would come in and play guitar, and I was obsessed. In first grade, my parents got me my first guitar.
My earliest memory of songwriting—I was about eight, playing softball. When you’re that age, no one can hit the ball far, so I had a lot of downtime in the outfield. I would just write songs in my head. They were probably more like compositions, no lyrics, but that’s when it started.
Indra Raj: So you’d come up with the music in your head and translate it to guitar later?
Mystee: Yeah. Even before that, I watched The Trumpet of the Swan and became obsessed with trumpet. I actually played trumpet in elementary school, second chair. I was always fascinated by how bands knew when to play and when not to play. I didn’t know about rests as a kid, so I just tried to imagine it.
Indra Raj: I remember that too—listening to music and wondering, “How does this all come together?” And then later, as a musician, you start to see how the pieces fit.
Mystee: Exactly. It seems foreign until you actually do it.
Indra Raj: And now you have a new EP. Tell us about it.
Mystee: The EP is called Forget Me Not. We recorded it at Cowboy Cal Bunga in Evergreen with Mark. There are four songs: Soar, which I just played, Take It Back, which I wrote last year, Sober, which I wrote during lockdown in Wales, and Forget Me Not, the title track, which I co-wrote at a songwriting camp in Wales.
Indra Raj: Let’s hear another track.
Mystee: Sure. This one’s called Sober.
(plays music)
Indra Raj: That was Mystee live here in the KGNU studio. Let’s hear one more.
Mystee: This song’s called Take It Back.
(plays music)
Indra Raj: We’re here live with Mystee out of Fort Collins with a new EP, Forget Me Not.
…
Mystee: We recorded it over three days in Evergreen, stayed in an Airbnb, and it was wholesome—nights watching SpongeBob, days in the studio. First day we did guide tracks, then drums and bass, then my guitar and vocals, and finally lead guitar.
Indra Raj: Was that your first time in a studio?
Mystee: With this band, yes. Before, I’d recorded in Boston and also done singles here in Colorado with our producer Ryan Adams, our former guitarist. But this was our first mountain getaway-style recording.
Indra Raj: And now you’ve got shows coming up—Fort Collins, Denver, Grand Junction.
Mystee: Yeah, we’re doing a mini tour—Logan, Utah, then Grand Junction at Ikaka Coffee with our friends Social Cinema. We’ve got a Halloween show at The Pearl in Denver on the 30th, and November 1st we’re at Washington’s in Fort Collins with Graveyard Choir.
Indra Raj: That’s exciting. Are you doing anything special for Halloween?
Mystee: Yeah, we’re dressing up as another band and playing covers of their songs along with our originals. You’ll have to come to the show to find out who.
Indra Raj: I love that. Why don’t we hear one more song—the title track?
Mystee: This one’s called Forget Me Not.
(plays music)
Indra Raj: You’ve been listening to a live session with Mystee out of Fort Collins, here at KGNU. Thank you so much for being here.
Mystee: Thanks for having me.
Indra Raj: The new EP Forget Me Not is out now. You can find more at mysteemusic.com—that’s M-Y-S-T-E-E music dot com—or on Instagram and Facebook.
Mystee: That’s right. We also have a Christmas song, Bold and Bright, coming out this year.
Indra Raj: Perfect. Thanks again for joining us.
Mystee: Thank you.
