Tacoma songwriter Kye Alfred Hillig returned January 7, 2026, with “Ezekiel Bobbing For Apples,” the first single from his forthcoming album The All-Night Costume Company, arriving March 4. Featuring haunting guitar work and striking male‑female harmonies inspired by classic country duets, the song presents Hillig at his most direct, blending alt‑country grit with indie‑rock urgency.
Hillig has been a steadfast presence in the Puget Sound music community for over two decades, known for his sharp hooks, candid lyricism, and songwriting that leans into vulnerability, dark humor, and emotional honesty. His music will appeal to fans of Father John Misty, The Jayhawks, and early The Shins.
Recorded at Ex Ex Studios in Seattle and produced by Johnny Nails, the track captures a lean, energized band performance. Hillig describes the song as “singing up from the bottom of the well… Everything feels kind of hopeless sometimes, but the message is: I am with you.”
The All-Night Costume Company, Hillig’s ninth solo album, arrives March 4, 2026.
“Ezekiel Bobbing For Apples” marks a confident and compelling reentry for the seasoned songwriter.
Have you always been interested in music? Was there a particular song/performance that made you say, “Woah! I want to do that! ”?
I remember the exact moment, actually. I was in late elementary school, maybe fifth grade or so, and I saw the movie Back To The Future. There’s a scene where Michael J. Fox is down on his knees playing Chuck Berry’s song “Johnny B. Goode.” My whole life came into focus at that moment. It was an unequivocal call to arms. I immediately set to the task of acquiring an electric guitar. The second lightning strike came at a summer camp where I was attending a dance. They had a deejay who was spinning a lot of hip-hop & R&B of the early nineties, and then…Green Day’s “Basket Case” played over the speakers. It sounded how I felt inside: chaotic, heavy-hearted, and irreverent. It was music I could easily learn to play, and within months I had my first band.
What is your top two favorite albums of all time? Why those albums?
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Jackson Browne’s Late For The Sky. When I first heard it I couldn’t believe someone could pack that much beauty into one album. It was like the unfiltered sound of a heart without pretense or artifice. I saw Jackson perform some of those songs live a couple years ago and I think the audience members around me must have wondered who the emotionally disturbed man cradling himself in the third row was. I’d also put Frightened Rabbit’s The Midnight Organ Fight up there too. It’s been decades and it never comes off my weekly playlist. Scott Hutchison singing about needing human heat or how you won’t find love in a hole is just about as good as it gets for me. And they’re funny too! There aren’t many artists who can break your heart and make you laugh at the same time.
Of your own music, do you have a favourite? If so, can you pin down why?
I do, yes, and it’s not a fan favorite. There’s a song of mine called “The Falling Peach” on my album Fossil that I just adore. It’s pure evil in the best way. It’s completely unlike any of my other work. Three minutes of low droning upright bass with me barking like a dog in the background and harmony vocals that sound like they were done by the devil. I mean, I did them, but close enough. My biggest personal achievements in making music come from creating something that feels unique. That song is definitely unique.
When you create music, what is your personal purpose or goal?
Creating music for me is like sending my soul to the water treatment plant. The garbage comes in, and clean, clear water flows out in the form of music. The ultimate purpose for me is to know myself better. To get what is in me out. It’s then that I can step back and actually see myself. It’s also a semi-constructive place to focus my energy. I have a purpose if I’m working on a project. When I don’t, I tend to drift a bit. Ok, a lot, actually.
How do you deal with writer’s block?
I don’t believe in it. Creativity is endless. I think what’s happening for people there is they’re getting caught up in their own gears. They’re thinking too much. Creation is the opposite of thinking. Start banging out a beat on your kitchen table. Play two chords over the top of it. Sing some nonsense. Look! You made a song. Do that enough times, and good songs will start to show up at your door.
What actor would play you in a movie about your life?
Without fail someone will come up to me after each show I play and ask, “Has anyone ever told you that you look like Ralph Fiennes?” It’s kind of a joke to me now. So I’ll have to say he’s my choice although he’s twenty years older than me.
Are you a cat or dog person?
Both, but little is as good in this life as a dog. It’s a truly special relationship with them. My life could be perhaps best described in a cycle of adopted dogs.
What’s your least favorite personality trait you like about yourself?
I think there are times I can be pretty ungenerous with people. If my bandwidth is low or I’m overwhelmed, I can sometimes joke rather harshly with those around me. It can be a bit of a scorched earth approach to what should likely just be better self-care. I’ll make a horrible remark almost as a way of pushing other ideas away from me. I’m sure it can be challenging to be around me sometimes.
As a kid were you ever frightened of a monster under the bed or in the cupboard?
What used to freak me out were moments walking from my driveway to our house in the dark. That feeling that someone or something is watching you. Next thing you know, you’re running for your life even though nothing is chasing you. I had that sometimes.
What makes you nostalgic?
The state fair. There’s something so beautiful about it to me. All these people coming together to celebrate and have fun. The smell of fried food in the air. The lights of the rides. People on dates. The massive draft horses. The pop music coming from the evening concerts. I love it all. When I show up at the fair, I arrive as a kid. It’s good for the soul.
