Ilan was born in Bellevue, Washington and spent his childhood growing up in Los Angeles.
He fell in love with music at a young age when he discovered his family's CD collection, listening to artists such as The Beatles, Paul Simon, Bob Marley, Pink Floyd, and Santana.
When he was 13, his brother gave him the album ‘Crash’ by Dave Matthews Band, which inspired him to pick up the acoustic guitar. That summer his brother taught him how to play the instrument and took him to his first concert at the Hollywood Bowl to see Toots & The Maytals; a life changing experience.
Having grown up in Los Angeles, Ilan spent his teenage years attending countless live concerts around the city and was exposed to a diverse range of genres across the musical spectrum.
After graduating high school, he backpacked through East & West Africa, India, the Middle East, South America and the Caribbean, where he fell deeply in love with the rich music of those cultures.
Once he returned home from his travels, Ilan enrolled in the holistic nursing program at Humboldt State University in Northern California, when he began writing his own original songs and formed a band with some local musicians. The band played at local bars, cafes, and theatres in Humboldt County until the members decided to go their separate ways.
After a few years of working as a registered nurse, Ilan became frustrated and disillusioned with the the for-profit Western medical system.
Praying to God for guidance, his answer came in the form of an invitation to a plant medicine ceremony, during which he recieved a profound vision that rekindled his passion for music.
Two weeks later, he chose to embark on a deep spiritual journey, when he left his job at the hospital where he worked, sold everything he owned except for his guitar and backpack, and hit the road.
For the following 7 years, Ilan lived out of his guitar case, wrote songs, performed music wherever he could, and visited indigenous tribes, who shared with him their ancient wisdom and sacred plant medicines.
During this time, Ilan recieved numerous songs from the ‘Music of the Spheres’ and recorded three professional albums including ‘Galactic Powow,’ 'The Winged Ones,' and 'Calling You Home.'
After 12 years of writing, performing, and recording music, Ilan is ready to share his inspiring message with the world.
His new album, 'Faith & Love' is a beautiful compilation of original songs that fuse diverse sounds from across the American soundscape.
His timeless lyrical messages lend hope and inspiration to this time of planetary transformation.
As Ilan sings in the title track of his new album, "Everything's gonna be alright, just gotta have faith and love."
