Sign up for broadcasts from Hilo Station to get the latest info on Hilo’s travels and (very occasional) other shenanigans. And also to find out about any gigs either Laura or Lissa may have separately.
About
Hilo is an unaccompanied folk duo with tight harmonies & loose sci-fi shtick. We make it our mission to bring “ancient” songs of human rights, human stories, and human work into the future. Our songs are traditional, but our vibe, banter, & arrangements aren’t.
On Earth, Laura Ciporen and Lissa Michalak can be found in New York City. In space, they can usually be found on Hilo station, using ancient songs to help coordinate their work on the engineering crew.
Their colleagues have compared them to a giant can of space worms.
(But affectionately.)
Still not sure what to expect? Try some video.
Check us out on YouTube for more videos from Hilo and Laura and Lissa separately.
Sample set from Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival, 2025
Non-Hilo performance as part of the Folk Music Society of NY’s stage at Porch Stomp! 2025
Laura’s solo Peoples’ Voice Cafe performance. 2024
“I was knocked out and wanted to hear her full performance.” – Terri Thal after hearing Laura preview one song on an evening prior to the full concert.
“Maybe she should change her name to Vicki Lester, because a star was truly born last night, December 21, 2024. Mark that date well.” – Steve Suffet. Read the full review….
Maybe she should change her name to Vicki Lester, because a star was truly born last night, December 21, 2024. Mark that date well.
As you might be aware, I do most of the booking for the Peoples’ Voice Cafe in New York City. Some nine months ago, immediately after one of our shows, a young woman came up to me and said “Hi. I’m Laura Ciporen and I’d like to perform here.”
“Well, Laura,” I asked, “what do you do?”
“I’m a singer and I like to sing folk songs,” she responded.
What a refreshing reply! She did not hit me with “I sang ‘God Save the King’ at Charles III’s coronation,” nor with “I shared the stage with Little Anthony and the Imperials at Caesar’s Palace,” nor with “I opened for the Almighty on his/her/their/its most recent tour of the Universe.” “I like to sing folk songs” sums it up neatly, short and to the point.
And sing folk songs she does! For 52 minutes Laura Ciporen commanded the stage all by herself, performing alone and a cappella. There were no accompanists, no backup singers, no guitar, no piano, no violin. There was just one young woman who understood that she had a voice, and even more importantly, she knew how to use it.
Her well chosen set included traditional folksongs, as well as contemporary songs composed in traditional style by such songwriters as Ian Robb, Peter Bellamy, and Heather Wood. Laura’s selections also included one song of her own. As a pleasant surprise, she performed a mini-set of several sea chanties within her larger set.
As is usual at the Peoples’ Voice Cafe, there were two featured acts last night. So Laura was co-billed with Utah-born but Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Kevin Allred, a formidable performer in his own right who took the stage after a short intermission.
Once again, the Peoples’ Voice Cafe fulfilled its mission of providing a venue for performing artists who have something important to say and the talent with which to say it.