KBONG: Music & Hiking

By: Jaime Purinton

Many times, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of seeing a place for the first time. Like the first time I saw Thousand Island Lake on the descent from Thousand Island Pass in the Ansel Adams Wilderness on day three of a backpacking trip. When the lake came into view, it was one of the most beautiful views I had ever seen, and tears streamed down my cheeks as soon as I laid eyes on it. It was a feeling I have never forgotten, and it was the exact same feeling the first time I listened to Kbong's song, Open my Eyes. The energy that came through, his voice, the lyrics, and the music brought instant tears to my eyes. It felt like the same energy I felt when I saw Thousand Island Lake. It is this parallel, the knife-edge between the energy of music and the energy of hiking, I explored with musician KBong in a recent interview. It was my first time meeting KBong, and he exudes just as much positivity and joy in person as he does through his music.

Kevin Bong, aka, KBONG is a multi-instrumental artist well known for his "key” role in one of my favorite reggae bands, Stick Figure. He has toured with the group since 2012 and has solidified his place as one of the top keyboard players in today's current Reggae scene. KBong's first studio album' Hopes and Dreams,' came out in 2014 and featured him as the primary songwriter. The summer anthem "Livin Easy" featured Scott Woodruff and the rest of Stick Figure. Other collaborations on the album included singer/songwriter Hirie, producer Johnny Cosmic and producer Alific. It is a mix of catchy acoustic guitar riffs and surf vibes and influences ranging from reggae to hip hop. In 2018, KBong released his second studio album 'Easy To Love You,' produced by Johnny Cosmic and featuring Scott Woodruff (Stick Figure), The Movement, Raging Fyah, and Cosmic.

And he is also a hiker.

KBong grew up in nature and hiked as a child with his parents and grandparents, who always incorporated hiking when they would travel. The hikes were not always intense, and sometimes even urban hikes. He recalled a fond memory of when his Dad took him on his first trip to downtown Los Angeles where they went on an urban architecture hike to see a church and opera house. While hiking has been part of his life since childhood, he had never backpacked and always wanted to try it. In 2020, he was introduced to backpacking by Hiking My Feelings founders Sydney and Barry Williams, who took him on his first backpacking trip in Yosemite. Like so many of us, he has found something that brings him joy in hiking.

I was fascinated to learn how KBong compares hiking and music, two things that are so inexplicably woven into many of our lives. KBong shared that "Hiking and music are both a one-track mindset. When I am hiking, my mind is not bogged down with all these other thoughts or things going on. It almost eases the mind a little- it simplifies the mind. I can let go of certain things, and it is so healing, and it is the same with music. When I am playing, music can ease my mind and be very healing." The parallels he draws between the two go hand in hand with what we believe here at Hike It Off; hiking is a way to let go of the things we don't need anymore and allow the healing vibe of nature to do its magic.

He also thinks about music while hiking and explains, "Hiking for me is a good time to process music and come up with lyrics or revisit songs I am working on." It works well for him, especially if he knows the melody really well and can sing it in his head without the guitar. He can then start to put words together. When he is playing music, he might be seeing things he saw on his adventure trips in his head. He needs to look out on the horizon and see distance. It helps him to reflect on certain things.

We dove a little deeper and discussed how music and nature are threads that connect all beings- whether it is a bird's call, a whale's song, or KBong playing his guitar, it is a universal way for connection. KBong believes music is a universal language. "Even the way the leaves blow in the wind or the way the rain makes a rhythmic pattern on the roof of the house or the forest floor. It definitely connects all beings. The melodies and song and rhythm are all around us, and it is a beautiful thing," he says.

Another parallel that runs close between hiking and music we dissected is the thought that hiking and music are both an escape for some people, a way to disconnect from the stresses of life and reconnect to themselves. Hiking is also about taking energy in as well. KBong has experienced this first hand and shared, "When you're on the trail, it is about letting go and taking in what is happening, which is part of the healing process. For music, it is the same. I let go of many things and talk about my personal experiences through music. I just put it all out there. Most of the healing part of music is when I see how it positively affects people, which fills me up. I see positive things on the trail, like the natural beauty, an animal surviving out there, and even the dedication and hard work someone took to create the trail for us to walk on. These are the little things that fill me back up and inspire me."

Musicians inherently give a lot of themselves- they share their art and vulnerability with the people watching them play, listening to their music, and enjoying their craft. I asked KBong if he thought hiking is a chance for him to receive nature's energy instead of being the one on stage giving it. When he goes hiking, he feels that the world is showing us this gift, a higher creation or whatever you believe in; it's all there on the trail. "It's a beautiful place, especially when the sun goes down and you see the stars. That is an amazing experience right there. There are times when I am out there, and I think every human needs to go out under the stars at least twice a month. There is something it does to us, and I have experienced it. It resets us and reminds us how special our lives are and how special the place we're living in", he said.

KBong says he finds a kind of structured freedom in both hiking and music. "With music, you have the notes, the scales, the people who put in the work to build a piano or guitar, and the traditional tuning, so there is the freedom to play anything you want, but there is still structure to it. It's the same on the trail. You can be out there and have a great time and be free, but you're safe, and you're not just going to get lost in the forest," he explained. We talked about how there are maps for hiking and "maps” for music, and we are always free to go off the map if we feel like it.

Increased creativity after spending time in nature has been proven in scientific studies. KBong can verify this and says for him switching up his surroundings is really important as a musician for creativity. Going into nature and smelling the smells, breathing the air, hearing the different sounds, and taking all those things in does something extra to your body. It allows the muscles in your brain to flex, and the creativity comes out differently. It is definitely a shift for him and sometimes is much stronger than at home.

This led to my favorite question I ask every person I interview what does "Hike It Off' mean to him. His answer was so beautiful. "It's about letting go. It's about really immersing yourself into this nature experience, this world experience. It's about reconnecting with the creation of this world and the patterns and rhythms in nature. It's connecting with what is in this natural and magical place we call earth. You're hiking it off, but you're also hiking it too. You're taking all the positives and leaving with a refreshing cleanse, and you carry it with you to inspire your daily life. And then it brings you back and says come back and hike again."

KBong understands the importance of making space for both music and hiking and the healing both provide to him. His songs "Heal It" and "Walk With The Sun" from his album Let Love Lead are two songs he wrote after being inspired by nature's healing. He says all of his music has been inspired by being on the trail or nature at some point. His new record will be out later this year, and he will be on tour with Stick Figure through May and a solo tour this fall, so stay tuned. You can follow him on his Instagram, where he posts a variety of posts about hiking, music, his home in San Diego, and tropical themes.