Conner Eko, is my current artistic persona. As Conner Eko, I consider myself an indie pop singer-songwriter and am currently based in Vallejo, California. I have a career spanning over two decades, and first gained recognition as the lead singer-songwriter of the solo project, Dan Peluso Band, with the song “Rabbit Hole”, which aired on Fuse TV, terrestrial radio, and placed on nationally distributed promotional compilation CDs. My second successful project was as the lead singer, synthesizer player, and co-songwriter for the Pittsburgh-based indie pop rock band Falling Andes, known for songs like “San Francisco,” “Frantic,” and “Start Again.” In 2021, I began my latest project as Conner Eko, debuting with the single "SINK" in 2021, which garnered media attention and airplay on SiriusXM satellite radio after being remixed by Grammy award-winning DJ StoneBridge in 2022.

My music career began in the late 1990s and early 2000s when I played in garage bands and also sang backup vocals and played percussion for the Western Pennsylvania touring blues band, Black Cat Otis, while I was still in middle and high school. In high school, I also played drum set in various garage bands and even for regionally touring cover bands (e.g., The Guys).

After high school, I was accepted into Berklee College of Music to major in Songwriting. Although I ultimately pursued a Music Business degree (focusing on songwriting) at a different institution, this detour did provide me with valuable experience working in the music industry, including roles at Warner Music and Island Def Jam Records. It also led to some unexpected experiences, such as teaching high school science, discovering exoplanets, and earning a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Southern Queensland in 2024. Despite a long-held deep regret over not focusing all my efforts on songwriting, I have recently embraced my diverse journey and now strive for a new goal to blend my passions for music, astronomy, and education, but with songwriting and performance back at the forefront.

This renewed vigor for songwriting was catalyzed in 2021 when a traumatic brain injury significantly impacted my activities. During this period, my lifelong battle with depression intensified. Playing the living room acoustic piano became one of the few activities I could engage in without major concussion side effects, leading to an outpouring of new songwriting and renewing of my relationship with music. This renewing felt like being reconnected to a long lost soulmate. This, combined with significant recovery through psychedelic integration therapy, inspired the creation of my current project as Conner Eko, the debut single, “SINK”, and follow-up singles such as “Christmas Morning Goodbye” and “I Didn’t See You At All.”

My commitment to rebrand as Conner Eko represents a fusion of his passions for music, astronomy, and education. It also represents a pivotal turning point in my life and personal growth to finally fully embrace who I truly am in heart and soul—an artist and singer-songwriter. I am currently developing the new single, “Standing Up”, with producer, Jacob Light, at ModernTone Studios (LaFayette, CA) that explores my battle with mental health. The release of this song will culminate in a live-in-studio single, fully produced track, and documentary aimed at raising awareness for mental health. In 2025-2026, I plan to merge pop singer-songwriter music with exotic genres and instrumentation, exploring cosmic themes and the human condition through scientific data and cultural stories and collaboration. This upcoming endeavor will mark my first debut full-length album, complemented by touring and multimedia content.

Artist/Album/Release: Falling Andes / Castlevania / 25 February 2014
Info: Recorded at Audible Images (Pittsburgh, PA) by Stan Kleja and Frank Soriano. Additional recording at Falling Andes' home studio and Frank Soriano's home studio. Produced by Falling Andes and Alex Smolinski.  Mixed by Alex Smolinski (Butch Vig's Emperors of Wyoming, Lola Ray, Gym Class Heroes, Nada Surf).  Mastered by Andy VanDette (Beastie Boys, David Bowie, Atomic Tom). 
Suggested Tracks: Castlevania, Follow Me, and Sunshine

Artist/Album/Release: Falling Andes / Frantic / 9 August 2011
Info: Falling Andes debut album.  Produced by Falling Andes and recorded and mixed by Dave Hidek of Tree Lady Studios (Pittsburgh, PA).  The first single, San Francisco, quickly garnered attention from music blogs, print publications, and college and AAA radio stations.  The title track, Frantic, is the second single off the record.
Suggested Tracks: San Francisco, Frantic, and Break Me

Info: Below are additional songs and music videos. The stop-animation music video for Rabbit Hole was featured on Fuse TV in 2008.