Katzù Oso is Paul Hernandez, a Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter and producer who makes lovelorn bedroom pop songs filled with lush synthesizers and gentle vocals sung in English and Spanish. On releases such as 2020's Colour, he blends wistful yet easygoing pop hooks with shimmering synth melodies and dance beats, taking influence from vintage synth pop, chillwave, and Latin pop. Hernandez was born and raised in Montebello, east of Los Angeles; both of his parents moved there from Mexico. Growing up listening to several types of music, he played in an indie rock band called Spoken Folks before focusing on his more synth-driven solo work as Katzù Oso (the group's members continued to back him up during live performances). He began releasing songs in 2017, and the positive reception led to gigs opening for stars like Tyler, The Creator and BROCKHAMPTON. A 2018 EP titled Pastel encapsulated his smooth, homespun pop sound up to that point. His subsequent work moved in a more danceable direction, incorporating new wave and synth-funk influences. A remix of Poolside's 2019 single "Can't Stop Your Lovin'" preceded Katzù Oso's 2020 EP Colour, which included a track featuring Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas and Ulises Lozano (of Kinky). ~ Paul Simpson