BIO | Wren + Wilde

ELEVATOR PITCH

WREN + WILDE is a Minnesota folk band led by singer-songwriter Hilary Yoder, whose evocative songwriting and unmistakable “smoke folk” sound has earned the group a growing reputation throughout the Midwest Americana scene. Blending heartfelt harmonies, honest storytelling and a gritty flavor of Americana, Wren + Wilde crafts songs that smolder with equal parts fire and feeling. Their debut album,Serial Dreamers, delivers a collection of raw and resonant songs that explore love, loss, and resilience while celebrating the chronic believers who keep choosing hope in an imperfect world.

“Rich, soulful and incredibly authentic - Wren + Wilde have a sound that’s completely their own. Haunting melodies and tight harmonies pull you in from the very first note.” Brandon Backstrom, The Homegrown Show (BOB FM)

SERIAL DREAMERS BLURB

Serial Dreamers is Wren + Wilde’s debut album—a rich, cinematic collection of songs that explores the fragile beauty of the human experience. Written over years shaped by marriage, parenthood, loss, and renewal, the record blends Southern gothic textures, vintage country, and early rock influences into the band’s signature “smoke folk” sound.

Produced by Christopher Furst, Serial Dreamers is rooted in honest storytelling and luminous harmonies, inviting listeners to linger in both the ache and beauty of being alive. Across twelve deeply personal songs, Wren + Wilde explores love and loss, the passing of time, mental health, belonging, and the quiet courage it takes to keep building, loving, and believing despite life’s uncertainties. The result is a record that feels both intimate and expansive—an invitation to the chronic believers, still choosing to dream even when they know the tide is coming in.

SHORT BIO

Wren + Wilde is a Minnesota folk band led by singer-songwriter Hilary Yoder. Blending heartfelt harmonies with Americana grit into a sound they have dubbed ‘smoke folk,’ their raw and resonant songs draw from the rich traditions of American folk music and smolder with equal parts fire and feeling. Whether performing with the full band, an acoustic duo, or in Hilary’s solo format, Wren + Wilde brings a singular warmth and connection to every performance.

Their debut album, Serial Dreamers, explores the resilience of the human heart through songs of love, loss, and the bittersweet hope that keeps us believing despite life’s uncertainties. The band has quickly become a rising voice in the Midwest Americana scene, receiving regional radio support from the likes of Radio Heartland (MPR/KNOW), Womenfolk Radio (KFAI, PRX and more) and The Homegrown Show (BOB-FM/KLCI). Beyond the stage, Wren + Wilde is passionate about using music to create connection and community, supporting causes close to their hearts including music education and mental health awareness.

MID BIO

Wren + Wilde is a Minnesota folk band led by singer-songwriter Hilary Yoder. Anchored by Yoder’s honest storytelling and heartland soul, the band’s signature “smoke folk” sound blends lush harmonies with a gritty flavor of Americana. Their raw and resonant songs draw from the rich traditions of American folk music and smolder with equal parts fire and feeling.

Founded by husband-and-wife duo Hilary and Corey Yoder, Wren + Wilde grew out of nearly twenty years of musical partnership. After years of performing and releasing music as The Passerine, the duo stepped away from the industry to raise a family. In 2023, established in the rhythms of family life, they returned to music with renewed creative energy. Drawn to a fuller sound, they expanded their project into a full band, inviting vocalist Bethany Olivares, guitarist André DeSautel and bassist Mitch Jones to help bring new depth and energy to Hilary’s reflective songwriting. Whether appearing as the full band, an acoustic duo or in Hilary’s solo format, Wren + Wilde brings a singular warmth, connection, and honest storytelling to every performance.

Influenced by artists like Fleetwood Mac, The Civil Wars and Emmylou Harris, Wren + Wilde honors the traditions of American roots music while creating something distinctly their own. Their debut album, Serial Dreamers, expands their folk roots into a rich blend of Southern gothic textures, vintage country, and early rock, delivering a collection of songs that explore love, loss, resilience, and the bittersweet hope that keeps us believing despite life’s uncertainties.

Since forming, Wren + Wilde has quickly become a rising voice in the Midwest Americana scene. Their music, praised for “gorgeously delivered harmonies and deeply felt artistic expression” (songwriter Emmy Woods) has been featured by Adventures in Americana’s North Country Sessions and About That Song, while their debut single “Chasing Time” has received regional radio support from the likes of likes of Radio Heartland (MPR/KNOW), Womenfolk Radio (KFAI, PRX and more) and The Homegrown Show (BOB-FM/KLCI).

Beyond the stage, the band believes deeply in the power of music to create connection, foster empathy, and bring people together. Wren + Wilde is proud to support causes close to their hearts, including headlining Hastings Hootenanny — an annual festival raising funds for public school music programs — and performing at the Minnesota State Fair’s NAMI Mental Health Awareness Stage in support of mental health advocacy.

LONG BIO

Born in Minnesota and raised on a steady diet of bluegrass and Americana, Yoder grew up with the voices of John Prine and Emmylou Harris echoing through her childhood home. She later moved to Tennessee to study songwriting, where she met her husband and drummer, Corey Yoder. The duo spent several years writing, performing, releasing music as The Passerine, then stepped away from the industry to raise a family. In 2023, they returned to music with renewed creative energy and expanded the project into a full band. They invited vocalist Bethany Olivares, guitarist André Desautel and bassist Mitch Jones into the fold, opening the door to a broader sonic landscape while preserving the intimacy and honest storytelling that defined the Yoders’ earliest work. Whether appearing as the full band, an acoustic duo or in Hilary’s solo format, Wren + Wilde brings a singular warmth, connection, and honest storytelling to every performance.

Drawing inspiration from artists like Fleetwood Mac, The Civil Wars, and Emmylou Harris, Wren + Wilde honors the rich traditions of American roots music while creating something uniquely their own. Southern gothic textures, vintage country, and early rock converge into a sound that feels both familiar and refreshingly original. Their songs explore the fragile human experience—love and loss, passing time, parenthood, resilience, and the bittersweet hope that keeps us believing despite life’s uncertainties.

Produced by Christopher Furst, the band’s debut album, Serial Dreamers, captures Wren + Wilde fully stepping into its artistic identity. Rich harmonies, cinematic arrangements, and deeply personal songwriting create a record that is both intimate and expansive - one that invites listeners to see themselves reflected in its stories.

Since emerging as Wren + Wilde, the band has built momentum throughout the Midwest Americana scene, performing at festivals and events including the Minnesota State Fair, Rivertown Days, and Thursdays Downtown. They have been featured by Adventures in Americana’s North Country Sessions and About That Song, while their debut single “Chasing Time” has received support from the likes of Radio Heartland (MPR/KNOW), Womenfolk Radio (KFAI, PRX and more) and The Homegrown Show (BOB-FM/KLCI).

Beyond the stage, Wren + Wilde believes deeply in the power of music to create connection, foster empathy, and remind us we are not alone. The band is proud to support causes that reflect the heart behind their songwriting — including Hastings Hootenanny, an annual event raising funds for public school music programs, and performing at the Minnesota State Fair’s NAMI Mental Health Awareness Stage in support of mental health awareness and advocacy.