Artist Report | ALMA CORA

Published on 6 May 2026 at 06:00

“Gritty Riffs, Soulful Melodies: ALMA CORA’s Endless Potential”

 



(Artist Report)

Written by: Cody Denning  


ALMA CORA is an American rock band formed in Brooklyn, New York in 2019. The core duo is lead vocalist Wes Hutchinson and guitarist/producer Mike MacAllister — the same Mike MacAllister known for co-writing and producing Donna Missal’s viral hit “Keep Lying.” They brought in drummer Gunnar Olson, who’s played with Bruce Springsteen, Miike Snow, and Big Data, to record their self-titled debut EP.

The band wrote and recorded the entire ALMA CORA EP in just two months at the very end of 2019, right as Wes was packing up to move from New York to Los Angeles. That transition heavily influenced tracks like “When I’m Gone” and “This Breakdown.” The EP dropped on March 10, 2020, and their song “This Breakdown” later landed a sync in the 2022 Paramount Pictures film The Contractor.

Their sound mixes gritty, riff-driven rock with soulful melodies — drawing comparisons to Arctic Monkeys, Queens of the Stone Age, and Michael Kiwanuka. They’ve released a string of singles since, including “Wait Alone” in 2024, “In This Life” in early 2026, and others like “Right Here Right Now” and “Call On Me.”
ALMA CORA brings a polished yet raw energy that blends rock edge with emotional depth.

No major performance news, or nothing on the horizon that we can see as of now, however that could change. We will keep you posted. After that session in Brooklyn they’ve been creating a strong identity in the indie rock lane and it would not be a surprise to see them on some big stages coming soon.

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