Displaced People

The sisters Michal Hoffman and Liat Hoffman are the core of the band and the songwriters. The band originated in Cape Town, South Africa, and is currently located in Los Angeles, California.

Michal Hoffman Piano, lead and backing vocals, guitar.
Michal's journey with her greatest love - the piano - started at age 5. She was singing (and screaming) since birth. Unfortunately the piano is hardly portable, so Michal learned the guitar so she could jam at summer camps, and with 'randomers' on the sunny beaches of Cape Town. She wrote her first song at age 13, and at age 17 recorded her first album Declaration of Independence. With a Bachelor of Music degree, majoring in Classical Composition and Piano, behind her, and a couple more albums to boot, Michal joined forces with her creative partner in crime and sister, Liat, to form Displaced People.

Liat Hoffman lead and backing vocals, guitar, bass, saxophone.
Liat's musical journey began with reluctant piano lessons at 5. She found and fell in love with the sax at age 12, and joined and performed a few amateur jazz bands, in addition to periodically ripping it at events and concerts. At 14 she began playing guitar, and her musical journey truly began when she wrote her first song at age 15, inspired by the ballads of Joni Mitchell and the jam rock of Dispatch. Bringing together the musical aesthetics of her jazzy saxophone background and her love of classic and modern rock, as well as her experiences traveling in the Middle East, Africa and Europe, Liat adds a unique and indispensable dash of creativity to the songs of Displaced People, adding to the eclectic, yet unified sound of the band.

As a band, Displaced People have toured around South Africa, and performed at many venues including Rantanga Junction Theme Park, Baxter Concert Hall, and Cape Town's Christmas Lighting Ceremony - broadcast live on national television. Their songs have been placed on "Going Nowhere Slowly" - a South African T.V show. They have worked with producers Duncan Mackay (of 10cc, "Cockney Rebel" fame) and Andre De Santanna.

Displaced People strives to bring artistic integrity to the popular consciousness.

Our name is Displaced People because we seek to spread the word about displaced people around the world and encourage social action. Save Darfur.

Influences: Bob Dylan, Jewel, Janis Joplin, The Beatles, Sublime, Tori Amos, Alanis Morissette, Paula Cole, Counting Crows, Carole King... so many amazing bands there's enough space to mention!

www.myspace.com/displacedpeople