Hippo Campus were formed when Jake Luppen, Nathan Stocker, Zach Sutton, and Whistler Isaiah Allen met at the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists where they studied jazz, and Luppen trained in opera. SPCPA friend DeCarlo Jackson began playing regularly with them in 2017. Many of them played in other bands before uniting as Hippo Campus, a name Nathan Stocker chose while in psychology class. They often performed under their stage names The Turntan, Stitches, Espo, and Beans respectively, but no longer use the names on stage.
Tarzan Rejects EP (2013)
Hippo Campus recorded and released an EP entitled Tarzan Rejects in 2013. This EP consisted of five tracks, two of which are original recordings of the songs "Little Grace" and "South".
''Bashful Creatures'' and ''South'' EPs (2014–2016)
''Landmark'' album and ''warm glow'' EP (2016–2018)
The band released the single "Boyish" prior to their first full-length album, the guitar-based Landmark, which came out February 24, 2017. The #3 Billboard Heatseeker album was produced by BJ Burton, who produced albums for Low and Bon Iver. Landmark was described by the Minneapolis Star Tribune as "loaded with thickly cushioned ambiance, billowy melodies and concisely written songs." Their second single from the album was "Way It Goes" which they performed on their second appearance on the Conan show. They played a sold-out show at the iconic venue First Avenue in March 2017, and then Hippo Campus embarked on an international headline tour. That summer they played Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, Tennessee and Lollapalooza in Chicago. Hippo Campus next released a self-produced three-song EP called warm glow in October 2017. In spring and summer 2018, Hippo Campus performed at Sasquatch! Music Festival in George, Washington, and again at Reading and Leeds Festivals in the UK, and opened for Sylvan Esso at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado.
''Bambi'' (2018-present)
The band's album Bambi, released September 28, 2018 was preceded by the singles "Passenger", "Golden", and "Bambi". Once again produced by BJ Burton, the Boston Globe noted that it was "a massive step forward" as the band used more synthesizer and programmed drums. Hippo Campus headlined their own tour from Fall 2018 into Winter 2019 across the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe. They did a live session at WFUV radio, among other similar appearances. In Fall 2018, they performed at venues like Chicago’s Riviera Theater and New York City’s Terminal 5 and UK indie hotspot SWX Nightclub in Bristol on their Bambi Tour. In March 2019, Hippo Campus performed in two countries in Asia and during the summer of 2019, Hippo Campus joined their tour with The Head and the Heart, opening at venues such as Red Rocks for two sold out shows.
Philanthropy
As part of the Me Too movement, Hippo Campus teamed up with the Women's Foundation of Minnesota to help donate profits from their merchandise sales to that foundation. They partnered with Normal Parents and Everytown For Gun Safety selling special "Thoughts and Prayers" T-shirts to raise awareness.
