Adam Foote, mostly known as The Handpan Man or Ethereal in E, is an American musician and social media influencer who is known for his use of the handpan. He is mostly seen playing the instrument in a body of water, often in a humorous or manic style.
Foote's videos have garnered him a combined following of over 11 million people across many social media platforms, particularly TikTok.
Early life Adam Foote was born in Ohio in 1984. Foote’s passion for percussion instruments began as a young child. He played drums for his church during his childhood, which inspired him to become a professional musician. When he was 11 years old, his father committed suicide as a result of bipolar disorder. Foote attended college and earned a bachelor's degree in psychology at Taylor University and a master's degree in social work from Eastern Washington University.
Career Foote began his career in professional music on a street corner as a street performer. He used the earnings from his street performing to record his first studio album, Up. He then began performing at public places, including restaurants and festivals. The COVID-19 pandemic hindered Foote's performance opportunities and he began migrating to Facebook to share his music.
Soon after gaining traction on Facebook, he began uploading videos of himself playing the handpan to TikTok in 2020 and quickly gained popularity on the platform. He is mostly seen performing in the water of Lake Coeur d'Alene in Northern Idaho. Foote is also known for singing "happy birthday" songs to viewers.
As of August 2025, Foote has accumulated over 8 million TikTok followers, and 11 million combined followers across multiple platforms.
Personal life Foote resides near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He is married and has one child.
Discography In addition to his social media presence, Foote has also released two studio albums, one EP, three LPs and one single:
Albums +TitleYearCoeur Dreams2017Wilderness Therapy2019
EPs and LPs TitleYearUp.2017Rainy Day Rhythms2025Songbird Sessions2025Whispering Waters2025
Singles TitleYearEscape to Calmness2024Lakeside Lullaby2024Lost in Thought2024Majesty of the Moment2024
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