I had the pleasure of speaking to HÅN, who since her debut in 2017 has shared the stage with the likes of Cigarettes After Sex and Bonobo. Her dreamy, 'with a hint of dark' style of music is uniquely beautiful yet nostalgic and her latest song, titled 'Jenny', reflects exactly that. I had the chance to talk about her brand new song, going on tour, being a woman in the music industry and more.
Read the full interview below:
Q. Hey! First off, could you tell me a bit about yourself for those who don’t know you?
"I’m an Italian girl, currently living in the north, near a very quiet and dreamy lake. I’m an artist so I love to express myself through poem, music and visuals. sometimes I’m not very good at basic human interaction."
Q. How have you been coping during quarantine?
"It’s been three long months. I’m gonna be honest here, I had a few breakdowns and it hasn’t been a happy period, but now I’m feeling so much better. I broke up with an important person and saw my entire tour cancelled. I coped with that by writing a lot of stuff, both in forms of music and diary."
Q. How would you describe your sound?
"Dreamy, nostalgic, but with a hint of dark and decision. You know, it isn’t like fairy dust and stuff. I would also define it “curious” since I’m constantly inspired by different sources, I don’t really care if they’re sounds or just noises. I like to sample."
Q. How long have you been making music and what inspired you to start?
"It’s been three years that I’ve officially started writing, but music has been with me for a longer time. In fact I can’t really remember when it started, it is just a part of who I am. Even when I wasn’t born already, my mom used to play Enya in our home so that I could listen to it."
Q. What would you say separates you from other artists?
"Uh. I guess everyone has something different but in some cases it is just more evident or stressed. In my case, I define myself as the most honest person I know. I would never sell something I am not. My music is also very raw, entirely made by me. I write and produce pretty much everything on my own."
Q. I instantly fell in love with your new song ‘Jenny’, is there someone (or something) who inspired you to write it?
"Jenny is basically what I was going through last winter but narrated using a fictional character. She travels the space searching for something, somewhere better. In that period I was thinking a lot about who I was. You know themes like sexuality, identity, future. It was all a blur. I’m still trying to figure it out but I’m not scared anymore to do so. This is what the song means."
Q. What’s it like going on tour? Do you feel homesick or do you enjoy being on the road?
"My first European last November will always be one of my best memories. My musicians are my best friends and we traveled for 9 days with a van, meeting new people and playing in different cities every night. The shows were exciting, but connecting with all that people was the best part of it."
Q. What has been the most memorable show that you have played?
"There are two. One in my hometown, Milan, it was my first headline concert and I played in front of my best friends, family and love for the first time. Very emotional and intimate show. After the show we all partied together. The second is at Primavera Sound in Barcelona. Very professional, precise, but also fun. We were so excited we almost broke the stage by jumping on it."
Q. And where is one place that you have always wanted to perform?
"I performed just once in London and I think I would very enjoy to perform again there. This city is calling me haha. Also, big festivals are always a dream."
Q. Have you faced any challenges being a young woman in the music industry? If so, how did you respond to them?
"I personally haven’t seen much difference being a women in the music industry. But that’s luck I guess. I think it’s harder for people like sound engineers, FOH etc. I like to think that prejudices are disappearing, but maybe I’m optimistic. Surely there’s still work to do, and are the subtle things that we need to focus on."
Q. If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?
"Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) is a god. I worship him. Also, would be fun to be friends with Aurora, I think we would get along pretty well."
Q. What message do you hope that people will take away from your music?
"Again, learn to be honest. There’s no point in playing someone’s else. It just comes pretty natural to me and sometimes I’d prefer not to (you know like social situations...parties) but at the end, who cares, be honest with yourself and with what you’re feeling."
Q. What’s next for you?
"My EP is gonna come out on July 17, then I’ll play a festival in my hometown. meanwhile I’m finishing the album. Then in September I’ll probably move to London cause I’ve been accepted for a music master and I’ve been wanting to live there since forever."
Q. Finally, where can people listen to your new song?
"Everywhere: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal. We cover everything. Maybe it will also crawl up to your bed while you’re sleeping. Who knows..."
If you enjoyed reading this interview, then be sure to go and listen to 'Jenny', which is available on all major streaming sites. If your'e a fan of Girl in Red, Clairo, King Princess and other alt pop icons, then I guarantee that you'll love HÅN's music.
Big thanks to HÅN (@hanmusic.jpg) for taking part in this interview.
Interview and questions by @poppymaeg
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