Interview with Hannah Goebel
In January 2020, we interviewed Hannah Goebel - a Nashville-based Pop/R&B star in the making. Her unique vocal flair provides distinct versatility to her sound, which spans across multiple genres. She is actively releasing a new single each month throughout 2020, and we can't wait to listen!
So what drew you to music, specifically being a singer?
Ever since I was a little girl, I've always had a passion for music. My parents discovered my vocal talent at a young age when I started singing around the house at the age of 5. They helped me develop my craft through local outlets - singing with other professional singer-songwriters, performing the National Anthem at local sporting events and getting me involved in choir and with local bands through middle/high school.
Neither of my parents is musicians, but they always had music playing throughout the house growing up and made sure that we appreciated the art. Both of my older brothers play piano/guitar as well, so there was always music in my life from an early age.
Who were you inspired by growing up?
I've always been particularly drawn to Pop, R&B and Soul music. Growing up, my sound was heavily influenced by listening to female-power singers like Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse, and Norah Jones. Their sound and storytelling abilities are where I derive a lot of the quality/tone in my voice today.
When did you first know that you were extremely talented as a singer?
When I was 7 years old, I sang the National Anthem for the first time in public at the I-80 Speedway in Nebraska (classic Midwest race track event). There were a few thousand people in attendance - funny enough, I wasn't the slightest bit nervous doing it. I remember hearing the crowd cheer when I hit the song's finale ("Home of the brave") and knowing that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
If you're a younger singer / artist, just keep believing in your craft while keeping grounded in reality about the successes / possibilities of making a living from your art.
What was it like performing on The Voice? How did that shape your future?
I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience on The Voice. I got the chance to meet many incredible vocalists from around the country and perform Alicia Keys' 'If I Ain't Got You' right in front of her, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, and Blake Shelton. Receiving all four judges' chairs from my performance was one of the greatest feelings of my life. The experience taught me a lot of lessons about working with other artists and performing on the big stage
How are you juggling the come up as a singer with life's responsibilities?
Being a musician, particularly in Nashville where there is so much great talent, it can be difficult to make ends meet. Everyone down here is hungry for paid gigs and talented enough to play any set in the City.
I moved here immediately after high school when I was 18 years old in pursuit of a full-time career as a vocalist. After four years of freelance work and playing all around the city (particularly Country gigs/songs) while working part-time, I was able to form some crucial connections to help me build a career down here as a vocalist. I have evolved in my sound/genre significantly over the past four years and now perform almost exclusively Pop, R&B and Soul music, as it fits my voice/style much better. Nashville is undoubtedly one of the best cities for music genre versatility.
Did you ever consider working odd jobs or going down the corporate route instead of pursuing music?
I'm committed to doing everything I can to make music my full-time career. I have held a number of jobs around the city to help pay the bills part-time (nannying, food delivery, grocery stores), but this is the year that I'm aiming to play enough gigs and release enough original music to be a full-time artist/vocalist. I think a path in the corporate world sailed for me when I decided to move to Nashville instead of going to college.
What's life like currently?
A typical day in our week would look something like this:
8am: Wake up / head to the gym
10am: Head home / get ready for the day
10:30am-1:30pm: Write / track original music in the studio
1:30pm-5pm: Co-write with other artists / photoshoots / work on performance repertoire for gigs
5pm-7pm: Wrap up projects / get ready for live shows
8pm-11pm: Writers' rounds / live shows / networking throughout the city
What are your goals in 2020?
My ultimate goal is to get signed by a label. While remaining independent would definitely help preserve my autonomy as an artist, I believe that the marketing horsepower of a label can best help my voice be heard across the world, allowing for easier collaborations with established artists and providing key relationships that could take my career to the next level.
To get the attention of a label, my brother, David, and I are super focused on building my social media presence and streaming catalog with great original music. I don't have a ton of music out there yet, as I was super focused on local / live shows for the first few years that I lived here. Now, with David as my producer and a studio at home, I will be releasing a new single every month of 2020 on all platforms. This will hopefully give me the greatest chance of getting put on an editorial playlist on Spotify / Apple Music, which would take my voice to a larger audience.
What's your advice for young singers and artists as they enter the music industry?
The music industry is a tough place and a hard way to make a living. However, I don't think I've ever found something so fulfilling in my life. If you're a younger singer / artist, just keep believing in your craft while keeping grounded in reality about the successes / possibilities of making a living from your art. If you are able to remain creative while finding a market for your talent, this is something that you can definitely do for the rest of your life.