Meet Finn Hansbury

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Finn Hansbury. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Finn below.

Hi Finn, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

Work ethic is practically genetically inherent in my family. For as long as I can remember, my mom and my grandparents have not only exhibited this quality but also told me stories about the perseverance and resilience of their parents and grandparents before them. I take great pride in my work ethic! And I appreciate the gentle way my family instilled this in me, particularly my mom.

My mom never assigned chores to my siblings or me when we were growing up. If she asked us to do something, we would do it (probably with some whining, I’m sure). I never felt like she was asking us for help because she didn’t want to complete a task. We knew she only ever asked us for help if she truly needed it, and that she would do the task herself if she was capable. Watching her navigate the challenges of being a single mom fostered my empathy for her, which fueled my motivation to take as much weight off her shoulders as possible.

I think my mom instilled empathy in me even more so than work ethic, but I think these traits work best hand-in-hand, particularly as an entrepreneur and artist. I feel that being a good artist means to feel deeply, first for yourself, and then for others through your music. If you have a good work ethic and little empathy for others, you run the risk of being self-serving. If you are empathetic but have a poor work ethic, you won’t work to meet the needs of your market or audience.

In general, my mom’s parenting style was very hands-off, which I think helped develop my work ethic as well. She was the opposite of a helicopter parent. A submarine parent, I guess. She allowed us to figure out the best way to do things through trial and error, but broke the surface to provide support if we ever needed it. That trust gave my siblings and me a rare kind of freedom that encouraged independence while knowing we had her unwavering support. Her free-reign parenting approach empowered me to discover and develop my work ethic. You could then say that I developed my work ethic myself, but I think that I wouldn’t have been able to without the tools my mom gave me.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I have traveled a long and winding path as a musician. I am a folk-rock songwriter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, but I’ve studied piano, musical theater, classical and jazz voice, classical and jazz saxophone, guitar, and more. When songwriting, I draw inspiration from musical and lyrical geniuses like Paul Simon, Hozier, Brandi Carlile, and so many others.

I was born and raised in Maine and spent the majority of my childhood in Bar Harbor, a small town on Mount Desert Island. I grew up relatively isolated from a lot of the world, which is why I aim to share my perspective through my songwriting. I want to connect with like-minded individuals while expanding the perspectives of myself and others. I often write about my experience as a queer person growing up in rural America, and I seek to connect with and empower the LGBTQ+ community through my work. I pour raw emotion into my work and use my craft as a channel to express my innermost vulnerabilities without sugarcoating the truth. I believe this deeply personal and honest writing draws people in and distinguishes me from other artists.

I recorded my first two singles, “Invisible Love” and “Sugar,” while studying at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. After a deeply fulfilling year writing, recording, and touring the Midwest, I moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music. I’m now recording and performing in Boston’s underground singer-songwriter scene, and released my first full-band single “The Queen” in February 2025. Since then, I’ve been working on an EP called “Skeletons” that I’m releasing this fall, with some of my favorite songs I’ve written over the past two years. Follow along on my social media to stay up to date on this release and other upcoming events!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

To preface this question, I’m only 21, and although I’ve been on a musical path since my Kindergarten talent show, I’m very new to the music industry as an adult. That being said – there are many skillsets and areas of knowledge that are helpful to have as a musician, but what I’ve learned is that an unwavering authenticity and kind personality will book you a gig much faster than your talent will. So if I had to choose three qualities that were the most impactful in my journey, I would choose individuality, empathy, and humility.

This is the corniest crap ever that everyone will tell you, but showing up as your truest self is one of the most important parts of being an artist, and a human. Decent people will see through an act, and if they don’t, you don’t want to work with those people. You want to work with people who accept you for exactly who you are and attract the right opportunities.

As mentioned in a previous question, empathy is also an important quality to have. Treating others as you want to be treated and helping people without expecting anything in return earns you respect. More importantly, it feels good! Again, being kind will get you the gig before your talent will.

That being said, humility is also important. Staying grounded is necessary not only to attract the right people and opportunities, but also to managing your expectations and live a fulfilling life outside of music.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

I will be pretending that money doesn’t exist for this prompt. First, I would throw triannual parties all over the world that are obligatory for my closest friends and family. I would be dancing until my limbs fall off. I would be spending as much time as possible with the people I love. I would eat as much good food as possible. I would travel the world and see as much as I can. I’d spend time outdoors. And of course I’d be writing and singing.

I would also get on TikTok and tell everyone that I’m dying soon. I’d blow up and play big stadium shows.

I’d also probably alert every eligible bachelor that I am just a poor dying man and want to get married before I pass.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Skye Harding
Maggie Welch
Ruby DeGoursey

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Where does your self-discipline come from?

One of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. We asked some

Productivity
Working hard in 2024: Keeping Work Ethic Alive

While the media might often make it seem like hard work is dead and that

Resilience
The Power of Persistence: Overcoming Haters and Doubters

Having hates is an inevitable part of any bold journey – everyone who has made