We recently connected with Hannah Crowley and have shared our conversation below.
Hannah, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
One of the most peculiar aspects of being an artist is the need for self-confidence in order to create and stand by your art, while also feeling that each creation is a ‘one-off’ and will never be replicated. This often leads to the imposter syndrome that I frequently experience. After finishing a songwriting session, I often find myself thinking, ‘That was great, I’d love to release it,’ yet simultaneously doubting my ability to recreate again, believing it to be a fluke. This inner conflict is something I constantly wrestle with, but I find that the more I create, the less precious I become about each song. I’ve come to believe that it’s crucial to always finish a song once I’ve started it and then move on. By consistently creating and releasing work into the world, I’ve noticed a positive cycle of creativity emerging in my life as an artist. While I strive to practice what I preach, I recognize that this is a continual process of growth and improvement. I see creating as a muscle that requires regular use; the more I exercise it, the more I feel a sense of purpose as an artist rather than someone who is faking it until they make it.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Hannah Crowley, and I am an alt-pop artist from Dublin, Ireland, who has been based in Los Angeles for the past six years. From a young age, I’ve always wanted to be a singer. I was fortunate enough to have parents bring me to singing lessons from the age of six. I never imagined my career choice would bring me to LA, but the longer I’ve been here, the more I’ve realized it’s the right place for me to achieve my artistic goals and aspirations. My greatest joy in life is performing on stage. My musical background is mainly classical and jazz, with a side of musical theatre. When I initially arrived in LA, all I wanted to do was perform, so I joined a cover band and started my Irish modern music duo called ‘Buska.’ With both of these projects, I ended up playing four times a week, both in and outside of LA county. These formative years were crucial to my current artist project. Although I was performing all the time, I was unhappy singing someone else’s music. I wanted to write and release my own music, and thus the itch began. I started writing in sessions with other collaborators and on my own with my keyboard. Much of the music I was writing was terrible, but I was learning about the craft of songwriting. One of the most exciting parts of being an artist is going into a session with nothing and coming out with a song, which is the closest thing to magic I experience creatively. With the pandemic, I had the time to write a lot. I released my first EP, called ‘Rewire,’ and I got to perform one of my singles, ‘R Father,’ at the Crypto.com Arena in front of 20,000 people on St. Patrick’s Day, a day I will never forget. I am very excited about my upcoming project coming out in 2025, with the continued release of more music this year. This project feels very close to home, as I am incorporating a lot of Celtic influence from both my childhood in 1990s Ireland and my introduction to Irish music when I first moved to LA.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Create Often: If you want to be an artist and write your own songs, make sure you get into sessions with other songwriters. I cannot stress enough how important it is to write as often as you can while also learning from other people. If you prefer writing on your own, that’s great, but showing your music for positive feedback is also important. This helped me massively on my journey as an artist.
Remember the aim: In a world where musicians are asked to post all the time on social media and release music at a alarming rate to keep up with trends, we have to remember the most important part: we are creating music, music that people can relate to and, in many cases, can change someone’s life. That’s my biggest dream, that my music can help someone, even a tiny bit. Then your job is done.! The music industry is constantly evolving due to the crazy developments in tech; we cannot simply rely on these algorithms. Yes, of course, these apps can help an artist get their music out, but making sure that the music is authentic to the artist is still the most important thing. It’s intriguing to consider that some of the greatest songwriters in history might have written their songs based on current trends. Our musical landscape would be vastly different.
Be Shameless: Want to get your music out there, gain more fans, and go on tour? Then you have to shamelessly plug your music. I have heard great success stories from my artist friends who DM their favorite band to open for them when they are in town, and they get the gig! Not only are you playing in front of a built-in audience, but you can also gain new fans who wouldn’t have heard your music otherwise! Leave your ego at the door and contact people in music you admire. You never know who might help you.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
Feeling overwhelmed is part of my life as an artist. One strategy I’ve adopted this year to manage this is writing to-do lists along with my gratitude pages in the morning. It seems simple, but jotting down my tasks and goals each morning significantly improves my productivity. While visualizing your goals is beneficial, there’s something magical about seeing them in writing. I also strongly believe in manifesting; spending a few minutes each day visualizing your dreams and focusing on your goals can make a difference. Already, I’ve noticed more opportunities coming my way just by putting my intentions out into the world. This is something that takes time but I firmly believe putting out positive intentions will always benefit you long term.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hannahcrowleymusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itshannahcrowley/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannahcrowleymusic/
- Youtube: @hannahcrowleymusic
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/hannahcrow
Image Credits
Photo Credits: Hannah Color: Katy O’Kane Hannah B&W: Katy O’Kane Bite My Tongue Cover: Katy O’Kane Hannah Tree: Katy O’Kane Hannah Color Far Away: Katy O’Kane Hannah Downtown: Anon* Hannah Downtown Single Shot: Anon* Hannah Smile: Anon* *Photographer would prefer to rename Anon
