Meet Hannah Rosenberg

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Hannah Rosenberg a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hannah, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I keep my creativity alive through the art and beauty around me. I draw inspiration from what I surround myself with–whether it’s the music I’m listening to, art I’ve seen recently, fashion, my environment, a game I’ve played, something I’ve read, or a concert I’ve been to. I look for inspiration in everything I can and find joy in keeping my horizons wide.

Recently, I’ve been listening to Jaron’s new album “LIGHTYEARS”. I always love how emotive his sound design is paired with his evocative storytelling abilities. I was also recently inspired by a local show I went to called “International Guitar Night”. It featured four amazing guitarists from very different musical backgrounds, and their methods of playing and composing were so amazing to watch live. It’s always so beautiful hearing how different artists tell a story and express themselves through their music.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m an artist and musician and have loved both for as long as I can remember. My mom loves to create visual work; she loves making anything from drawing, painting, sculpture, to DIY crafts. In terms of my visual art journey, being surrounded by her creativity influenced me and eventually led to me getting a bachelor’s in the arts. On the other hand, my dad loves literature and music. I have fond memories of sitting with my brother and parents in their room and singing songs with my dad as he played guitar. Growing up, he played a variety of vinyls, CDs, and cassettes for us which helped me expand my horizons from a young age. He was also always incredibly supportive of me creatively. In elementary school, I decided I wanted to join the school band and play the flute. My dad was also a flautist and owned an old flute (significantly older than me) and got it fixed so I could use it. Later on, I picked up a variety of woodwinds as well as music production. Learning an instrument and being in a variety of ensembles sparked my love for both playing and creating music.

By the beginning of high school, I had picked up ukulele after being inspired by a recent wave of acoustic musicians. At around this time, I began writing and recording my own music and posting it online as both an emotional and creative outlet. I had been struggling with a medical condition for a few years and was having to go through a substantial amount of treatments and doctors. It had taken a significant toll on my mental health, and music was a way for me to channel the emotions that were difficult for me to process. Additionally, the frequent visits I was making to the hospital coupled with my condition meant I wasn’t able to go outside as much as I was used to. I began becoming increasingly active online and began socializing with people. During this period, a community of musicians (mainly on Soundcloud) started forming, and I was lucky enough to get to be a part of it. I got to know people from all over the world and had the privilege of creating with them.

Since I started, what has always inspired me the most is when someone tells me that my work has made an impression on them. When people tell me that my music brings them joy, they listen to my songs with their friends, that I inspire them, or that my music has gotten them through really difficult periods in their lives, it truly is so fulfilling for me. Impacting people in a positive way is something I’ve always held in high regard. As an artist, nothing brings me greater satisfaction than knowing that something I’ve created has helped someone in some way. Art is a universal language, and it is so incredible I can connect with someone I’ve never met before on an emotional level.

I am looking to release more music in the near future, so if you are interested in keeping up with me you can follow me @ ocoenia on all platforms!

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?

A quality that has been most impactful on my journey has been kindness. People are compelled by kindness and want to surround themselves with people who bring positivity and joy to their lives. It’s easy to support someone you like as a person, and building a group of dedicated fans is so important especially when you’re first starting. Finding people in your community who will support you and that you want to support too is so important. Having relationships of mutual support is so important, especially when dealing with burnout or imposter syndrome. I also think that being kind entails being a good listener. It shows you respect the people you’re talking to and if you make sure that they feel heard, they will make you feel heard in return. Be proud of your work and share it, and listen to your friend’s music in return. Listen to feedback and ask questions about it. You will grow so much faster when you’re learning from friends and mentor figures with intention.

The second thing that was most impactful in my journey was my background in the arts. I studied music intently from sixth grade throughout high school and learned about theory, instruments, composing, and performance. Although knowing things like music theory are not necessary in order to create good music, it’s definitely helpful and can give you a leg up when it comes to making what you hear in your head or knowing where to take a song. Additionally, I studied art and lessons with friends to improve. I also got my degree in interdisciplinary visual art, and learned a lot from my peers and professors. Although I was mainly focused on digital art and drawing, I learned the most from my photo-media professor. He had an incredibly open mind and his way of analyzing art affected the way I view art as well. He was very influential and encouraging in my pursuit of the arts, and I am very grateful that I was able to learn from him. However, you don’t need art or music school to be successful. There are so many incredible resources to be found online, and it is easier than ever to meet new people and mentors if you look around. I find it the most fun to learn alongside like-minded people, and there are so many communities where people share resources and grow with each other. I’d recommend seeking out these communities and sharing your journey with friends, and it will make your experience so much more satisfying and enjoyable.

The third quality would be curiosity. In my experience, the most effective way to grow as a person and artist is to be curious about everything around you. Learn from your peers, find mentor figures, be interested in new and old art, different techniques, and new skills. It’s such an important factor if you want to grow to come out of the box you seal yourself in. It’s so fun to learn and start trying to implement your newfound knowledge. You’ll probably also learn more about yourself in the process. Keep learning and never stop being curious!

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

The number one obstacle that I am currently facing is a medical condition I’ve had since around sixth grade. It is rare and incurable, and symptoms manifest differently between patients. It causes me significant chronic pain among a variety of other issues, so it can make day-to-day life difficult. As far as I know, I have exhausted almost every treatment option I could try. I’ve since switched my focus to strengthening my mindset and focusing on what I can still do. When you have a chronic illness, learning your limitations and knowing how to create an environment that is accessible to you is so important. Although I don’t discuss my illness much, I do want to inspire people in a similar situation to me. It can be hard to feel like you are worthy or successful, especially when it’s hard to find people that struggle with medical issues in the industry. This pushes me to keep creating in hopes that I can help someone else believe in themselves too.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

personal image: drawn by @frightfruits

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