In August we wrote about ‘You Did This‘, from Hannah Gold. The singer songwriter took a leap of faith, moving across country from Port Washington, in New York State to Los Angeles, California, and she’s certainly never looked back. Such a move at a young age – Hannah is still only 23 years old – shows a depth of maturity that many much older don’t achieve: and this is reflected in the answers she gave when we spoke to her earlier this month. We think you’ll agree with us when we say Hannah Gold is going places.
Hi Hannah, thanks for speaking to us today!
You made the move from your home in New York State to Los Angeles to attend college and to follow your dreams as a singer-songwriter. Has it been difficult living so far from home, or have you just lent into it? Do you have any advice for anyone who is similarly considering making a big move, either across the country or in life in general?
Hi!! Of course, thank you for inviting me here.
I’ve honestly really fallen into the Cali vibes and made a home for myself out here. When I was in high school, people always told me they thought I’d fit really well in California and if I went, I’d never return to New York. They were right! I love it out here and am so happy I took a leap of faith and made the move.
To someone similarly considering making a big move, I say go for it! You’ll never know if you don’t take a chance; what do you have to lose??
To what extent is your single, ‘You Did This’ based on real life events, and was it a relief, a cathartic experience, to put all your pain and emotions into music?
The song and lyrics are definitely inspired by real events. Unfortunately, the music video was not based on a real event and was a concept I came up with alongside videographer Marquis Dawsey to show a fantasy of what someone might want to do to someone who cheated on them. Writing and performing “You Did This” is a complete cathartic experience and relief. I definitely find myself channeling an array of emotions into my music, especially pain and heartbreak. Writing this type of music allows me to stay in touch with my inner feelings and express them in a healthy way that is productive towards me moving on from the situation.
You’re clearly a strong woman – how do you feel women can make their voices heard in what is clearly still a very male dominated business? What changes need to be made?
Thank you! Us women definitely need to stick together and continue to champion for one another. I love teaming up with other females in this industry for collaboration or advice. It’s always refreshing to hear another woman’s experience considering how biased and challenging this industry can be. A lot of men try to take advantage of females starting out as singers or entertainers, so communicating with other females and having a team behind you is extremely important. It is essential that we continue to speak up for our rights and that we don’t stop until we are heard.
There are many changes I can think of that need to be made. Firstly, we need to stop oversexualizing female co–workers. One of the biggest issues I’ve heard female artists complain about is male producers or artists who only try to work with them because of their physical attributes. This is counterproductive because the female is showing up ready to work, under the guise of a studio session, and the male counterpart is trying to chat her up and get her drunk for ulterior motives. I’ve heard women tell me big name producers who have convinced girls to sleep with them by promising to turn them into stars, only to leave them in the dust after it happened. The second thing that needs to change is men taking advantage of female artists who are naive and just starting out. Often times men will charge women higher rates, way above market price, simply because they assume they are dumb girls who don’t know any better. We need to treat women professionally and provide equal rates to both genders. Thirdly, I would love to see way more females producing and composing. It seems like production is very male-dominated and females are not given as much of a chance to succeed. Fourth, we need way more female powerhouse CEOs in music so that we have voices at the highest level championing for female success.
Go support female artists! Buy tickets to female shows, stream female songs, and post the music on your social media! My favorite way to help female artists is by sharing their music on my social media or making a TikTok with their sound. We need to help female voices get the same recognition males have always received.
How did you come up with the concept for the video for ‘You Did This’?
I worked alongside videographer Marquis Dawsey and producer Ètienne “EJ” Porter to bring this whole project together. I started off by playing “You Did This” for Marquis and filling him in on my meaning behind the song. We started brainstorming ideas and conceptualized this fantasy reality that we ultimately brought to life. We met weekly leading up to the shoot and added details as we went along. We wanted to create a revenge fantasy towards a partner who cheated. Initially, we were going to have me catch the cheater on home camera footage and send my goons in to get him. We ended up changing the plot, so that we had one of my friends go undercover and set my boyfriend up. This added a whole new level of complexity to the story because now we were the ones putting him under a loyalty test and watching him fail quite terribly! We had our inside accomplice open the back door, allowing the other two girls to enter and kidnap the cheater for his interrogation. The concept is not based on real events but is inspired by what Marquis and I thought would be the best way to catch someone who constantly lies and gaslights. This scenario gave the cheater no option for denial or excuses; he had to face the cold hard truth that he messed up big time. Oftentimes cheaters will gaslight their victims into thinking they are crazy and delusional. We loved this concept because we are outsmarting the cheater and forcing him to take accountability for his actions. The evidence is right in front of his face and he can’t run away anymore.
What is the songwriting process like for you? Do you start out with lyrics or the melody first, or do they come together? Where do you get your inspiration?
The majority of the time, I start by building out a beat and then working one stanza at a time to build out a full lyrical composition. From there, I add other little elements and changes as I go along. I usually can write full songs in one session – my mind just starts going and doesn’t stop til it’s complete!
My inspiration comes from all over the place. I primarily write about my relationships, family, and events that evoke strong emotions in me. Whether it’s extreme joy or extreme sadness, if something makes me feel some type of way I’ll probably write about it in a song. Sometimes I’m inspired by heartbreak so I write songs as a release to get things off my chest and feel better. Sometimes, somebody close to me is going through something and that inspires me to write a song for them or in their honor.
What’s next for Hannah Gold? What can fans expect?
There are lots of exciting things on the horizon for Hannah Gold. Up next is “Lost Your Chance”, an up-beat groovy R&B track that I will be releasing next month. There will be a music video accompanying “Lost Your Chance” that includes high energy shots of me living my best life, shots of me performing in a huge theater, and a hidden surprise for one of my best friends to discover. Additionally, stay on the lookout for some big upcoming modeling campaigns and enchanting photos on social media.
And finally, I ask this of everyone I speak to – what question do you wish someone would ask you in an interview, but nobody ever does? And what’s the answer to that question?
Great question. I think that an interesting question would be: During what point of the music process do you feel most alive – writing, producing, recording, performing, promoting, or something else?
For me personally, my favorite part of being an artist is the creative process. From top to bottom, I just love being in the studio. I love vibing out to different beats and sounds. I love putting my headphones on and writing lyrics and melodies as I go along. The whole process of creating something and seeing it evolve is so beautiful for me. I love those “listen to this!” moments where there’s a sparkle in your eye of excitement to show your collaborator something you just came up with. Being inside the vocal booth is always fun. I put my headphones on, dance along a little, and feel the vibe of the music. I love adding little adlib elements and harmonies. Being creative is what makes me feel alive… It’s the best part of being an artist. Channeling my heart and soul into a beautiful song that I can share with the world… That’s what makes it all worth it. Creating music helps me cope and express myself; it is therapeutic. The best part is that when I’m done, I get to take that music and use it to help someone else. My goal is to inspire listeners and let them know that everything will be okay; they will make it through any tough times. I want to use my music to positively impact the world and help people who have been in my situation to heal like I did.
Watch the music video for ‘You Did This’ below, and follow Hannah Gold online on her official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
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