Kristy Hanson

Kristy Hanson, who won the Marketing & Visitor's Bureau's West Hollywood original song contest, performs her ode, "Welcome Me Home" at the Roxy Theatre on Wednesday night.
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By James F. Mills

The winner of the West Hollywood original song contest officially debuted her winning-song on Wednesday night at the Roxy Theatre.

Kristy Hanson, winner of the contest sponsored by the West Hollywood Marketing & Visitors Bureau, performed a 40-minute showcase in the club’s intimate On The Rox stage. She concluded the set with her contest-winning ode to West Hollywood called, “Welcome Me Home.”

Brad Burlingame, president of the Marketing & Visitors Bureau, said the city has “fallen in love” with Hanson’s music and also presented the final element of her prize, an acoustic guitar provided by ESP Guitars.

By winning the contest, the 31-year-old Hanson who has lived in Ohio, Florida and Michigan, but now considers Los Angeles home, also won $1,000 in cash and assorted other music- and tourism-related prizes.

Her “Welcome Me Home” was the top vote getter out of the five songs selected as finalists. More than 3,600 votes were cast in the contest which required songwriters to pen an ode that not only incorporated the words “West Hollywood” but also captured the essence, the spirit of the city.

“West Hollywood has held a special appeal for me even before I lived in LA, ever since I first visited about eight years ago,” said Hanson. “I’m inspired by both the rock heritage of The Sunset Strip and West Hollywood’s place as the home of LA PRIDE. It’s a warm and welcoming city and a center of the No H8 movement, which I strongly support. I truly feel that West Hollywood is a place where you can follow your dream, whether your dream is to be a rock star, or just be who you are and love whomever you want. I hope that message of equality and love comes through in my song.”

Hanson’s husband, Mike Chiaburu, performed with her at Wednesday’s show.

Hanson’s song “Welcome Me Home” is available as a free download at www.soundcloud.com/visit-west-hollywood. - West Hollywood Patch

Kristy Hanson, who won the Marketing & Visitor's Bureau's West Hollywood original song contest, performs her ode, "Welcome Me Home" at the Roxy Theatre on Wednesday night.
---
By James F. Mills

The winner of the West Hollywood original song contest officially debuted her winning-song on Wednesday night at the Roxy Theatre.

Kristy Hanson, winner of the contest sponsored by the West Hollywood Marketing & Visitors Bureau, performed a 40-minute showcase in the club’s intimate On The Rox stage. She concluded the set with her contest-winning ode to West Hollywood called, “Welcome Me Home.”

Brad Burlingame, president of the Marketing & Visitors Bureau, said the city has “fallen in love” with Hanson’s music and also presented the final element of her prize, an acoustic guitar provided by ESP Guitars.

By winning the contest, the 31-year-old Hanson who has lived in Ohio, Florida and Michigan, but now considers Los Angeles home, also won $1,000 in cash and assorted other music- and tourism-related prizes.

Her “Welcome Me Home” was the top vote getter out of the five songs selected as finalists. More than 3,600 votes were cast in the contest which required songwriters to pen an ode that not only incorporated the words “West Hollywood” but also captured the essence, the spirit of the city.

“West Hollywood has held a special appeal for me even before I lived in LA, ever since I first visited about eight years ago,” said Hanson. “I’m inspired by both the rock heritage of The Sunset Strip and West Hollywood’s place as the home of LA PRIDE. It’s a warm and welcoming city and a center of the No H8 movement, which I strongly support. I truly feel that West Hollywood is a place where you can follow your dream, whether your dream is to be a rock star, or just be who you are and love whomever you want. I hope that message of equality and love comes through in my song.”

Hanson’s husband, Mike Chiaburu, performed with her at Wednesday’s show.

Hanson’s song “Welcome Me Home” is available as a free download at www.soundcloud.com/visit-west-hollywood. - West Hollywood Patch

West Hollywood is adding yet another item to its "things most cities don't have but we do" list: a theme song. The colorful news of the city's decision to make its rainbow crosswalks permanent had some Angelenos in other 'hoods itching with envy, and now the progressive zone boasts its very own tribute tune.
The lucky winner of WeHo's Summer of Music Original Song Contest, Kristy Hanson, will debut her song, "Welcome Me Home," at a free music showcase on Wednesday, September 12, at On The Rox (above the Roxy Theatre). Described as "a sunny tribute to the 1.9-square mile enclave of West Hollywood" in a release, the song will be joined by other Hanson beats during a 40-minute concert.
Having called Ohio, Florida and Michigan all home, Hanson is now an Angeleno. Her music has been featured on radio stations nationwide, and she performs at colleges and clubs around the country. Aside from winning the WeHo contest, Hanson has been busy this summer working on an EP with her indie rock side project, East Paris, and a solo EP. She says of WeHo in a release:
"West Hollywood has held a special appeal for me even before I lived in LA, ever since I first visited about eight years ago," said Hanson. "I'm inspired by both the rock heritage of The Sunset Strip and West Hollywood's place as the home of LA PRIDE. It's a warm and welcoming city and a center of the No H8 movement, which I strongly support. I truly feel that West Hollywood is a place where you can follow your dream, whether your dream is to be a rockstar, or just be who you are and love whomever you want. I hope that message of equality and love comes through in my song."
Not only did Hanson's song reign supreme, the singer-songwriter scored a four-night stay in the Sunset Marquis hotel, two VIP tickets to the Sunset Strip Music Festival, restaurant and concert gift certificates, $1,000 and more.
Music and West Hollywood lovers can score a listen of "Welcome Me Home" at the showcase, which starts 8 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.) For guaranteed entry, RSVP here.
Listen to the winning song below and let us know your thoughts. - LAist.com

Remember the write-a-fun-song-about-West-Hollywood contest from earlier this summer? That the City of West Hollywood had organized? The upshot was this: Mention West Hollywood in the song. That's basically it. Oh, you know, your tune should probably sing the praises of the city, of the Strip and its galleries or whatever you like, too; that was a given.

Five finalists were chosen, public voting was afoot through July 30, and a winner was just announced: singer-songwriter Kristy Hanson, whose ditty "Welcome Me Home, West Hollywood" was picked for the top spot. (Let's add that Ms. Hanson will perform it live at On the Rox on Sept. 12.)

It's winsome is as sunny as the city it tributes. Palm trees, Sunset Boulevard, and new beginnings get a shout-out. Righteous.

Now West Hollywood has sent out word that a free download is available. If you're a WeHo resident, shouldn't this be on your current playlist? Local love? We vote a big yes. - NBC Los Angeles

RECENT REVIEWS:
"...a class act." Los Angeles Times, Margaret Grey

"Take the artistry of Sara Bareilles, the intricacy of Aimee Mann and stir in the grit and grace of Carrie Rodriguez and you've got the recipe for the exciting new sound of Kristy Hanson." Women of Substance Radio

"I'm sure if Kristy sang the ingredients of a paint tin, you would still feel inspired with her willingness to share her seductive country/folk..." Mojophenia

"Into the Quiet features Kristy’s sweet yet powerhouse voice and sharp songwriting on twelve incredible pop/folk-y tracks. It’s an addictive album." Blissfully Domestic

”‘Wrong Way’ features her most urgent but at the same time effortless vocal performance on the album, driving along with the overdriven guitar in the background that sets the upbeat tempo. It’s a great introduction to her music and what she is capable of.” Kobestarr.com

"While folk-pop might be the best description here - there's plenty of grit on this recording too. Hanson puts together a nice blend...Her voice is great and her songwriting is spot-on. If you're a fan of the folk-pop genre, Hanson won't disappoint." Jeff Bouma, WYCE Community Radio, Grand Rapids, MI

"A nice leap forward for Kristy, whose second CD builds on her first with stronger production, stronger songs and well... It's just a stronger CD. In the days when radio mattered, I could see several songs getting airplay on AAA and maybe even pop rock stations." Bruce Greenberg, The Promise Live Blog/Internet Radio Station

"a songstress with a lot of heart..." MusicGoat

Praise for ALREADY GONE:
“A delightful CD” Josiah Lambert, XM Radio

“…a sweet pop voice…angelic high notes.” PopMatters.com

“Kristy Hanson is…a pretty lady with a collection of wonderfully crafted songs, not overproduced by a longways and laid down in such an unpretentious style you just can’t help being involved in the story telling.”Mojophenia

“My goodness, Kristy Hanson is a soul-searching, soul-touching, wonderfully expressive songwriter… Today’s music needs more talent on par with Kristy Hanson and her endlessly engaging ‘Already Gone’.” MusicTap.net

“I like the songwriting, I like the voice, I like the whole package…Give it a listen. If you like folk pop, I am sure you will dig this.” Collected Sounds

“Kristy Hanson is very much an unconventional musician…her music has the power to create a mood entirely its own.” Empowerment4women.com

ALREADY GONE TOUR coverage:
“Continuing on in my love of seeking out good female songwriters, I stumbled upon…Kristy Hanson. Kristy’s bassist, producer and long-time partner Mike Chiaburu joins her for a trip down the east coast, carrying one half of the duo’s “marvelous chemistry” (as confirmed by Music Connection magazine). This tour supports her recent release, the delightful Already Gone, and [includes] a number of shows that partner Kristy with powerful female artists across the country.” Instrumental Analysis

“Kristy Hanson: Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Norah Jones serve as easy ‘sounds-like’ references for the Los Angeles pop singer with a new album, Already Gone.”Columbus Dispatch Weekender

“ Ex-Grand Rapidian Kristy Hanson, now based in Los Angeles, returns to West Michigan to perform tunes from her latest album, “Already Gone.” The golden-throated singer-songwriter plays Friday.” Weekend Picks, Grand Rapids Press
- Hear what the critics say!

Singer-songwriter Kristy Hanson made her home in Grand Rapids before moving to Los Angeles to pursue her music career. In the music she has s released since, she proves she can "play with the big boys," crafting compelling songs enhanced by her powerful, passionate vocals.

Her impressive, second full-length album, "Into the Quiet," gets a boost from some seasoned L.A. studio musicians, spanning pop, alt-country and rock in the process.

Take a listen to the lilting song "Second Fiddle," which showcases Hanson's distinctive voice. Look for Hanson to return to West Michigan for a performance sometime this fall. - Grand Rapids Press, John Synkevics

Take the artistry of Sara Bareilles, the intricacy of Aimee Mann and stir in the grit and grace of Carrie Rodriguez and you've got the recipe for the exciting new sound of Kristy Hanson. Kristy is a folk/pop singer/songwriter whose road-tested stage talent is now taking the LA music scene by storm. Her robust yet sensative voice is in league with powerhouses like Sara Bareilles, Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Her songs are pop perfection blended with a folky caress, country twang, gritty Americana and quirky Alternative touches. With all this to offer, her music appeals to a wide range of people. It's no wonder she was able to fund her most recent album mostly through fan support. - Women of Substance Radio

Kristy Hanson - Already Gone (2007)
What really makes this a wonderful CD is that the woman with a beautiful voice is playing behind some of the best and most interesting players in Los Angeles. Jay Bellerose always find a unique way to give us a beat. Patrick Warren knows how to add the keyboards without overpowering. Mike Chiaburu's bass playing gives the whole thing a live jazz club feel. And Kristy sure can sing. Add to it some good songwriting, and you have a CD worth owning. - The Promise Live Blog/Online Radio Station

Kristy Hanson - Already Gone (2007)
What really makes this a wonderful CD is that the woman with a beautiful voice is playing behind some of the best and most interesting players in Los Angeles. Jay Bellerose always find a unique way to give us a beat. Patrick Warren knows how to add the keyboards without overpowering. Mike Chiaburu's bass playing gives the whole thing a live jazz club feel. And Kristy sure can sing. Add to it some good songwriting, and you have a CD worth owning. - The Promise Live Blog/Online Radio Station

Kristy Hanson studied classical voice in college, but turned from opera to blaze her own musical path. She recently settled in Los Angeles and released her third album, "Already Gone," on her own label, Relay Records. The 2008 spring tour in support of the album took her across more than ten states in the Midwest and along the East Coast. Her song "Comfort" has gotten over 3,000 plays on the New! Adult charts.

24|7: Who is your biggest influence?
Kristy Hanson: Joni Mitchell

24|7: What one word best decribes your music?
K.H.: Insightful.

24|7: What was the first concert you saw?
K.H.: Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" tour.

24|7: Where did you first perform?
K.H.: At a South Florida book store.

24|7: Where would you most like to perform?
K.H.: The Greek Theater.

24|7: What is the best album ever?
K.H.: The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's."

24|7: Beatles or The Stones?
K.H.: Beatles.

24|7: MySpace or Facebook?
K.H.: Facebook.

24|7: Where will you be in 5 years?
K.H.: All over, making more music. - Southern CA Clear Channel station sites (including 104.3MyFM, Hot92.3, 102.7KIISFM, and 98.7StarFM)

When a female singer releases a new CD, do you run out and buy it so you can drool over the photos in the insert? When forming an opinion about a female artist, do you take into consideration the ratio of skin shown to clothing worn?

If that's the case, don't even bother checking this one out. If you're looking for meaningful lyrics and goose bump producing vocals, then Florida native Kristy Hanson's She's Been Waiting will not disappoint. Waiting showcases Hanson's classically trained voice while reflecting the various styles of music that have influenced her own, refined sound. One listen to this disc would send most modern pop divas out looking for voice lessons. She's on loan to Ann Arbor while she finishes school, so go to www.kristyhanson.com to see where you might catch her.
- Sarah Byrne

SINGER/SONGWRITER KRISTY HANSON PLAYS WOODSTOCK'S COLONY CAFE ON WEDNESDAY

Should you find yourself kicking around southern California, the name Kristy Hanson might be familiar. If not, then when she comes to the Colony Cafe in Woodstock on Wednesday, April 30, her voice and musical vision might be. Reminding one of a Maniacs-era Natalie Merchant with splashes of upbeat Suzanne Vega. Hanson will play the Rock City Road venue in a duo setting with bassist Mike Chiaburu. The duo's "marvelous chemistry" was praised by LA's revered Music Connection magazine. The pair will dig into material largely culled from her "Already Gone," a self-produced effort released in 2007.

Go Blue! Hanson is no empty head, coming out of the University of Michigan and surviving what is always a crowded field: the orbit of singer/songwriters on college campuses. The record has a clean sound, with nary a hint of over-processing, so her gig should be more of the same. - Woodstock Almanac

Continuing on in my love of seeking out good female songwriters, I stumbled upon (ok, her PR team helped a little bit) LA’s Kristy Hanson. Kristy’s bassist, producer and long-time partner Mike Chiaburu joins her for a trip down the east coast, carrying one half of the duo's "marvelous chemistry" (as confirmed by Music Connection magazine). This tour supports her recent release, the delightful Already Gone, and seems to join a female collaboration with a number of shows that partner Kristy with powerful female artists across the country. At The Red and The Black in DC, applauded local artists Stella Schindler and Mara Levi will round out an evening of music that complements the aforementioned theme.

Released in 2007, Already Gone was recorded in Los Angeles by engineer Ryan Freeland (Aimee Mann, Joe Henry), and was mastered by Grammy-winning engineer Gavin Lurssen. Singing “Is it so wrong to wanna like myself at the end of the day,” Kristy tours our way within this week. - Instrumental Analysis

Lord knows the world of music these days needs a huge injection of new talent. Good new talent...really good new talent. I've had the priviledge, no, the thrill, of hearing some really good new talent lately. My latest fix is Kristy Hanson and her brand new disc, 'Already Gone'.

This is her third indie album, and, as she says, the album she's dreamed of making. I say it's a dream of an album and well worth seeking out. Although Hanson has been compared to many a female singer-songwriter (and fairly so), to my ears her voice is closest to a-better-Jewel-than-Jewel, and her style is closest to a jazzed-tinged folk, a la Joni Mitchell. Now, throw into the mix just a bit of off-kilter delight, recalling Joe Henry or Lisa Germano or Tori Amos, and the result is a joy of a listen.

Ms. Hanson, though in her twenties, reveals an understanding and questioning of life that belies her age, and suggests experience and hard lessons learned.

By no means limited to a female audience, the fairer sex will certainly find empowerment in Hanson's lyrics, and we gentlemen will have no trouble identifying with her musings. There are so many quote-worthy lyrics here that I can hardly begin to list the ones that stand out for me. Little victories and "small tragedies"; knowing and yet clueless; traveling, just to finally get home; "sometimes there is just too much going on"; "if I have wisdom, it is this, make your life something you can live with"; "I think I've come to the point where I know who I am, but I'm scared I'll change"...my goodness, Kristy Hanson is a soul-searching, soul-touching, wonderfully expressive songwriter.

Co-produced by Hanson and long-time partner/bassist Mike Chiaburu, 'Already Gone' was recorded "live from the floor" (Hanson's vocals and guitar, Chiaburu's bass and Jay Bellerose' drums), each song in one take, with keyboards added after the fact. (There are no string credits in the liner notes or promo pack, so I'm assuming the small amount of well-placed "strings" are synthesized.) The recording quality is very good, indeed! Mostly dry and right-in-your-face. You'd swear Kristy and the band are in the room with you! Mastering of "Already Gone' is credited to the accomplished Gavin Lurssen ('O Brother, Where Art Thou?' soundtrack and Brandi Carlile's 'The Story'), and well deserved.

The arrangements are impressive, and round out an already impressive work: Hanson's vocals and excellent acoustic guitar playing are up front; Chiaburu's excellent acoustic bass playing (both plucked and bowed), counterpoint to the melody at times, simple and strong at others, up front yet not boomy at all; and Bellerose is obviously an accomplished drummer in any style, fitting each song just right. The previously mentioned "bit of off-kilter delight" comes through in some odd time signature and chord changes, some of the bass lines, an unexpected boom boom here and there, and particularly from keyboardist Patrick Warren's perfectly strange, spare additions to the base three-piece band.

Kristy Hanson has, indeed, pulled together her dream disc at last. She has obviously accomplished exactly what she set out to do. Whether you're most impressed by her voice, her world-wise lyrics, the quality of the recording, the arrangements, the instrumental talent, the foot-thumping, thigh-tapping beat of the up-tempo songs, or the introspection of the slower numbers, you will be impressed. Today's music needs more talent on par with Kristy Hanson and her endlessly engaging 'Already Gone'. Highly recommended!

('Already Gone' is available in "hold it in your hand" digipak CD form from CDBaby.com and her website, and downloadable from her myspace page [see both below] and, soon to be, from iTunes.) - MusicTap.net

Lord knows the world of music these days needs a huge injection of new talent. Good new talent...really good new talent. I've had the priviledge, no, the thrill, of hearing some really good new talent lately. My latest fix is Kristy Hanson and her brand new disc, 'Already Gone'.

This is her third indie album, and, as she says, the album she's dreamed of making. I say it's a dream of an album and well worth seeking out. Although Hanson has been compared to many a female singer-songwriter (and fairly so), to my ears her voice is closest to a-better-Jewel-than-Jewel, and her style is closest to a jazzed-tinged folk, a la Joni Mitchell. Now, throw into the mix just a bit of off-kilter delight, recalling Joe Henry or Lisa Germano or Tori Amos, and the result is a joy of a listen.

Ms. Hanson, though in her twenties, reveals an understanding and questioning of life that belies her age, and suggests experience and hard lessons learned.

By no means limited to a female audience, the fairer sex will certainly find empowerment in Hanson's lyrics, and we gentlemen will have no trouble identifying with her musings. There are so many quote-worthy lyrics here that I can hardly begin to list the ones that stand out for me. Little victories and "small tragedies"; knowing and yet clueless; traveling, just to finally get home; "sometimes there is just too much going on"; "if I have wisdom, it is this, make your life something you can live with"; "I think I've come to the point where I know who I am, but I'm scared I'll change"...my goodness, Kristy Hanson is a soul-searching, soul-touching, wonderfully expressive songwriter.

Co-produced by Hanson and long-time partner/bassist Mike Chiaburu, 'Already Gone' was recorded "live from the floor" (Hanson's vocals and guitar, Chiaburu's bass and Jay Bellerose' drums), each song in one take, with keyboards added after the fact. (There are no string credits in the liner notes or promo pack, so I'm assuming the small amount of well-placed "strings" are synthesized.) The recording quality is very good, indeed! Mostly dry and right-in-your-face. You'd swear Kristy and the band are in the room with you! Mastering of "Already Gone' is credited to the accomplished Gavin Lurssen ('O Brother, Where Art Thou?' soundtrack and Brandi Carlile's 'The Story'), and well deserved.

The arrangements are impressive, and round out an already impressive work: Hanson's vocals and excellent acoustic guitar playing are up front; Chiaburu's excellent acoustic bass playing (both plucked and bowed), counterpoint to the melody at times, simple and strong at others, up front yet not boomy at all; and Bellerose is obviously an accomplished drummer in any style, fitting each song just right. The previously mentioned "bit of off-kilter delight" comes through in some odd time signature and chord changes, some of the bass lines, an unexpected boom boom here and there, and particularly from keyboardist Patrick Warren's perfectly strange, spare additions to the base three-piece band.

Kristy Hanson has, indeed, pulled together her dream disc at last. She has obviously accomplished exactly what she set out to do. Whether you're most impressed by her voice, her world-wise lyrics, the quality of the recording, the arrangements, the instrumental talent, the foot-thumping, thigh-tapping beat of the up-tempo songs, or the introspection of the slower numbers, you will be impressed. Today's music needs more talent on par with Kristy Hanson and her endlessly engaging 'Already Gone'. Highly recommended!

('Already Gone' is available in "hold it in your hand" digipak CD form from CDBaby.com and her website, and downloadable from her myspace page [see both below] and, soon to be, from iTunes.) - MusicTap.net

Welcome to the first edition of Friday Fives! I track down artists and ask them five questions – some music related, some just for fun -get their answers and come back to share them with you! Everyone wants a peek at the artist behind the music and now that has become my mission!

Friday Fives: Kristy Hanson

This week’s featured artist is Kristy Hanson. Her latest album, Into the Quiet, features Kristy’s sweet yet powerhouse voice and sharp songwriting on twelve incredible pop/folk-y tracks. It’s an addictive album, I promise you. Kristy was kind enough to lend her answers for this first edition of Friday Fives. We talked about LA, songwriting, working with her husband, and more!

1. You spent your formative years in Miami, and now you’re in LA. What’s the difference, to you, between the two cities?

* It’s hard to really compare them because I spent my childhood in Miami and I’m really settling into adulthood here in LA. In some ways, the cities are very similar but while you’ll find lots of great music in Miami, it seems to me that the music industry is still really based here. LA has allowed me to meet and work with people I idolize and I’m very grateful for that!

2. What, in your opinion, makes a great song?

* A great song doesn’t have to tell a story literally but it makes the listener bring his or her own story to it. A great song prompts a memory, changes your mood or becomes a part of what you might be going through at that moment. When you connect with a song it’s like meeting someone you love, something just clicks!

3. Your husband is also your bassist. What is it like working with your significant other?

* In addition to playing bass for me, Mike has been my recording engineer, programmed my websites, called radio stations for me, you name it. He put my first band together and made my first album out here in LA happen. Because we’re both seriously stubborn, opinionated people, it’s not always smooth sailing. We value each other’s opinions, and we both want to be better musicians, so we tell each other the truth, even when we know it might be hard to hear. Ultimately, working with him makes everything I do more rewarding. Any success I have is his too, and it’s so great to be able to share it.

4. What is your favorite part of performing in front of a crowd?

* I love playing with bands – particularly my current live band of Mike Chiaburu, Tim Young and Aaron Sterling. Music is an incredible form of communication, and when a whole band feels a moment of a song together, there’s just nothing like it. I love for example, when Tim will play a guitar part slightly differently, and it just makes my ears perk up and I hear the song in a new way. That exchange is completely indefinable but it’s what keeps people playing and going to shows.

5. One thing you haven’t done yet – climbing the pyramids, skydiving, etc – that you would like to.

* I’m not a particularly ‘daredevil’ type of person. I’d like to rock climb. I tried some rock climbing as a teenager, but just a little. My dad climbed the Grand Tetons in Wyoming before I was born and I always thought that must’ve been awesome. I hope I’ll be able to take the time to do something like that someday!

- Blissfully Domestic

A slightly louder, more band-like release from the very lovely Kristy Hanson. The song craft remains lyrically compelling, the voice still has that country sounding flexibility and shining through is a more confident approach using musical talent who are willing and eager to work with the LA based singer/songwriter. The rockier feel does suit Kristy and would certainly be better received by European listeners, who still occasionally remain fickle and emotionally threatened when fronted by a lady and her acoustic guitar. Choosing a song to feature took a little longer than usual, I could have maybe plumbed for one of the opening, more upbeat compositions. Instead, me being a die hard old romantic, picked `Crawl`, a silky delivery, such lubricious use of an electric guitar. I`m sure if Kristy sang the ingredients of a paint tin, you would still feel inspired with her willingness to share her seductive country/folk to the point of luxury verse.
- Mojophenia

Welcome to the first edition of Friday Fives! I track down artists and ask them five questions – some music related, some just for fun -get their answers and come back to share them with you! Everyone wants a peek at the artist behind the music and now that has become my mission!

Friday Fives: Kristy Hanson

This week’s featured artist is Kristy Hanson. Her latest album, Into the Quiet, features Kristy’s sweet yet powerhouse voice and sharp songwriting on twelve incredible pop/folk-y tracks. It’s an addictive album, I promise you. Kristy was kind enough to lend her answers for this first edition of Friday Fives. We talked about LA, songwriting, working with her husband, and more!

1. You spent your formative years in Miami, and now you’re in LA. What’s the difference, to you, between the two cities?

* It’s hard to really compare them because I spent my childhood in Miami and I’m really settling into adulthood here in LA. In some ways, the cities are very similar but while you’ll find lots of great music in Miami, it seems to me that the music industry is still really based here. LA has allowed me to meet and work with people I idolize and I’m very grateful for that!

2. What, in your opinion, makes a great song?

* A great song doesn’t have to tell a story literally but it makes the listener bring his or her own story to it. A great song prompts a memory, changes your mood or becomes a part of what you might be going through at that moment. When you connect with a song it’s like meeting someone you love, something just clicks!

3. Your husband is also your bassist. What is it like working with your significant other?

* In addition to playing bass for me, Mike has been my recording engineer, programmed my websites, called radio stations for me, you name it. He put my first band together and made my first album out here in LA happen. Because we’re both seriously stubborn, opinionated people, it’s not always smooth sailing. We value each other’s opinions, and we both want to be better musicians, so we tell each other the truth, even when we know it might be hard to hear. Ultimately, working with him makes everything I do more rewarding. Any success I have is his too, and it’s so great to be able to share it.

4. What is your favorite part of performing in front of a crowd?

* I love playing with bands – particularly my current live band of Mike Chiaburu, Tim Young and Aaron Sterling. Music is an incredible form of communication, and when a whole band feels a moment of a song together, there’s just nothing like it. I love for example, when Tim will play a guitar part slightly differently, and it just makes my ears perk up and I hear the song in a new way. That exchange is completely indefinable but it’s what keeps people playing and going to shows.

5. One thing you haven’t done yet – climbing the pyramids, skydiving, etc – that you would like to.

* I’m not a particularly ‘daredevil’ type of person. I’d like to rock climb. I tried some rock climbing as a teenager, but just a little. My dad climbed the Grand Tetons in Wyoming before I was born and I always thought that must’ve been awesome. I hope I’ll be able to take the time to do something like that someday!

- Blissfully Domestic

Backed by an all-star cast, including Aaron Sterling (studio drummer for Sara Bareilles, Kelly Clarkson and Brandi Carlile), Ryan Freeland (engineer Aimee Mann, LeAnn Rimes and Natasha Bedingfield), producer Timothy Young and her husband Mike Chiaburu, Kristy Hanson is releasing her newest album Into The Quiet at the end of this month. Her release was funded largely by her fans and marked a transition in Kristy’s artistry from singer/songwriter to collaborator. She also put her input into the production, making the album truly her own. So without further ado, I give to you the very charming Kristy Hanson…

What has been the best part of making the new album?

I think the best or at least most exciting part of making an album, for me, is the recording itself. Getting Mike, Tim, and drummer Aaron Sterling in the studio with Ryan Freeland, our engineer, was fantastic. We had such a great energy and camaraderie, and I just LOVE recording. I love studios, generally Gavin Lurssen’s studio (our mastering engineer) is awesome, too. I could, I would spend all day, every day, in a studio, particularly with those guys!

But it was also wonderful to collaborate with Tim Young and Mike on those early demos over at Tim’s house, too. The collaborative process was sort of new to me, and I learned and grew so much as a result of it. So it’s kind of tie between that early collaboration and the recording itself!

How does this one differ from your last release Already Gone?

The fact that I co-wrote some songs with Mike and Tim and invested more time in the production makes it feel different for me, and maybe more sophisticated. Sound-wise, Into the Quiet is a little bit heavier than Already Gone, in that there are layers of electric guitars and more of a rock sound on a lot of songs. There’s also definitely more pop and country flavor in there. I’m also extra-proud of my vocals on this album, because I really poured my whole heart into them. I hope people respond to that!

You did something very interesting to raise money for this recording, can you explain that?

Inspired by a number of artists who have turned to their fans for support, including the hilarious and wonderful Jill Sobule, I decided to launch a fundraising campaign before the recording of Into the Quiet. My fans donated $5,000, which was vitally important to the making of this album. I actually gave all donors the chance to vote on my album’s title, and I’ll be having a special listening party for my donors to thank them. I hope that my donors feel as proud of the album as I do, and that they feel good to have played a role!

You’ve played shows all over the US, what is your most memorable tour moment?

Oh boy…probably my most memorable BAD moment on tour was when we got stuck in a snowstorm in Wyoming (in the middle of APRIL) and had to stop in Laramie rather than continuing on I-80. It added an extra day of travel, but we made it just in time for the first gig in Chicago.

But it’s so hard to pick, Cleveland was memorable because I was born there and had dear friends in the audience (which was also a great audience), and I also really loved Rockwood Music Hall in NYC. I love touring generally…even (or perhaps especially) the mishaps because they become part of the stories you can tell later.

If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?

Hmm, I’d say Joni Mitchell, although Lord knows I might be too intimidated to actually collaborate! I would love to work with Grant-Lee Phillips, an amazing songwriter and singer based in LA. And Aimee Mann. And I also find myself singing Michael Penn’s harmonies a lot…I would settle for merely being his back-up singer for sure. I dreamed about collaborating with drummer Jay Bellerose, and then it happened, so you never know!

What song on Into the Quiet is the most personal? And why?

My songs always come from a very personal place, although most of them on this album are not directly autobiographical. I think that the song “Into the Quiet” itself feels most personal to me. Which seems a little odd, because the lyrics are probably also the most abstract. But a lot of it has to do with what I’ve been through over the last several years, and what Mike and I have been through together and how at the end of the day all I want is to be in a peaceful place, and sharing that peaceful place with him. So I guess, yes, that’s pretty personal. :)

Keep a lookout for Kristy’s newest release Into The Quiet. - Music Goat

Backed by an all-star cast, including Aaron Sterling (studio drummer for Sara Bareilles, Kelly Clarkson and Brandi Carlile), Ryan Freeland (engineer Aimee Mann, LeAnn Rimes and Natasha Bedingfield), producer Timothy Young and her husband Mike Chiaburu, Kristy Hanson is releasing her newest album Into The Quiet at the end of this month. Her release was funded largely by her fans and marked a transition in Kristy’s artistry from singer/songwriter to collaborator. She also put her input into the production, making the album truly her own. So without further ado, I give to you the very charming Kristy Hanson…

What has been the best part of making the new album?

I think the best or at least most exciting part of making an album, for me, is the recording itself. Getting Mike, Tim, and drummer Aaron Sterling in the studio with Ryan Freeland, our engineer, was fantastic. We had such a great energy and camaraderie, and I just LOVE recording. I love studios, generally Gavin Lurssen’s studio (our mastering engineer) is awesome, too. I could, I would spend all day, every day, in a studio, particularly with those guys!

But it was also wonderful to collaborate with Tim Young and Mike on those early demos over at Tim’s house, too. The collaborative process was sort of new to me, and I learned and grew so much as a result of it. So it’s kind of tie between that early collaboration and the recording itself!

How does this one differ from your last release Already Gone?

The fact that I co-wrote some songs with Mike and Tim and invested more time in the production makes it feel different for me, and maybe more sophisticated. Sound-wise, Into the Quiet is a little bit heavier than Already Gone, in that there are layers of electric guitars and more of a rock sound on a lot of songs. There’s also definitely more pop and country flavor in there. I’m also extra-proud of my vocals on this album, because I really poured my whole heart into them. I hope people respond to that!

You did something very interesting to raise money for this recording, can you explain that?

Inspired by a number of artists who have turned to their fans for support, including the hilarious and wonderful Jill Sobule, I decided to launch a fundraising campaign before the recording of Into the Quiet. My fans donated $5,000, which was vitally important to the making of this album. I actually gave all donors the chance to vote on my album’s title, and I’ll be having a special listening party for my donors to thank them. I hope that my donors feel as proud of the album as I do, and that they feel good to have played a role!

You’ve played shows all over the US, what is your most memorable tour moment?

Oh boy…probably my most memorable BAD moment on tour was when we got stuck in a snowstorm in Wyoming (in the middle of APRIL) and had to stop in Laramie rather than continuing on I-80. It added an extra day of travel, but we made it just in time for the first gig in Chicago.

But it’s so hard to pick, Cleveland was memorable because I was born there and had dear friends in the audience (which was also a great audience), and I also really loved Rockwood Music Hall in NYC. I love touring generally…even (or perhaps especially) the mishaps because they become part of the stories you can tell later.

If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?

Hmm, I’d say Joni Mitchell, although Lord knows I might be too intimidated to actually collaborate! I would love to work with Grant-Lee Phillips, an amazing songwriter and singer based in LA. And Aimee Mann. And I also find myself singing Michael Penn’s harmonies a lot…I would settle for merely being his back-up singer for sure. I dreamed about collaborating with drummer Jay Bellerose, and then it happened, so you never know!

What song on Into the Quiet is the most personal? And why?

My songs always come from a very personal place, although most of them on this album are not directly autobiographical. I think that the song “Into the Quiet” itself feels most personal to me. Which seems a little odd, because the lyrics are probably also the most abstract. But a lot of it has to do with what I’ve been through over the last several years, and what Mike and I have been through together and how at the end of the day all I want is to be in a peaceful place, and sharing that peaceful place with him. So I guess, yes, that’s pretty personal. :)

Keep a lookout for Kristy’s newest release Into The Quiet. - Music Goat