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10 Questions with ... Hannah Kerr
July 8, 2019
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. When I first signed, I put this pressure on myself to be like the Christian artists I loved; I thought I needed to be either a worship leader or a CCM artist; I thought I needed to look a certain way/act a certain way, etc. It took me a while to come to the realization that I really just needed to be myself! It sounds simple, but it was a big thing for me. I feel so comfortable in my own skin now and want to encourage others to just be themselves too
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1. You just recently finished up the collegiate chapter of your life. Congrats, Grad! What will be some of your greatest takeaways from your time as a student at Belmont University?
Thank you so much! I'm so grateful for my time at Belmont because I grew so much as a person and as a Christian. My major was Christian Leadership, so I was able to learn about the different facets of ministry and develop my knowledge of the Word. In my time in college, I learned so much about myself, like the fact that I need to take time to care for my mind and soul, and that I can't do life alone. Belmont brought me incredible friendships and really showed me the value of community.
2. It's certainly not uncommon for full-time Belmont students to be fostering a music career at the same time, but there's no way that was easy. How did you manage to juggle time for recording and touring while staying grounded in the academic realm?
It definitely was not easy. There were times where I wanted to just give up and quit college because it was so hard. But it was always worth it for me to press on because God met me in those difficult places and made a way every time. Practically, I just had to be focused and make time to do homework and study while I was on the road. I had plenty of time during the days while I was on tours to get things done-the hardest part was just the number of classes that I had to miss. I felt like I was teaching myself a lot because I could not always be present for the lectures and such. It all worked out though! My professors at Belmont were usually very willing to work with my tour schedule, and they were supportive of my ministry on the road. I proved that I was willing to work hard, and they honored my effort by giving me grace. I also have amazing people around me on the music side of things who worked diligently to keep my career moving while I was in school. I could not have kept going with music without the people at Black River; they're incredible.
3. What is the next step for you-both professionally and personally-following graduation?
There are SO many exciting things coming up now that I'm done with school. For starters, I got engaged on May 4th! So, my fiancé Jason and I will be planning our wedding this year and getting married at some point in 2020. I'm beyond excited about that. We've been together for three and a half years, and we're excited for God to lead us into this new season of marriage! YAY!! Professionally, I'm really excited to start touring full-time this fall! I'll be on tour for sure during the fall and Christmas seasons, and I can't wait to get back on the road. I love meeting people and hearing their stories; that's definitely one of my favorite parts about being an artist. I also will be working on new music this summer too. I'm really looking forward to releasing new songs and a new project; I've been writing a ton and feel ready to share this new music!
4. What especially gets you motivated right now? What inspires you and lights you up, personally and artistically?
That's a great question! I'm super motivated to release new music and record the songs I've written. I love the feeling of watching a song come to life in the studio and then even more so when it's shared with others. That really makes me excited and inspired to keep creating. I've loved watching how Lauren Daigle has been able to reach so many people with her music-I can't see myself crossing into any other genres, but I am inspired by the fact that she is sharing her gift with the world in such a unique way. She's making a huge difference in the music industry, and her art is bringing people to Christ. I love that! I'm really inspired by people's stories too. I love hearing the stories people share about how God has spoken to them through my songs, and their strength and endurance inspires me so much. I think inspiration is ALWAYS around us-we just have to be looking for it. I've really started to notice how much God meets us in the ordinary-we're always looking for miracles and signs, but a lot of times the miracles are found in the present, ordinary moments.
5. You've been in the music industry your entire young adult life. Would you share what the past 3 or 4 years have been like for you and how you've grown through the process of record deals, touring and recording?
Yeah, these past four years have been a whirlwind of events and growth. With my dad being in the music industry, I've really been around it since I was 13. I thought I knew what it was like, but I really didn't until I got into it myself. The music industry moves fast, so being an artist is really just a constant process of writing, recording, releasing, touring, repeat. It's great because I get to constantly be creative and make new music, but it can also be stressful and taxing sometimes. Whenever music doesn't feel as joyful anymore, I know that means I'm not taking enough time to rest or allowing God to fill me up. After a little break and some time with the Lord, I'm always ready to jump back in and start creating again. I've really held onto the promise that He provides new mercies every morning throughout my whole journey with music. I've seen how true that really is!
6. What have you learned most about yourself since signing that first record deal as a teenager?
I am so grateful to all the people at Black River who believed in me enough to launch Black River Christian and for me to be their flagship artist. I signed with them when I was 18, so I was obviously really young. I felt like that season was really a time for God to pour into me and give me a message-that's where my Overflow album came from. But in the past 4 years, I really feel like I've discovered who I am. I've gained confidence in myself and in my voice, and really begun to believe that God has given me something to share with the world. When I first signed, I put this pressure on myself to be like the Christian artists I loved; I thought I needed to be either a worship leader or a CCM artist; I thought I needed to look a certain way/act a certain way, etc. It took me a while to come to the realization that I really just needed to be myself! It sounds simple, but it was a big thing for me. I feel so comfortable in my own skin now and want to encourage others to just be themselves too. God has created us all uniquely, and we need to be who He made US to be, not anyone else.
7. How have you seen radio play a role in your development as an artist? Or has it?
Radio is SO important in Christian music, and it has been so important to me and my career. It's amazing because radio stations reach so many people around the country and the world that I would never reach on my own. A lot of my fans have discovered me because they have heard me on their local stations, and I think that's so cool. I'm grateful that stations and program directors around the country have been willing to partner with me in ministry and share my songs. I grew up listening to Christian radio in Buffalo, and it made a huge impact on my life and my faith. The first songs I ever sang were songs like Steven Curtis Chapman's "Dive" and Michael W. Smith's "Above All," and I sang those because I heard them on the radio. It's really neat to think that people could be singing my songs like that even now.
8. Which artists are most influencing you right now, both as a songwriter and as a vocalist?
Some of my favorite Christian artists are Meredith Andrews, Francesca Battistelli, and Jordan Feliz. I love their songs and the way they connect with fans. I'm super inspired by vocalists like Amanda Cook and Lauren Daigle-I love their big voices with a lot of texture and control. As far as songwriting goes, my favorite writers are Andy Gullahorn, Kacey Musgraves, and Lennon Stella. I love Christian music so much, but I also feel really inspired by artists who just write about their lives honestly and authentically with memorable melodies and phrases, regardless of genre. I think there's a lot to learn from artists in every genre!
9. What are you spending most of your time listening to?
For music, definitely all the people I listed in question 8! I love Lauren Daigle's new album and Amanda Cook's new album especially. I also love to listen to audio books when I fly, and I just recently finished listening to Daring Greatly by Brené Brown, which was pretty great. I'm a podcast-lover too! I like Annie F. Downs' podcast called "That Sounds Fun!"
10. Do you have any plans to get back on the road this year? Any touring plans
Yes! See question #3 ?
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