We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Andy Hanson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Andy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
A few years ago I found that so many people had given up on creative dreams. For some reason, I have found it incredibly difficult to understand why and I can’t fully accept that for myself. Life is so short so why would I want to settle for something I don’t necessarily want out of life? I am trying so so hard to make that a reality for me because it is a worthwhile endevour.
Andy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
At an early age, I knew something wasn’t fully adding up. Life seemed far more complicated than I was told it would be. Difficult situations appeared clean-cut and logical while anticipatory simplicities proved challenging and awkward. I was told that everything would make sense when I was older and that the important things would eventually stand tall above the rest. That time has now come for me and the path of clarity is even more evasive and elusive than before.
I write music to try and find the path toward clarity in life. I write music to try and learn more about who I’ve become and to understand more about what I’ve buried in my subconscious. I celebrate life’s positive experiences along with the melancholic all while striving to be present in all aspects of life is the fuel that drives my music. Life is difficult. Music can help.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I am driven to communicate that life is hard and that, as hard as it is to accept, experiences and choices of our past don’t need to define who we need to be moving forward. Music seems to be a far better method to communicate emotions, questions, hurt, sadness, and joy. Combining all of those elements into honest songwriting helps me arrive at a place more associated with the person I want to be moving forward. I feel others will be able to connect to my songs and, I hope, will help make sense of unknown inequities and melancholy in their lives.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I have been writing, rewriting, scrapping, and revitalizing songs for the better part of 10-15 years at this point. It isn’t an easy path forward but for me, it is totally worth it. I have found so much joy and satisfaction within myself and about myself that I never anticipated I would ever have towards myself. I just keep writing, performing, and taking one step forward each day. Eventually, I found that writing a bunch of really bad songs eventually leads to really great songs. I just kept going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://andyhansonmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andyhansonmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndyHansonMusic
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@andyhansonmusic
Image Credits
Andy Hanson Avonlea Hanson Alex Carnes Laura Lee Buhman