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

Hi Hannah, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Taking a year off music wasn’t planned but needed while I was creating more financial stability for my wife and I and finding my passion of music and my instrument. In the mist of worrying about life, long term goals, stress, overwhelmed with social media, and more, I lost my creative mind. There wasn’t a drive to create more music nor a deadline for myself. My goals were getting further away in my vision which didn’t make me feel complete. In the year that I disappeared from the music scene was the best decision I could have made for myself. I had to take a step back. I found that I can not be all gas and no pedal. That’s not me…thats not who Hannah Ureste is. In order for me to create I must feel and take my time with my artistry. All the music I have created and been part of I’ve given all my emotions and feelings. When I play, I play from my heart and soul. I didn’t feel any of this till I heard Tov Lo sing an acoustic version of Robyn’s “Dancing on my own.” All the feelings I had lost suddenly came back. The way she sang it, the artistic vision in it, and the energy put into it. I said to myself THIS is what I’ve been missing. I then immediately hit up my best friend Ian Charlie and told him I have a new project for him so hold on tight. I had all these feelings that I knew I could express in my own acoustic version of that cover. We went straight to his studio and got to work. My voice had more power than it ever has. It was as if I held a years worth of pain and unleashed it on recording day. This new project is something i’m very proud of and has now pushed me to grab my dreams close to me again and see them clearly. With the recording now finished and ready to be mastered at the Bakery by Jett Galindo, i will be making my very first music video! The music video is going to have a special appearance and contemporary piece created and performed by my wife, which is also something we have also never done as a couple. I couldn’t be more excited for this project and what’s to come that has now fueled more hunger for more.

Hannah, 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?

Hannah Ureste was born and raised in Union City, California who picked up the trumpet for her first time in her middle school band class and feel in love with the instrument immediately. At eleven years old she had then planned her whole future and what she had wanted her music career to look like. She later attended the Berklee College of music and graduated in 2013. Shortly after graduating she set sail working on the cruise lines for 4.5 years. Her journey around the world doing what she loved then led her to Los Angeles where she performed and recorded for many artist. In 2017 she realized she had more to say on the trumpet and wanted to become an Independent artist. Her first single being “Mango” stuck to so many listeners and gave her the drive to create even more. With now 17 singles out and more on the way she is striving for that dream of touring with her own band, playing at festivals, winning a Grammy, and most of all being heard around the world. Her hard work, discipline, and drive has gotten her to where she is at today and she continues to shine even when it rains. She has given the trumpet more than 20+ years of her life and will continue to till she can’t anymore. She isn’t the average trumpet player in LA, her tone and how she expresses herself through her playing is what turns the eyes and ears open to the listeners and performers around her.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is how my music makes my listeners/fans feel. The music I create is not random or fueled by the thought of “what can make me money,” its created based of my emotions in that time period and whatever I was going through. Around the time I was getting married I created songs with lyrics about love and being high off the positive energies of happiness around me. There was a period of time where I didn’t have much to say and wanted no vocals and have the trumpet speak for me b/c it was more powerful that words. Some songs of mine are based off past thoughts or feelings I had that I just wanted to release and move on. Whatever the reason being, all artist go through different times in their life and they are never the same. The whole point of music is to either make you feel good, help you move forward, keep your energy high if you want to stay upset, makes you want to move your body and get up and dance, etc. Without putting in the real emotions you have nothing. When I perform and I see my listeners/fans in the audience singing with me, smiling, moving around, etc. it makes me feel unstoppable in this world. To see peoples energies resonate to mine and what I’m feeling or was feeling is the best most rewarding thing an artist or creative could have or experience. It’s a constant reminder of this is why I do what I do.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

The most helpful thing society can do to support artists and more importantly independent artist is listening to their music, but not just streaming. Purchasing it! Go out and buy the CD’s, Tapes, Vinyl’s, even merchandise sold. Now that social media essentials runs the minds of most, a reposting of a song or artist and tagging them is a great start. If you’re able to go to the live shows and bring friends, GO! The music industry isn’t getting any easier for real talent of creatives/artist’s. Some doors open sooner for some but it’s not the case for everyone and the more we fall over heels for those who are already in the spotlight the more dim the light is on all else.

When I meet new people in LA (which is all the time) and I find out they are an artist/creative I asked them where can I find their music/art/ etc. Not a simple “oh thats cool” and continue on to another topic. It’s important to keep the arts alive and in today’s world for many it’s the only way we can express ourselves in a way that can be captured and put into the face of others that may actually be better understanding than words on paper, the news, or whatever other outlets there may be. Support your local artist and when you do it right it rewarding for yourself as well. You never know what help can be around the corner or what vision can be presented in a way you’ve never heard or seen.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hannahumusic.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/hannah_ureste
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7q5bkK9ywqeXctt597WdW6?si=UmNwU12eQZqs0AtMOJIY9w