My name is Hannah Strumner. I am a 20-year-old songwriter and singer from the United States. I started to get into songwriting at the age of six when I was diagnosed with a Mitochondrial Disorder. Kids didn’t quite understand me, or why I missed school so much, so the only peer I really had was my instrument and my songwriting abilities.
In my senior year of high school, 2020, I was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes. Then and there, I decided not to let it limit me, and I told myself I wanted to take my music so much more seriously since there are no guarantees in life. I started doing a lot of musical live streams online, gained an audience, and got connected with a great producer. This is how I was able to create my self-titled album that I released in July, titled Hannah Strumner.
If I am having a bad day, instead of letting it defeat me, I take it by the reins and use my guitar to turn the bad energy into something so much better.
Tell us about the inspiration behind your new music.
My new album has a lot of real-life inspired stories. An example is my album’s single, “Are You Ready to Let Go.” I wanted to make sure to tell the truthful story of when an ex-relationship is ready to move on from holding onto its past and is ready to move forward. This, in my opinion, is closure and creates peace as it is not only letting go of the relationship but also the anger that was held onto after the breakup occurred.
What was the songwriting and recording process?
The recording and songwriting process was really funny, actually! Whenever my producer thought I was done with demos, I would come in with another song that I had written the night before and would record that one as well. The album was actually not supposed to occur, and it was supposed to instead be just a single release, but I guess plans changed!
I got to learn a lot as well from other musicians who played instruments in my songs and also from my good musical friend, Sam Henry, who I asked to sing the male vocals in the song “Are You Ready to Let Go.”
What do you hope your fans/listeners take away with them when they listen to your music?
I hope my listeners can learn from the stories expressed in the songs. One of my songs called “Fool School” is about the “cool kids” and what happened to them in their adult lives. Basically, a message saying, “Don’t end up like them!” I am all into stories that have a message. I’ve always really been into “Ant & the Grasshopper” kind of stories, so I wanted to incorporate a lot of that into my songs!
When did you first pick up the guitar, and what drew you to that instrument?
My uncle inspired me a lot to play guitar. He was extremely incredible at it. He played in bands, and every musician around town knew his name! After he passed away, I promised myself I would really get into playing a string instrument. I first started learning how to play the guitar in my middle-school years. I loved the sound of the guitar, especially acoustic guitars! It also made me feel like I had my uncle still with me, even after his passing.
Speaking of instruments, what brand(s) do you play and why?
The brand of guitar that I really like is the Jasmine Guitar. I used to play my father’s old guitar, but I wanted my own, so my 7th-grade self got just enough money to afford the perfect guitar for me! Though, I really think every musician’s dream is to have a Taylor guitar!
Who are some of your musical influences?
Taylor Swift, Billy Joel, and Bobbie Gentry are all musical inspirations for me in totally different time periods. Each of them has something totally different to offer when it comes to music, and each of them has a different way of playing their instruments and writing their music!
Will you be touring in support of your new music?
I would love to go around the states to play some music! If I could, I think the first place I would dream of going to would be Wyoming! I love the country setting there, and I think it would give me a bunch of inspiration. I also would love to go to Nashville and play some music there too!