Hannah Wicklund’s Live At The Troubadour, released today, March 7, is a powerful testament to her raw talent, emotional depth, and electrifying stage presence. Recorded during her Hell in the Hallway World Tour, this live album captures a pivotal moment in her artistic journey—one where she fully embraced the balance between vulnerability and strength, blending the human and the performer into one.
Showcasing dynamic performances, extended jam sessions, and deeply personal storytelling, the album not only celebrates her evolution but also honors the fans who have supported her along the way. Included in the vinyl release is a special Fan Art Project, featuring over 75 pieces of artwork contributed by fans, further solidifying the sense of shared experience that defines her music.
Ahead of the album’s release, Wicklund released the single and video for “Witness,” an empowering anthem from her acclaimed 2024 record The Prize, setting the stage for what promises to be a defining moment in her career.
Live At The Troubadour marks a milestone in your career. What was the most rewarding part of bringing this live album to life, especially after the journey you described?
Live at the Troubadour was captured during my Hell in the Hallway World Tour, which was the first time I truly blended Hannah the human and Hannah the performer into one. My vulnerability on my record, The Prize, was met with such open arms and hearts by my fans; the conversations and connections I made after the shows with them were the most rewarding part of touring that music. So, when it came time to capture and honor my live show, I wanted to include the fans and their beautiful art that so many shared with me. So included in the vinyl is a special Fan Art Project that features over 75 pieces of art done by the sweetest of souls, meant to remind us of what we all shared together.
You mentioned how sitting with these songs helped you better understand their meanings. Could you share a specific song from the album that took on new significance for you over time?
Sometimes, the whole world can see the darkness you feel, and sometimes they cannot. Sometimes, there will be people to guide you through the valleys, but most times, you will have only yourself.
In a time in my life where I wanted to be seen so badly by the people I loved for how much pain I was in, only I would ever truly know the depths.
“Intervention” was a song that, had I not written it, I may have never been able to dig myself out of the ditch I was in. The power of owning and knowing that I had been hurting myself right alongside the others doing so was an important step towards actual, tangible self-love and forgiveness.
Recording a live album captures raw, in-the-moment energy. Were there any particular moments during the show that stand out as especially magical or unexpected?
The Troubadour is like a cast iron pan your grandmother has used for the last 60 years, only instead of grease caked onto iron, it’s magic caked onto a stage. The whole night, I felt as if I was floating on a cloud. There was a moment after our big Jam into “Bomb Through The Breeze” and right before our last song of the night, “Strawberry Moon,” that the crowd gave a standing ovation and didn’t relent for what felt like five minutes. I teared up, I took it all in, and closed out the show a very happy lady.
You talked about reconnecting with the “little girl” in you through this record. How did that influence your creative process or approach to performing these songs live?
My creative process and my approach have not changed at all since I was a child. I write the songs, I record them, and then I perform them live, using and honoring every fiber of my being the whole way. What was different about this record and this tour, however, was the addition of the piano.
I began playing piano when I was 3, and it was a huge part of my life until I picked up guitar at 8 years old. Expressing myself using a fretboard became my priority, and the black and white keys of my youth faded for a long, long time. Performing “The Prize,” a song about passing the baton from girlhood to womanhood, was the first time I had performed on piano since I was a little girl, and conquering what had become a fear was key to blending all the versions of myself into one, finally.
The imagery of ballet, pink, and the floating castle is so vivid. Do you see those elements of your childhood influencing your current artistic identity or vision?
After recording “The Prize,” I can probably count on one hand the times I’ve worn all black since… my brain and body chemistry have been forever altered, and I now pursue only that which makes me feel whole, happy, and healthy. So, to answer your question, yes. Fairytales, dragonflies, strawberries, tutus, and the color pink feel more rock and roll to me than anything in the world now and represent the tenacity and strength I’ve earned in this life as a woman.
How do you balance your raw, empowering rock persona with the softer, nostalgic elements you’ve embraced through this album?
I’ve never been very good at turning my human off. Whether it was at school or out in the world, the lack of vulnerability always weirded me out. I never understood the bizarre social constructs that had everyone pretending that we weren’t all experiencing human emotions… So, I don’t know how I do it, but my whole life I have seen the big picture and known how important it is to honor the full range of emotions we each possess. I think of them each as being a color of the rainbow. You need the blues, the pinks, the yellows. It wouldn’t be a very vibrant story or performance or life if it was created with one or two colors…
You’ve toured extensively with iconic acts like Greta Van Fleet and Deep Purple. How has performing alongside such legends shaped your artistry and live performances?
Every time you tour with another artist or band, you become part of a new traveling circus. Each crew member, each band member, and each stop on tour brings their own dynamic and energy, and watching how it all works together can be as entertaining as the shows. The greatest difference in clubs and arenas is truly just the production. Being part of a big tour as a smaller, independent artist, opens up your mind to the possibilities for your own stage one day. The greatest trick I’ve picked up on from Greta Van Fleet has definitely been to have a badass stage outfit that is your “look” for a tour. Shoutout to Debo Collection in France for my beautiful dresses I wore for my Hell in the Hallway Tour last year!
What was it like returning to The Troubadour to record this album, especially given its legendary status in music history?
The thing about playing iconic clubs, is that they know they are iconic. There’s a swagger and a professionalism that exudes from the place, and something about that day just felt easy and classic and cool.
The live versions of “Bomb Through The Breeze” and “Mama Said” feature extended jam sessions. How do those improvisational moments help keep your live shows fresh and exciting?
I live for live jams. There is not a more exhilarating moment than diving headfirst into the unknown. Fear is a killer of creativity, so maybe this is my rebellion?
With Live At The Troubadour reflecting a full-circle moment for you, what’s next? How do you see this album shaping the next chapter of your career?
Live at the Troubadour has become a freeing mechanism for me. I have been able to honor a chapter of my life so completely with this record, that I can now move on. Moving on looks like recording music, making art ,and writing my stories at exactly the pace I set, in exactly the place I choose.
This next era begins as the woman I am meant to be.
Are there other live performances or creative projects you’re dreaming of capturing in a similar way?
Since ripping off the Band-Aid of doing a Live album, so many more ideas have been ruminating. I’ve thought of capturing the sound check jams (which often get wayyyy weirder than at the show) over the course of a tour and releasing an all-instrumental live album. Capturing my first-ever performance with a full orchestra would be lovely as well 
Your fans often talk about how empowering and relatable your music is. What do you hope Live At The Troubadour conveys to listeners, both new and longtime fans?
Feel your feelings, love yourself, and take the time to heal.
How do you see this album fitting into the larger legacy you want to build as an artist?
I see this as a starting and a finishing line of sorts. This was the end of an era that saw me in struggle and strife, and the beginning of simply choosing happiness. May my legacy not be defined by the art created, but by the heart that creates it.
Available as a Double LP or CD.
Live at The Troubadour Double LP tracklisting:
**Features a very special Fan Art Project inside, comprised of over 75 pieces of original artwork done by fans**
Side A
- Hell in the Hallway
- Hide and Seek
- Witness
- Lost Love
Side B
- Shadowboxes and Porcelain Faces
- Songbird Sing
- The Prize
Side C
- Can’t Get Enough
- Intervention
- Mama Said
Side D
- Dark Passenger
- Sun to Sun
- Jam in E Minor
- Bomb through the Breeze
- Strawberry Moon
CONNECT WITH HANNAH WICKLUND
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK
