INTERVIEW
Hannah Telle strives to make music that is intoxicating and feels like you’re in a dream state, and also encourages daydreaming and relaxation. That is the case with her new single “Into the Blue” off her third studio album Waking Up To Tomorrow, produced by Riley Geare.
“I spend a lot of time sleeping and dreaming,” Telle said. “I am bipolar, so when I’m low I sleep most of the day. While I’m asleep I have this really active dream life where I go to these recurring places. They’re like recurring dreams.”
Telle said she is constantly writing because she needs to get what she is thinking out of her head. Her music touches upon how to navigate through struggles with mental health, her career in Los Angeles, loves, losses and everything in between.
The new album is a bookend to her last record titled Walking Away From The Dream, which she explained was about “illusions, dreams and mirages.” The album spoke of dreams you wish you could make happen, but just simply couldn’t make work. It also had a focus on people she wished she could keep in her life, but needed to let go.
While second album was about walking away from dreams that no longer serve you, Waking Up To Tomorrow is more about the ability to move forward.
“This record is about waking up to a new morning and realizing you are still able to pursue those dreams you had that you felt that you lost, and encouraging myself to do that and others as well,” Telle said.
Waking Up To Tomorrow includes 12 tracks with a flowing, psychedelic sound, using vivid imagery with poetic lyrics. She explained that she keeps a diary and loves to go to bars and write alone while having a drink and taking in her surroundings. This is a key part of her creative process.
“Eventually I’ll start strumming the guitar, and sing along gibberish that sounds good as a vocal melody on top of a chord progression,” she said. “Then I’ll add lyrics on top of that and sometimes I use lyrics from my diary.”
The opening track, “Into the Blue” has an ethereal, floaty feeling to it with beautiful vocals over a delicate guitar riff. It starts slowly and picks up with a catchy hook and driving drum beat. The chorus says it all, describing the act of falling asleep and flowing into the dream world.
“Into the blue
The dream still dwells in you
Pictures you drew
Assembling into view
Worlds within a single mind
Planets orbiting in time”
“Lavender Daydream” is another single with thought provoking lyrics, touching upon her struggles and the ups and downs that come with life.
“Hot, cold
No confidence to keep control
Cycling through the seasons, killing time
All the commotion causes my flaws
Chaos confused conclusions I draw
Seeking and striving all for applause.”
“Seasons” is a tune didn’t make it on her first record, but she always thought about it and just didn’t like the chorus. After the pandemic she reworked it to her liking and used it for the newest record. Originally written in 2011, she sings “They say this too shall pass, but this darkness seems to last, I can’t swim when waves crash in this fast.”
Telle’s musical journey evolved out of her love for acting. She left home in North Carolina at the age of 16 to pursue this dream. Telle was casted in a role playing a pop/punk lead singer and guitarist, and she needed to learn to play guitar for the part. This led to her love for the instrument, and she started writing her own songs and playing shows around Los Angeles.
“I just really loved getting in front of people and singing, expressing my emotions,” Telle said, but added that playing in front of a live audience can be nerve racking as well. “It’s a way for me to deal with my own artistry in a way I couldn’t do as an actor. Acting involves other people, but with music I can do it all myself with no one’s permission. It’s very therapeutic.”
Telle, 36, said first and foremost she is a music fan. She grew up listening to the likes of Genesis and Ravi Shankar and fell in love with sound. While her music is truly unique, Telle loves the music of her father’s generation, as well as newer sounds like Arcade Fire, The War on Drugs and Coldplay. When listening to her new album, one can’t help but catch these influences but also notice that she brings something entirely new and engaging.
“My dad showed me all that music,” Telle said. “He showed me Beatles and Pink Floyd. He showed me Miles Davis. My dad showed me everything. He would just sit in the living room with his records, play them really loudly and meditate. I was really struck by that.”
When listening to her music, Telle urges her listeners to create a beautiful environment for themselves and dive in.
“Light some incense, put on some beautiful lighting, get on comfortable clothes and just get cozy,” Telle said. “If you have a pet, hold your pet. Just listen to the record and see what resonates with you. See if it can take you on a journey that is meditative and restorative.”
Telle also has a fourth record coming out in summer 2024 called Recurring Dreams From Prodigal Daughters, which also delves into the dream world. It is being produced by Michael Rault. Telle is working with Geare on a cover record that will be out in the near future, as well.
Check out Telle’s music on all major platforms:
Spotify
Apple Music
Deezer
Twitter
YouTube
Soundcloud
Distrokid
Instagram
