(Photo Credit - Janell Shirtcliff)
Hazel English just dropped her fantastic sophomore release Wake UP! on April 24, 2020. We are excited to have the opportunity to chat with her about the album, her music, and more!
1. You have an gripping sound that fuses aspects of pop, folk, and psychedelia, can you tell us some of your inspirations musically?
"With this record, I was listening to a lot of 60's music, Jefferson Airplane, Mama's and the Papa's, and Sam Cooke. So I feel like that was influencing me a lot with the album. I was rediscovering some albums I loved in the past and I felt reinvigorated by them."
2. Can you tell us a little bit about your writing process coming into Wake UP!?
"With this album, I spent a year writing, did a bunch of different sessions in LA. Came up with 50 songs that I fleshed down to 10. I got to collaborate with a bunch of new an different people, which before I had only written with one or two people. Having a studio setup was great which is different than the bedroom setup which is how I did my first record."
3. How has the release and promotion process been for Wake UP! given the global pandemic?
"It's definitely been different. I can't tour on the album right now. But I've been doing a lot of stuff from home. Sometimes I'll Zoom which is kinda fun. I'm just taking things that I would normally do and transition those online. It's strange times for everyone but I'm really glad for all the support from everyone and really glad to have been able to release it."
4. Do you have any stories from the writing or recording process that stick out?
"I did get to fly to Atlanta to record half the album. I got to explore Atlanta and bike around the town, which was a really special time for me. I really enjoyed that."
5. What does the future hold for you?
"That's a good question as everything is up in the air right now. Our tour got postponed, it just depends on when it's safe to go back out again. I'm trying to see how it goes and take everything day by day. I'm trying to not focus on the future, as there there is a lot of anxiety with that as there's so much uncertainty."