Hunter – Hello: My Name is HUNTER

By starrymag | November 1, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) Pop Soul. Real instrumentation and live musicians, sounds stemming from the genres and songs I listened to as a kid. I grew up on Stevie Wonder to the Beach Boys to Frank Sinatra to Aretha, Ella…I wanted their influence to be heard in my music. But I also wanted enough pop influence as well so my songs could be current and in line with what’s out there on the charts today.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) I love early soul music to 90s pop. Some of my favorites are Prince, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, the Beach Boys, Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand and Carole King. Their songs are usually in my head when I’m writing.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Closer.”

 

A) John Alagia, my executive producer, guitarist and artist David Ryan Harris, and I all cowrote “Closer” together at The Village Studios circa 2020, right before the pandemic hit. I went into the studio wanting to write a classic summer, feel-good, crushing on somebody song. So, when we wrote “Closer,” that was the initial story of the song. But then after the pandemic the song kind of took on a new meaning: When the song was released this year in 2022, it was the first summer we’ve had since the pandemic began that was kind of open and free and we could get closer to our loved ones. So, in a way it’s kind of an anthem for the post-pandemic world as well: Let’s get closer to each other again.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I think the message behind “Closer” is pretty universal. Everyone at some point has had some sort of crush on somebody or has experienced those butterflies you get when you’re thinking of that special someone, and you just want to be closer to them. Most of us have really fond memories of those moments and can connect with that.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) We got a little creative with the music video. Instead of doing a traditional girl/guy romantic lead storyline, I thought to mix it up and use a dog for a co-star instead of your classic handsome male lead. I love dogs and my video team (Ra Dreyfus as director, Dustin Blackburn as producer) loved it so we totally went with it. We thought it’d be funny. The concept was fun and silly and light like the song, it was different, and I wanted the video to appeal to a wide demographic…And who doesn’t love puppies!?

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) I don’t really have a songwriting process. It really depends on what the song is about and where the inspiration comes from originally. Inspiration could be a sentence I heard someone say or I saw a sign on a bus somewhere or my best friend tells me a relationship story, or I go through something, and I get inspired. Then, I kind of fill in the blanks around the initial idea and go from there.

 

Q) You worked with John Alagia and Jesse Siebenberg as producers on for “Closer,” but how much of a say do you have when it comes to the production of your music?

 

A) I almost always bring in a cowriter and/or producer to help me flush it out. Because I’m an indie artist, I have creative control, which is awesome. But John, Jesse and I took on every song and the project in general as a team, which was great because I had the input of two highly talented minds and then I had the space to make the final decisions. We’ll just kind of go back and forth until we’re all happy.

 

Q) What are some themes you explore on your new EP Hello: My Name is HUNTER?

 

A) When I write songs, I always keep my listeners and audience in mind. I like to write songs that come from personal inspiration, but I keep in mind my listeners because they’re the ones who are going to be connecting and listening to the music. So, with this album, considering it’s my debut, I wanted to touch on lots of universal subjects that we can all feel and connect on. Like having a crush, making eyes with the cute person at the office, breaking up with someone that you wanted to be with, things like that. Mostly relationship stuff and what it’s like to be human.

 

Q) What tracks on the EP hold a special place in your heart and what makes them so significant?

 

A) I would say “Just Can’t Tell You” is my personal favorite because the story behind how I wrote it is kind of funny. I was watching “The Office” late at night, binging episodes as we do, and I found myself admiring the relationship between the characters Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski) in their office setting. And I thought to myself, “I bet lots of my listeners have 9 to 5 jobs and have like an office crush or something. I should write about what it feels like to have a crush on someone at work!” And I was listening to a lot of Charles Bradley at the time, so the production and style is inspired by his roots. I secretly hope that the video gets viewed by at least some of the cast of “The Office.” #bucketlistgoals

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from exploring the music on Hello: My Name is HUNTER?

 

A) I hope that the journey you go on when you listen to my songs leaves you feeling better than you did before you pressed play. I also hope that you love my vocals because I love to sing and it’s my favorite thing to do and it’s a privilege to be able to sing and share my songs with you guys.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) I’m super inspired by cross genre collaborations. Loved the PNAU Dua Lipa and Elton John collaboration — I would love to work with one of my heroes on something more contemporary. Dream artists would be Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Neil Young.

 

Q) You’ve performed at the Hollywood Bowl, Austin City Limits and even on “Conan.” Will fans be able to find you out on tour soon?

 

A) Absolutely. After I drop my album, I plan to immediately dive into writing my sophomore album and have it finished by the end of the year so I can take both albums out on the road in 2023. I do have some shows in LA, where I’m based, here for the rest of the year. But other than that, I plan to crank out performances throughout the year next year.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) I want to express my gratitude, especially for those who have followed my career long before I started releasing my original songs. I’ve been in music for a long time. I’ve had people who have followed my career along the way and I’m just so grateful that I finally get to come out with an album and can share it with people that are really excited about it.

 

 

 

Watch The Video For “Closer”