4 | Just Keep Creating with Hannah Crofts aka Baby Velvet

In this episode, we sit down with Hannah Crofts, best known as a member of the acclaimed Australian folk group All Our Exes Live in Texas and for her captivating solo project, Baby Velvet. Beyond the harmonies and stage lights, Hannah offers a raw and insightful look into the realities of life as an artist—the creative highs, the crushing self-doubt, and the ever-present pressure to turn passion into profit. We dive into her journey through the music industry, the moments that tested her resilience, and the lessons that keep her grounded. From embracing uncertainty to finding joy in the process, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone navigating the fine line between creativity and sustainability. 

If you’d like to see more, you can follow Hannah Crofts on instagram; @ babyvelvetmusic

 

This episode was recorded on 12 January 2025 on the lands of the Woiworung Peoples. We hope that this episode inspires you as a creative person and as a human being.

Thanks for listening, catch you on the next episode.

Psst! We are always on the lookout for creative people to share their story and inspire others. Have you got someone in mind who would love to have a chat? Get in contact with us via Instagram @throughthecreativedoor

 

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Creative resources:
A Swim In A Pond In The Rain - George Saunders 

Adrienne Linker's School of Song 

Let’s get social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/throughthecreativedoor/ 

TikToc: https://www.tiktok.com/@ttcdpodcast

 

CREDITS

Created and Hosted by Alexis Naylor

Music by Alexis Naylor & Ruby Miguel

Edited and Produced by Ruby Miguel

 

00:09 - Alexis (Host)

Hello, my name is Alexis Naylor and I am your host here at Through the Creative Door. On behalf of myself and my guests, I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians on which this podcast is recorded and produced. Owners and custodians on which this podcast is recorded and produced. May we pay our respects to all First Nations people and acknowledge Elders, past and present. On this podcast, I'll be chatting to an array of creative guests, getting a glimpse into their worlds and having some honest and inspiring conversations along the way. I'm delighted to welcome you to Through the Creative Door. 

Oh, my goodness, Hannah, I'm so excited to be chatting with you. Thank you for coming on Through the Creative Door. 

 

00:57 - Hannah (Guest) 

Thank you so much for having me. 

 

00:59 - Alexis (Host) 

I know I'm so chuffed. So nice Fangirling right over here. This is so cute, cute, yes, um, before we get in and launch into all these lovely doubly questions um, you are such a talented bear, you are such a such a glorious performer and you really have such a beautiful stage presence. 

 

01:21

Um, I really love your latest single, which I got to see that live, actually with you singing with a choir that you put together, which was glorious. 

 

01:34 - Hannah (Guest)

I'm so lucky that you came. Thank you for coming. 

 

01:37 - Alexis (Host)

Oh, it's so beautiful. It's so beautiful. It's such a beautiful energy in the room which you have cultivated. 

 

01:40 - Hannah (Guest)

That was very special, that show. It was very special, it was real nice. 

 

01:53 - Alexis (Host)

But apart from you being a very talented musician, you also do amazing collage um mural and yeah, that kind of work, yeah, which I'm fascinated to pick your brain about. Like how does one get into that? Like how did that spark I? 

 

02:01 - Hannah (Guest)

That one's a bit strange. I was thinking about this the other day and I'm a musician, but then I also just spend so much time drawing and then that kind of turned from there, just got interested in collage. And then do you know Emily Lubitz, who's in Tin Pan Orange and she's also a performer in her own right. She's a beautiful musician, she lives up in Byron, um, and she asked me to make a video clip for her, maybe like three years ago, and I never thought about doing it. But she was like I love your drawings, like maybe you could just make me something cool, and so I spent maybe two months like learning how to use some software and I made like a very beautiful video clip for her. That's very. 

 

02:43

I just feel like if someone who knew how to use the software would be like oh, that'd take me 15 minutes, but it took me two months of being like stop frame animation kind of thing. And then emily's partner is Harry from the cat empire, and the cat empire's management bought a warehouse in collingwood and made a giant exhibition about love and sex cool, and they had these three phone booths and they asked Emily who they should get to deck, like just to do smart in the phone booth, so Emily recommended me. There's a long way of saying that I've got into. There's an exhibition that I just completed, in December, and that was through Emily recommended me through making her the video clip. 

 

03:19 - Alexis (Host)

That's sick and that's through. Is it Museum of? I don't know why I said pleasure, it was something like that. I remember Museum of it's called Museum of Desire. Oh Desire. I don't know why I said pleasure, I thought it was something like that. I remember seeing. 

03:29 - Hannah (Guest) 

Yeah, there's a lot about pleasure in Desire. 

But there's like 25 artists, I think, and so you walk around. It takes like an hour and you do all the different exhibitions. 

 

03:39 - Alexis (Host) 

Oh my goodness, I need to go. It's very fun. It very fun. It's very nude. You say a lot of nudity.

 

03:45 - Alexis (Host)

I love nudity, then you'll love the exhibition. Excellent, alexa I. I just think that the body, it's such a beautiful shape yeah, yeah, especially women's bodies. 

 

03:52 - Hannah (Guest)

Women's bodies, right stunning. 

 

03:55 - Alexis (Host)

Yeah, so we are in your beautiful space, so I'm curious whether your answer will be this space or a different space, or a frame of mind. But what does a creative space mean to you and why? 

 

04:09 - Hannah (Guest)

um, creative space means so much to me, as you can say by how I've decorated my room, but, um, my, I was on tour with my band for 10 years. So I play in a band called all our exes live in Texas, and we were on tour from for, yeah, for most of my 20s, and so I didn't have a home for that time. We were just away and I lived out of a suitcase for a lot of it and I just like, once we stopped touring, it just became so important to me to have like a sacred space that was just mine especially. I know that you've toured before like just how much. You never have any alone time. You never have anything that's yours. 

 

04:47

I'm from a family of three, I'm one of four girls um, that that makes me sound a bit crazy, but I just love having a space that is just mine and that is very special, and so, um, I do all of my work in this room and I spend so much time just like curating it and thinking about it and making just a space where you can actually think and create art. 

 

05:10 - Alexis (Host)

And there's something about like that calm. Yeah, that just lets you drop in. I'm projecting a little bit here but I can. I can drop in to that creative when everything else is calm yeah, 

 

05:16 - Hannah (Guest)

Which I always think if I ever had a partner, we have to have separate bedrooms because they cannot put their stuff in this room. I like my stuff too much and I like the layout too much that I'd be like no, like what if they brought an ugly lamp? I wouldn't know how to. Maybe this is why I don't have a partner, because I'm like your stuff's ugly, you can't bring it in 

 

05:40 - Alexis (Host)

But there's the schools for thought about people who have like separate bedrooms. I think, yeah, I think that's a vibe? 

 

05:41 - Hannah (Guest)

I think, think so too. I just think I have to meet someone who's got lots of money so we can have a glorious big house where we can have lots of our own spaces. 

 

05:47 - Alexis (Host)

Studio yes, exactly. Drawing room yeah, extra bedrooms Amazing. Now, if we talk about your stuff, is there a body of work or a project that you're the most proud of creating, of creating and like how did that come about? 

 

06:10 - Hannah (Guest)

um, I think I'm most proud of Virtuous, which I just put out, which I know is just one song on its own. But, um, so I was in X's for 10 years and then COVID happened and we decided to go forth and do our solo projects and I recorded a record and at the time, I was supposed to go to LA and record it. Um, with the producer that I worked with called Kevin, and maybe like March of 2020, I moved into my sister's bungalow because I was like, I'm gonna save my money, I'm gonna go overseas, I'll go to LA, I'll record this record. And then COVID happened. And so my poor sister. I was like, can I stay for two weeks before I go to to LA? I'll record this record. And then COVID happened. And so my poor sister. I was like, can I stay for two weeks before I go to America? And I was like, can I stay for a year? And I just never moved out of her bungalow for one year, um, and never made it to America. 

 

06:54

But so Kevin and I made the record over Zoom in the end, so we decided to do it anyway and we did a whole. 

 

07:01

So, yeah, I've made one solo record, and it was just all over the internet, which was amazing in that we could still create something, and we created something we both loved. I would never do that again in like, uh, you know, one of the most beautiful things about making a record is well, for me, anyway, is the community and like having people there and getting to create something together. And while Kevin was there over the internet, if I made a record again, I would love to have a producer in the room with me, being like, why don't we try this? Maybe try that again, which, in the case of my record, I just recorded. I learned how to record and I recorded all my parts myself, and then I would send him like 20 takes and he would comp something together, or like so yeah, like, I just did a lot of that, which just also drives you insane, because you're in alone in your bedroom singing the same line over and over again, being like, was that good, was that better? Like, is this bit? 

 

07:50 - Alexis (Host)

yeah, there's something nice about having that immediate feedback of like, okay, great, but like, maybe, like, um, work on this part of your diction, on this part. Or like, yeah, just be maybe not as harsh on this bit. Or yeah, you get that and you can start to adjust it. As opposed to, yeah, doing 20 takes and then a couple of days later, getting am I okay, this is fine, I'm actually really bad at this. 

 

08:13 - Hannah (Guest)

Like what am I like you inspire really quickly, versus having someone be like no, you're fine, just keep going, like don't worry about it. Yeah, um

 

08:18 - Alexis (Host)

I think you're just gonna keep running it a few more times, you're fine. 

 

08:21 - Hannah (Guest)

You're fine. So I made that and I am really proud of that and I love that record. But I think you know it wasn't the dream process to make it. It was like a learning curve and I learned a lot. And then, when I made Virtuous, I did the Adrienne Linker songwriting course last year for School of Songs. She did a one-month course on the internet and I wrote that song as part of that course and I just really loved the song and I felt really proud of it. 

 

08:46

And then, um, I recorded it myself, which also I've never I've never released anything that I've recorded just on my own, which was a big thing in my mind of like a barrier for music for me is money. I mean, like, how do I keep releasing music and how do I keep making art and how do I keep funneling all my money into it, and you know, and so it was cool to be like, oh, you can just create stuff yourself and put it out. And then I got my friends to come and sing on that. So all the backing vocals are a bunch of mates. And then my housemate is a videographer, so he came down to from his bedroom to my bedroom and we filmed a clip and then I put on a show which felt like in for me it felt like a community event of all my friends coming together and celebrating. So I felt really proud of that of like. 

 

09:28

How do you move forward in the music industry and keep creating and being happy without burning out and without making like? I don't know, it's just such a strange industry of like. How can I make sure that I'm one being creative but two, fulfilling that part of you that wants to release music and like have people hear it. 

 

09:44 - Alexis (Host)

Yeah, and also not letting go of the fact that we still are human and, yeah, you know someone's friend, someone's sister still wanting to go on holidays and have a weekend away oh my gosh, exactly like have a life, yes, yeah, yes. 

 

09:58 - Hannah (Guest)

And I just like being like I only have you know x amount of money in a year. I would like to. I've spent the last 10 years just putting that into music and then just being like, oh, but like it would be really nice to go on a holiday, like it would be nice to go overseas or whatever it is, and be like, yeah, prioritizing different things, I don't know, but then still getting to do that creative things that you want to do, yeah, yeah. So I think Virtuous is what I'm most proud of. 

 

10:22 - Alexis (Host)

Well, it's a banger. A banger on the flip side of things that you're proud of. What, if you have one, or maybe you have a few is there something that's challenged your creativity, and what do you think the major lesson of that has been? 

 

10:42 - Hannah (Guest)

I think, uh, probably just my self-esteem has challenged my creativity. You know, like self-doubt and like, um self-sabotage. I think, um, yeah, I think that'll always be the hardest thing for me and as I've gotten older, being like don't worry so much, I actually think sorry. My best piece of advice is that everything is a stepping stone to the next thing. So I think with music and records and songs, you can get really bogged down and being like it has to be perfect, this I'm putting all my eggs in this basket of making this one beautiful record and it's going to represent me and it's everyone's going to judge me based on it. 

 

11:17

And I have to put, and I and I do think you should create the best thing you can create, but you should think about it like I'm creating the best thing I can create in this moment and it doesn't summarize me forever. 

 

11:27

It's not the only thing that'll ever happen in my life. It doesn't. It just summarizes who I am in this moment, um, and so don't feel so stressed to put things out and don't feel so like I just feel like we all get bogged down in this idea that sometimes it takes years to put things out and I can overthink things and I can rework them and just like, actually don't worry about it, just put it out. If you're happy with it, obviously, and you love it, just put it out and know that it's not the only thing you're going to do. That's a step, yeah, everything is a stepping stone to the next thing you're going to create Adrienne, like it was really great in her course where she was like we're all just writing the same song over and over and over again to try and get the perfect song oh, I like that well. 

 

12:06

I feel that's so true. I do think I just write the same song over and over and over again and you are just trying to like work on your chip away and work on your craft and until you write a song and maybe you'll never think you've written the perfect song. But other people will, you know? I think Adrienne Link has written, you know, 2000 perfect songs. Yeah, but I guess that's yeah, striving to keep being better. 

 

12:21 - Alexis (Host)

Yeah, and I also think we're always trying to find a way to process the things happening around us and, yeah, that vessel of creating art is how we have digested it and putting it back into the world. 

 

12:40 - Hannah (Guest)

Right, totally yeah therapy, oh my god how great is art for therapy. Every time I go through a breakup it's so cliched but I'm like at least I got a couple good songs out of that, yeah, you know right that man wasn't very nice, but whatever, got some good songs 

 

12:56 - Alexis (Host) 

I swear I've done that with so much dating. 

I was like, yeah, I got, I got some, got some content, yeah, yeah we did it for the plot, for the plot story 

 

13:01 - Hannah (Guest) 

Because I also think, like two years later you can't remember the man that you went on that two months date with, but you have the song still yeah, you know, and it's disassociated from that man, but you still have the art yeah, it's great. 

 

13:12 - Alexis (Host)

Yeah, for sure, for sure, for sure. It's like oh honey, it might have started because of you, but it's not about you it's not about you. 

 

13:19 - Hannah (Guest)

I don't remember you are. 

 

13:26 - Alexis (Host)

You have such beautiful things in this room. I wonder do you have any object or thing or belonging that you can't live without when you create? 

 

13:39 - Hannah (Guest)

When I make things? I have a little morning ritual, which I started last year and again it was like the thought process of like what kind of artist am I going to be and how can I be happy is a bigger thought of artist am I going to be and who, how can I be happy, is a bigger sort. 

 

13:58

And so every morning I have one hour before I leave the house or do something where I have to be creative, and that to me is like gardening or watering the garden or reading a book or. But, yeah, I feel like it's um, yeah, very, I don't know, it's probably cringy to some people, but like I burn my sage, I light a little candle, I have beautiful notebooks, I have beautiful pens and I just sit down and try and journal, um, and just try and start my day with a moment of being creative. Um, so the things I can't live without, it's just like a pen and paper or a book or a. You know I can live without sage and candle, but I think it is, I think the ritual of getting into a habit of doing it every day and reminding yourself of it every day 

14:39 - Alexis (Host) 

And do you think that that ritual, it also just sits you in that intention like a headspace a frame of mind? 

 

14:46 - Hannah (Guest) 

just a reminder as well. I did another School of Song with Dr Dog, with Scott McKinnon Mick Mckinnon, who is one of my favourite songwriters and he, you know, we all know this and it's so true. But being like, if you want to be creative, there's only very few moments in your life that you feel inspired. You know that you come home and you're like I actually really feel like creating art and if you want to be creative, you know you can look at it like a job. Job makes it not sound very romantic. But being like I'm just going to be something I'm going to do every day and I'm going to commit to doing it every day, um, even if I don't really feel like it, cause I'm really not going to feel inspiration that often or all the time. 

 

15:25 - Alexis (Host)

Well, a lot can be said for just having the structure. Yeah, because then when you quote unquote, don't feel as inspired, you still have that structure of like okay, well, I'm gonna sit in this space and I'm doing this for an hour and yeah, so you help supporting that even for the times where you don't have those. I mean, I always find it funny that, like we all know of artists, where you know they're like oh, I sat down and wrote this song in five minutes, it just came to me, which we all know. 

 

15:53 - Hannah (Guest)

Dolly Parton, I will always love you. 

 

15:54 - Alexis (Host)

Yeah, like there are, there are times when you get that beautiful, you know being struck by lightning, yeah, but more often than not it's like um, his name, um, ed sheeran he talks about, like you, running the, the tap. Like, yeah, you just constantly just keep writing, keep doing, keep creating, um, because you sort of almost have to, yeah, get all the crap out before you'll get to the good stuff. 

 

16:20 - Hannah (Guest)

Absolutely. I always know that I'll write two crap songs, maybe five, maybe ten crap songs to one song that I actually like, and so you have to sit through all the crap songs to get to the one that you're like, all right, this is fine. 

 

16:28 - Alexis (Host)

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly if you could give one piece of advice, one nugget of gold, to another creative. Actually, it was interesting. The people that I've interviewed just recently, they actually, instead of it just being to another creative, they're like what would I say to myself? But uh, yeah, what advice or nugget of gold would you give, and what would, yeah, and what would it be?

 

16:57 - Hannah (Guest)

 I think it'd be. This is like very specific to me at the moment, but I've become addicted to that song, the Sunscreen song, which is a Baz Luhrmann song. It was famous in like 19, I think it's 1997. 

 

17:09 - Alexis (Host) 

Is it the one that they speak the lyrics? 

 

17:12 - Hannah (Guest) 

And it's like to the class of like 1997 or like whatever. Maybe it's 1999. 

 

17:15 - Alexis (Host)

And it's like to the class of like 1997 or like whatever. Maybe it's 1999, but one of the bits of advice wear sunscreen. Yes, um, yeah, yeah, and it goes through, like all these different situations about yeah, yeah 

 

17:21 - Hannah (Guest) 

And it's beautiful and it gives some beautiful advice in that, and like, one thing that I would say to my younger self and to myself now, which I try and do is, um, like, just never compare yourself to others or their art journey like their, their creative journey. 

 

17:33 - Alexis (Host)

Which is really hard to do with social media the way that it is. 

 

17:36 - Hannah (Guest)

It's so revolting and so hard and it's just like social media is so fake and I just I have people in my you know wider life where you're like your social media is going off and you look like you're doing all the best things in the world and then personally you're having a really terrible time. And you know vice versa, like people can be having the best time of their life and not putting it on social media, but it makes everyone feel bad about themselves and their careers all the time. Um, so I guess, yeah, just like the knock comparison is the thief of thief of joy. Is that the saying yes? 

I think that's a big thing to try and learn, that. I still try and learn every day of been like so much of the music industry and music careers are beyond your control. It's not about your talent, it is a wide variety of other things, and just enjoy the journey. Yeah, that you're on. I know that sounds so corny. 

 

18:27 - Alexis (Host)

No, but it's yeah it is true, and I also think you know all of us want to be here for a long time, not for, you know, we don't want to burn ourselves out and yeah, we've got to be able to find and I think we're all trying to actually get that out but find a way to sustain it. yeah, for like the long term, not just for now. 

 

18:44 - Hannah (Guest)

I think a really big lesson that I learned from being in a band for so long um, which, I think about, is a big. I loved being in that band and it's you know, we did so many amazing things. The mentality that I had was always about the bigger picture, like I always like we're striving towards these massive goals all the time and I think having massive goals is amazing and we should all have have them. But it also really taught me that for me, the most important thing is to have a good day, like to wake up and be like how can I make my day really good and if I'm going to bed at night and I've had a really nice day, then I've won. 

 

19:21

Yeah, versus being like I might have 20 crappy days in a row, but they're all working towards this bigger picture thing. That doesn't matter. Yeah, because if you haven't crap day, what's the point? I don't know that. That took me to live it, to learn it. Yeah, so my days are really gorgeous. I make good days. Yeah, and I have bigger picture goals that you that I'm still working towards, but like it's less. It's less driven by that, I guess yeah. 

 

19:46 - Alexis (Host)

You've mentioned a few sort of resources or um courses and and things just in our chat already. But apart from obviously you're an advocate for doing songwriting retreats and songwriting courses and stuff, but would you recommend any other resources? Um, if someone wanted to develop their creative process and do what you do? 

 

20:14 - Hannah (Guest)

There is a book that I read last year called swim in a pond in the rain. Um, I have to look up what the man's name is, like Gregory something, but that was a beautiful book, um, that I would recommend reading if you want to do songwriting, specifically lyrical songwriting. But, um, it was a book where it breaks down five like old russian stories, and the writer talks. He doesn't have complicated language, so he is a philosopher and a phd major in english and he just basically breaks down the stories and tells you why sentences work and what they make the reader feel. And then, um, yeah, I guess like how you can shape a story to make people feel different things and but, yeah, again, talks to you in layman's terms so you don't feel like it's too complicated or don't understand or um, and it's a beautiful book for songwriting. 

 

21:06

I just did lots of last year, lots of trying to read it and then put it into songwritings where you have verses where you try and match it. I've been like, okay, he's talking about, if you do, sentences like structural sentences like this, or this story made me feel this way like how do you, if you only have six verses, like, how do I structure it so I can make it feel the same. So I found that really useful to try and think about. Not that I've achieved it, but it was beautiful um. 

 

21:27 - Alexis (Host)

well, it's nice when you read things where it gets you to just think about your process of writing a little differently. 

 

21:37 - Hannah (Guest)

Yes, yeah. And then I got this book, which is a complete rhyming dictionary which I use all the time Because, again, I write the same song over and over and over. So this was a good book to buy and be like, start changing. You use these words all the time, so what's other words for those words? You know, I think I need that. I just I do fall on the same catalogue of like words. So this was, this was good, um. 

 

22:03

Other resources, school, yeah, as I said, school of songs, really amazing, um, there's a artist called lord cowboy who she did that picture on that wall, um, and she's on instagram and she just is like a. I find her very inspiring. She on that wall, um, and she's on instagram and she just is like a. I find her very inspiring. She makes art every day and she puts it up. She's not a songwriter, she's a visual artist, but at the moment she's like running a retreat online to get off social media and you meet up with her on zoom once a week and talk about not being online, like unplugging, and the relationship, yeah, of being an artist on social media but also just being an artist in the world. Um, yeah, I reckon those are my main ones. 

 

22:41 - Alexis (Host)

Amazing, I think, this last one that you're mentioning. I mean, it's so true, I think we get so caught up with the deliverables um of, yeah, result driven, yeah, case in point posting or showing art or whatever on social media. So, yeah, it's like you're still an artist, even if no one can see the process and what you're up to at that point. 

 

23:00 - Hannah (Guest)

Well, it is an interesting thought of like what age was I told that if I like art, I should monetize it. You know, and being like I've lived that way for so long, I've been like everything I do should have value into my career, uh, and eventually, yeah, my income. And they've been like I can just create art because I want to create art, not because I want to make money off it. Obviously would love to make money off art, but at the same time, it's so nice being able to create art, not with that intention yeah, yeah. 

 

23:25 - Alexis (Host)

And what's that? Um, you know when they talk about, you know intentions and it's like, whether it's like um working on your like career moving forward, or if it like fills your cup, or it's like the financial, it's like you're never going to have all three. Yeah, like overlay, it's like, but at least if you've got one or two of them, then you're doing pretty well then, you're doing okay. 

 

23:48 - Hannah (Guest)

it's good. I like that. Yeah, this year was my. My new year's resolution this year is to make no adult decisions. Oh, I like that. All I did last year was be an adult, and that's great. You need to be an adult sometimes. I ticked a bunch of stuff off. I got out of debt, I like got a car, I did things, and this year, none of it. I'm not making any adult decisions. 

 

24:06 - Alexis (Host)

I love this so much. I'm curious of like how did that sort of philosophy come about? 

 

24:13 - Hannah (Guest)

I just in my mind was like you know what do one year on, one year off? Like just be an adult. One year don't be an adult. The next year don't worry about it, it's fine. So I just want to spend all my money this year going overseas and holidays, and I think part of it is that thought of being a grown-up. When you go to the pub and you're like, no, I should go home. But, this year I want to do more like no, no, I'm going to stay out. Let's just see what happens. 

 

24:39 - Alexis (Host)

Yeah, what do they say? Nothing good happens after 12 o'clock. It's like to hell it is. I'm staying out all night. 

 

24:43 -  Hannah (Guest)

Just with the riffraff floating around. 

 

24:48 - Alexis (Host) 

I love it. We'll just like not see on social media you overseas, because you'll be offline.

 

24:52 - Hannah (Guest)

Exactly, living my life. It's not showing everyone. 

 

24:55 - Alexis (Host)

I love it. If you could hear another creative on this podcast and answer these questions. Who would it be and why? 

 

25:06 - Hannah (Guest)

I know I've already talked about him. I'll talk about two. One is Amy Sedaris, who's American, and she isn't a songwriter, but she's a creative. She makes lots of stuff. She makes similarly sorry, like I make songs, but then I also make visual art. I, um, I feel like Amy is the same in that she just does a whole variety of different things and her mind is so crazy and so wonderful and so funny. 

 

25:33 - Alexis (Host)

Isn't it glorious when you watch people like that, like who are you? 

 

25:34 - Hannah (Guest)

no, I mean, that was another part of my thoughts going into this year was like sometimes those people like, do you know, cola scoza? Like I'm like you're so weird and funny and wonderful and there would have been a long period of time that you were just cringy, like you wouldn't have been good at your craft yet and people around you would have been like, oh, I don't know, that was like a bit strange. But then you come out the other side and you're phenomenal at the thing you do and I feel like amy's the same, where they're just like absolutely amazing at the thing they do. And if you ever want to be that amazing, just don't just be cringe, be weird, like just go delve into it. But I love any time I hear Amy talk like I'm obsessed with everything she says. 

 

26:12

And Scott Mick McKinnon, who's in Dr Dog. I love hearing him talk about music, I love hearing his writing process. I think it is because one of the reasons is because I don't think of music as a solo practice. I think about it as a community thing, like I only like making music to play it with my friends. I hate playing solo shows. I don't like doing it by myself.

 

26:34 - Alexis (Host)

Interesting. The reason why I say interesting is because I feel exactly the same way and I was in a band for a really long time and really loved it, and that was my family, my community, and then those boys all decided to, their paths were different and so that you know, changed everything and for a long time I just wanted the same thing again and I was at a precipice at one point where I had to let go Okay, well, what can I control? Well, I can't necessarily control the people. That if it will work in another project like that, yeah, I can control just doing stuff on my own, but yeah. 

 

27:13 - Hannah (Guest)

But do I want to? 

 

27:15 - Alexis (Host)

It was a struggle for a really long time to find some kind of peace and enjoyment of it. Yeah, being on a stage, a big stage on my own, yeah, yeah, nowadays I can hold space for it and enjoy it for what it is. But yeah, I really hear you when you say like it's about the people you get to share it with. 

 

27:34 - Hannah (Guest)

Yeah, because, yeah, I do play solo and it's like the same thing, like I've done it enough now that I can like go. Like same thing, like I've done it enough now that I can like go and have a good time and I know what I'm doing, but just feel like I write songs in my mind with being like, but I want to play them with other people, I want to sing with other people, I want this. And Scott McKinnon is in Dr Dog, which is a large band, and just like all their live shows, like 10 people on stage and they're obviously best friends. They've been best friends forever. They're all interacting with each other and like that is actually the philosophy of music that I this is why I do it, this is what I love watching, and so I love hearing him talk about how he creates those spaces and, you know, plays with his friends and, yeah, it's beautiful. I don't do anything by myself yeah.  

 

28:12 - Alexis (Host)

Well, it's just, yeah, part of it's the journey, right, yeah, it's, it's all part of it. 

 

28:19 - Hannah (Guest)

I just also. I just don't have. I guess I have a bit because I, you know, I clearly love to be in front of people and like, love people to love me. But I don't have it fully inbuilt in me that I want to be the star like I'd love, rather like, like exes was. I'd rather be the star with a group of people you know still want to be a star, happy to share the spotlight yes, yeah, 

 

28:44 - Alexis (Host)

well, I alsp, I don't know if you're the same, but I'm not a true extrovert. So, having that community on stage to share the load, absolutely that energy out, yeah, and to bring that, so when I'm a bit depleted, you have those other people to help you and then, like, restore it. That's because, yeah, yeah, I mean I can turn it on when I need to, but there are times where it's hard going 

 

29:10 - Hannah (Guest)

And it's so nice, like on X’s shows. We did so many shows for so long and there'd be nights like you get broken up with just before you walk on stage and you could be like cheeky babies, I'm not really feeling this tonight, and they'll be like no worries, and then they'll take the leads on stuff and you could just, but when you're doing it on your own you're like, okay, dig, dig, you got to be, you got to put on the show. Showbiz baby. 

 

29:25 - Alexis (Host)

It's so true, so true, oh, my goodness. Oh, I'm just it's making me think of um. I did a concept album, um, which was about my uh, big relationship breakdown and I just remember that was such heavy content and big relationship breakdown, and I just remember that was such heavy content. And, yeah, there were just times where, like you had to really that psyching in to tour that. Oh, sometimes it was just like so unbearably heavy. 

 

29:51 - Hannah (Guest)

I know that's the thing about writing songs about your heartbreak. Yeah. All right, I guess I'll rehash this tonight, cool. 

 

29:59 - Alexis (Host)

Cool, cool, cool, cool. And we're going back in there. 

 

30:01 - Hannah (Guest)

No, worries, no big deal, it's totally fine. 

 

30:05 - Alexis (Host)

Oh my goodness, Hannah, this has been such a beautiful chat. Thank you so much for coming. 

 

30:10 - Hannah (Guest)

You're so wonderful at this

 

30:12 - Alexis (Host)

oh stop.  I just love a chat. I love a chat. You're very good at chatting. Thank you for coming through the creative door.

30:18 - Hannah (Guest) 

Thank you for having me

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