Review Fix Exclusive: Emily Hearn Talks ‘Hourglass’

Review Fix chats with singer/songwriter Emily Hearn about her new album, “Hourglass.” Breaking down the creative process of the album, as well as her goals for 2015, the up and coming singer gives us an inside look at the album and lets us know what she’s ready to accomplish in the new year.

Review Fix: What do you think makes you different from other performers?

Emily Hearn: One of my favorite aspects of a live show is getting to tell the stories behind the songs. I love connecting the the audience, so I spend more time than most chatting with them, telling stories & jokes—just having fun. I think it makes my shows a little more relatable than most.

Review Fix: What is your creative process like?

Hearn: It totally depends on my mood. Sometimes I’m driving and a random melody and a few lyrics will pop into my head. I’ll record them into the memos on my phone and go back to work on it later. Other times I start by just playing through a chord progression over and over again and singing until I find something that I love. I’ll record the chord progression and play it in the background while I journal out some thoughts and tweak lyrics. A change of scenery always helps too, so I take writing trips to be inspired.

Review Fix: How was “Volcano” written? Is there a story behind it?

Hearn: Volcano started as just a title. My friend Emily Lynch had come into town to write with (my husband) Michael and me. She suggested that we write a song called “Volcano,” so we started talking through that title and what it could mean. All of us have had heartbreaks ourselves, and we have seen countless relationships fall apart or end in divorce and so much pain. So we just started writing from that place. Sometimes I write songs based on my own experience, and sometimes I write songs for other people. When I listen to a song that explains exactly how I’m feeling, I am so comforted. So I guess this is one of those songs written in hopes that someone else out there in the world might be able to hold on to something that comforts them.

There’s imagery in the song about watching your heart fall in slow motion, knowing the worst is about to happen, and not being able to stop it. The truth is, relationships start with the emotions and the giddiness of love, but they last with hard work, selflessness and commitment. Just that feeling of love isn’t enough to make a relationship last, even when you want it to. Volcano is for anyone who has ever watched their love fall apart in slow motion.

Review Fix: What did you learn from Promises and how did it affect your latest release?

Hearn: I think I’m learning with every new album how to be a little closer to who I want to be as an artist. It’s getting easier with every year to express the lyrics and melodies that I picture in my head. In the past I’ve written a lot about love and failed relationships. While I think that’s a very interesting subject, and lots of people go through those feelings, I wanted to write about something more meaningful and in-depth for this album. You’ll notice that the songs revolve around the theme of growing up and the defining moments that we go through as we get older—so there’s definitely some love and a few broken hearts, but also the feeling of losing someone you love, moving to a new city and leaving your old life behind, seeing parents grow older, and learning to believe in yourself.

Review Fix: What are your goals for 2015?

Hearn: Honestly my goals for this year are just to grow from where I was last year—I want to see and play new cities, meet people everywhere we go, and expand my audience in some way. My husband Michael plays in my band, and he wrote a lot of these songs with me, and we’re so excited for our upcoming tour and getting to accomplish these goals together.

Review Fix: What was it like to work with Chad Copelin?

Hearn: He’s amazing! One of my favorite people. Chad is so talented and really gets my vision, even when I explain it in the most vague terms. It’s so crucial in those initial moments of creating an album to feel understood, and Chad totally understood what I was going for with this album.

Review Fix: You’ve got a lengthy tour ahead of you. Lots of shows in a small amount of time. How do you feel about it?

Hearn: I’m so excited! Michael and I are driving the whole way in our little Toyota Prius. It’s going to be the experience of a lifetime (in some amazing AND some rough ways). We’re bringing along our GoPro to film the whole thing.

Review Fix: How is your live show different from your studio work?

Hearn: My live show is a little bit more broken down than my albums. Michael and I have gotten pretty good at multi-tasking, but it’s still just the two of us. He switches between a kick drum, bass, triggers a looper, plays piano and sings. I play acoustic and electric guitar, take over the piano at times, play some percussion and sing. We have a blast.

Review Fix: Bottom Line: What makes Hourglass special?

Hearn: What I love about it is that it’s a blend of catchy and meaningful–I think that Hourglass is really going to hit home for a lot of people and give others a happy song to dance to. I really tried to focus in on what it feels like to grow up, and write an album that is a story about that. I think that everyone has been there or maybe they are just starting to go through the first realizations of growing up now. Some moments on this album are really fun, and some really deep, hard-hitting topics. I’m really excited to share it. It’s definitely my favorite work yet.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Hearn: I’m always writing, so there will be more music sometime in the near future. But for now I’m excited about working on another music video at some point this year and heading out on this nation-wide tour playing my new songs!