Review Fix Exclusive: Greye’s Hannah Summer Talks ‘Providence’ And Future

Review Fix chats with Greye’s Hannah Summer, who discusses the band’s six year anniversary of their original EP, as well as their new single, “I Don’t Mind.”

Review Fix: How did Providence change your life?

Hannah Summer: Providence was the first professional project I had ever worked on, and it was the most incredible learning experience for me. It really established Greye as a band and confirmed to us that we were all able to work together incredibly well, not just on writing the album, but also working in the studio. 

Review Fix: Where do you think the album stands now? Would you have done anything differently? What did it teach you?

Summer: Sometimes I find it hard to listen to myself so young! I would love to be able to shake that girl by the shoulders and tell her to project! However, I can’t say I would have done anything differently because at the time I truly was giving it my all, and I think the record is still an impressive body of work considering that for most of the band, it was the first time we’d ever done something of that scale. Because we recorded the album before we’d ever played a live show, Providence really taught us all how to be good solid studio musicians from very early on, which has proved to be an incredible asset to us over the years.

Review Fix: How has the band evolved?

Summer: The band’s look and sound have changed tremendously since we first started playing together, and after many years of experimentation we’ve finally arrived at something we’re all very proud of. The one thing that has remained consistent is the amount of thought and work we put into every aspect of what we do, and I think that’s truly what has set us apart from other groups.

Review Fix: Any thoughts on ever re-recording the album?

Summer: We’ve definitely considered it, and even if we don’t re-record the album itself, I think we’ll eventually revisit most if not all of our old music and try to reengineer it to fit our current style. We’ve already reintroduced new versions of Providence and Josephine to our regular rotation, and I’m sure that more will be soon to follow.

Review Fix: What song on the album do you think deserves more love from listeners?

Summer: I’ve always had a soft spot for “I Love You.” In addition to being a beautiful ballad, which isn’t a style we typically go for, it’s also accompanied by a really special music video made by Brett Bortle of Weekend Warrior Productions that we dedicated to our nation’s veterans. I have always thought the song was captured so beautifully, and love to share it with our new and old listeners.

Review Fix: Why is the album still important to you today?

Summer: Providence has given me an excellent picture of where I used to stand as a vocalist, and it’s been great to be able to see how far I’ve come since then over the years. I’m also a huge sucker for nostalgia, and there are so many memories preserved in the lyrics of the album. Whenever I listen to it I’m instantly transported back to Greye’s early days, and I think it’s invaluable to have such big parts of my life preserved in such a special way.

Review Fix: Why should someone listen to it today?

Summer: For lovers of soft rock/folk style music, Providence is a great introductory record for Greye. Though it’s quite different from our current style, I’m glad that it showcases a different sound for the band. We’ve always tried to keep the listener in mind, and I really think there’s something in Greye’s catalog of original music for everyone, regardless of their musical taste.

Review Fix: How has it influenced your newest work?

Summer: Providence has served as such a great benchmark for us all to look back on. When we wrote that record, we went for a much more progressive approach to the song structure, which was fun but not as effective for the listener. Now whenever we write something new, we try to really keep the audience in mind and structure the songs so that they’re more accessible while still remaining true to the lyrical and musical honesty that was present throughout Providence.

Review Fix: Why is “I Don’t Mind” special?

Summer: “I Don’t Mind” is a definite departure from the rest of the songs on “So Far, So Good,” but I think it’s a welcome one. The other songs on the record are quite hard-hitting, and I think the more intimate verses of “I Don’t Mind” give the listener a nice change of pace. It was also written during the height of the pandemic when things felt incredibly uncertain, and while I deliberately stayed away from specifically referencing COVID-19, I do think some of the energy and desperation from that time period bled into the song.

Review Fix: What are your goals for the next six years?

Summer: We hope to be able to be part of a few national tours in the coming years, in addition to releasing new music and continuing to play larger and larger individual shows. We’re also hoping to have the opportunity to travel abroad and bring our music to other parts of the world, as well as performing on a few television stations.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Summer: Be on the lookout for our brand-new record, “So Far, So Good,” which should be out early this year!

Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?

Summer: Thank you so much for reaching out! We really hope you enjoy the new song and the record that accompanies it!