By Katelynn Burnett

Hannah Sophia (and Lance Too.) are singer/songwriters located in Eugene, Oregon. Hannah taught a masterclass at Lane Community College on being an independent artist in the music industry, which will continue on 11/22/21 at 12pm in the Blue Door Theater, Building 6. Hannah and Lance have just released their single and music video “Spillin’”. A free download of “Spillin’” is available on their linktree.

Instagram: @hannahsophiaandlancetoo
https://linktr.ee/hannahsophiamusic

Katelynn
How long have you been in Lane county?

Hannah
Lance, how long has it been, around 4 years?

Lance
About three and a half.

Katelynn
And have you been part of the music/art scene here since you arrived?

Hannah
Yep, we just sort of dove right in. We were already doing music in Utah, and once we got here, we started building that community right away.

Katelynn
Very cool! How long have you been making music?

Hannah
Well, I released my first project when I was 20, 8 years ago. But I have been making music since I was 14.

Katelynn
And Lance, were you already making music when you and Hannah joined forces, or was she the driving inspiration?

Lance
I would say she was an instigator, but I was already playing open mics. I would say I started mostly after we got married though.

Katelynn
Do you both have the same workflow and style?

Hannah
We both have our own styles and you can definitely tell what was written by me, what was written by Lance, and what we wrote together.

Katelynn
Did you start making music after you got together, or did music bring you together? What came first here, the chicken or the egg?

Lance
Well, we actually met at an open mic, so I would sort of say that music brought us together.

Hannah
I had seen Lance perform at open mics, but we did not actually perform together until after we were married. Even before we performed together, we began writing music together, and it always pulled us together naturally.

Katelynn
Did it ever feel awkward or vulnerable to share your music, or was it always natural? Did it ever feel forced?

Hannah
I was finicky, which Lance hadn’t experienced, and that sometimes got in the way. But no, I would say it never felt forced.

Katelynn
What performances have you done here in Lane County?

Hannah
Early on, we performed at the WOW Hall, Ax & Fiddle, and the 1st national tap house, but honestly, our bread and butter has always been house concerts, and that’s where our focus has been for the last 2 years. Plus, we started live streaming concerts during the pandemic.

Katelynn
How did you like that? The live streaming – was it an enjoyable experience?

Hannah
In the beginning, it was really nice when everyone sort of felt isolated and stir-crazy as a means to connect with our fans. But after a while I really missed being in front of people. Now we just live stream all of our shows since we have everything set up to do it already.

Katelynn
That must be really awesome for your fans. Is your fan base mostly out of Oregon and Utah?

Lance
A little everywhere.

Hannah
Yeah, they are really sprinkled all over the United States and even some international, with concentrated pockets in Oregon and Utah for sure. But there are always supporters popping up. Recently, a song was played on a radio show in DC and now we get a few steady streams a week out of DC. They are just kind of everywhere.

Katelynn
I should have asked this in the beginning, but what would you say is your genre?

Hannah
Singer/Songwriter. A subgenre would be folk.

Katelynn
Lance, would you say that is the same for you?

Lance
Yes, except I am even folkey-er than she is. I bring the folk.

Hannah
There are some aspects of pop thanks to me, but Lance’s influence and our acoustics keep it more on the side of folk.

Katelynn
This is probably a really typical question – but what is the worst or least enjoyable part of your work in the music industry, and what is the best and most rewarding part?

Hannah
The worst part is that I am my own boss, so I have to be the fire under my own butt. I have to keep track of my schedules, projects, and deadlines all by myself, and that can sometimes be a lot of pressure and work. But the best part is… that I am my own boss! It is definitely both the best and the worst part about it.

Katelynn
Is music your only medium? Or do you dabble in other arts as well?

Hannah
Well, I paint and sculpt and do basically whatever creatively I can get my hands on. But I wouldn’t say that I market myself as an artist in other areas. My focus there is on music.

Katelynn
Got it. During your Master Class at LCC today, what was discussed, and what can we expect from you on the 22nd?

Hannah
We talked a lot about the business, really. About the music business in general, being self employed and opportunities in the music industry. Mostly I answered a lot of questions. On the 22nd I still want to answer questions, but I will be talking more about my creative process and the musical I am writing.

Katelynn
Do you have any new projects coming out soon?

Hannah
We just released our single “Spillin’” which we have also released a music video for. You can actually get a free download and access all of our streaming links as well as our Patreon through our linktree, which is also linked on Instagram.