Hannah Miller is a singer songwriter originally from Alabama, who currently finds herself in Nashville. I first saw her perform last year in a writer’s round that my wife has also played in. Comforting melodies paired with her haunting voice floated in my wife and my head for days after. Be sure to check out her music for yourself at www.hannahmillermusic.com.

I got a chance to catch up with her and see where she writes, rehearses, and handles the business end of being a musician. Check out her interview and the photographs from our time below.

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1. How did you discover/decide that songwriting is what you wanted to do?

I’ve wanted to be a writer/singer since I was about four years old..I wrote my first song at that age, and I guess that’s what started it all…

2. What do you think is different about you as a singer/songwriter from other singer/songwriters?

Well, I’m me, and no one else is. Its hard to be an artist always comparing yourself to others, you will quickly get discouraged and depressed doing that. At some point you have to come to terms with the fact that what makes you special is just the fact that you are the only one of you, and only you can do what you can do…no one else can say what you have to say in the way you have to say it.

3. What are some of your biggest influences?

Simon and Garfunkel, Over the Rhine, Tom Petty, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, U2

4. What are 3 essential “tools of the trade”?

hmmm..for me: a guitar, introspection/observation, and paper (or a mac)

5. If there were a fire in your studio and you could only take what you can carry with you, what do you save?

the guitars and my computer

6. What is your favorite part of songwriting?

probably hearing the words…like after I’ve got a melody going and am just singing nonsense on top of it, and I start to hear real words in the nonsense, and its a fun discovery, like “Oh! that’s what this song is about! cool.”

7. What one piece of advice would you give to someone that wants to do what you do?

keep on going, play live as much as you can, never give up, always keep writing.

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