Hannah Judson is an internationally touring American/French singer-songwriter based near Paris on the Ile de France. She performs original indie folk rock songs that draw her audience into lyrically potent narratives. Hannah’s vocals are intimate, with a modern folk sound reminiscent of Cat Power, Lucinda Williams and Elliott Smith. Her 2020 EP release Stingray reflects a shedding of past styles, and creative restraints, that cleared room where both tendencies toward spacious lyrical environments, and straight on rock co-exist in a unified collection. Hannah was active on the alternative music scene in Chicago that circled around the School of the Art Institute where she studied painting and sound. She produced and hosted GrrrlsRock events at Beat Kitchen. In 2014 she founded MUSEfest, an international event to support inspirational women in music, film and art. In 2018 she started working with Boneyard Records in Sacramento, CA. She is currently Director of Music for the LA Fashion Festival (LAFF). She has an MBA in music business from Berklee College of Music/SNHU. She currently performs with Charlie Galunic (Professor at INSEAD) on lead guitar, and Brian Clevinger (Absynth Creator) on bass. Her song "Deep Sea Diver" showcases Hannah's originality and creativity.
Opening with intricate electric guitar arpeggiation, "Deep Sea Diver" creates a sense of space and time with an ethereal-indie-rock sound that cannot be boxed into a genre. As the percussion commences, Hannah sings the first verse, "If you were an astronaut and I was a deep sea diver, we’d find the surface of the Earth is not so far. You come around. You come around. Hannah's captivating vocal performance seems to draw from the intimacy of folk and the edge of indie-rock. Perfectly complimentary her visual lyrics, her singing is subdued and colorful.
As the song moves forward, the track has a light energy that matches the song's mood. A buildup in momentum, created by more intensity in the percussion, allows the chorus to bloom:
"Cause love Take leave of your senses Cause love You can take me home."
"Deep Sea Diver" is about two people who come from different worlds like an astronaut in the sky and a deep sea diver under the ocean. Even though these two people are from opposite spheres, where they would never bump into each other, love finds a way to the place where they are. Like a deep sea diver, sometimes a person has to dive beneath the surface to find where two souls connect, and what they find is extraordinary and beautiful.
"Deep Sea Diver" is a brilliant song that offers listeners multiple layers of sound and lyrical substance. Hannah Judson is an intelligent songwriter who is tuned into that special place where thoughtful lyrics blend seamlessly with unpredictable musical nuance inviting listeners deep into the art she has created. Her songs are like a fine piece of art; your ears can't turn away and you are left with a long lasting impression.
Stream on Spotify.
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