Hana Bryanne
An Emotional Brunnette (who can’t drive stick)
If you ever need a good book recommendation, sandwich order, or a song about Jesus and Harrisonford, Hana Bryanne is your girl. There’s a special kind of magic in catching an artist on the cusp of a new chapter, just as the tour kicks off, notebooks still blank, and dreams still raw. That’s exactly where I met Hana: in the buzzing venue, somewhere between excitement and nerves, armed with her sense of humor and a stack of book recommendations.
Hana isn’t your average singer-songwriter. Her self-description is what really sets the tone: “An emotional brunette, a cowgirl who can’t drive stick, and a pseudo-intellectual who wears jeans.” It’s charming, disarming, and perfectly reflective of the artist who sat across from me, openly talking about touring life, literary obsessions, and her go-to tour snacks.
Hitting the Road
On the first night of her latest tour, Hana radiated both calm and anticipation. “I feel good. Ready to rock,” she said with a grin. “It’s been a minute since I’ve seen Jake (The headliner). I’m so excited to hang out. He’s such a buddy.” There’s a real warmth in her voice when she talks about being on tour, but not just about the performances, but the process as a whole too.
“I love feeling totally untethered,” she explained. “I think touring is about getting your reps in. Doing the same thing every night is the only way to build that muscle.” It’s a philosophy of repetition and growth — one that defines not just her performance goals, but her songwriting too. The repetition allows Hana to better herself on the road, in the studio, or when an idea for a song pops up.
Five Tour Essentials
When I asked what she’d pack if stranded on tour (or in a desert), Hana didn’t hesitate. Her must-haves?
Electrolyte water bottle
A book
Noise-canceling headphones
Squeezy tube Greek yogurt (yes, the baby-food kind)
Comfy pants
Looking Ahead
When asked what she hopes to say about her career a year from now, Hana answered with clarity: “I hope I’ve started releasing my second record. I want to be a better songwriter, a better performer. I never want to just rest. I want to feel like I’ve worked hard and kicked my own ass to get better.”
It’s a drive that ties directly into her tour mantra: show up, do the work, thrive on repetition, and enjoy the ride.
Her recent releases include a full-length album in 2023, and two singles in 2024 — one of them a Christmas song she unapologetically performs in August. “We’re close to Christmas,” she shrugged with a smirk. “People are saying this.”
Dream Venues and Childhood Fantasies
Like many artists, Hana has her sights set on iconic venues like Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado. But there’s a soft spot in her heart for Sacramento’s Ace of Spades, where she saw shows as a teenager. “It would be really fun to go and cut my teeth there.”
If she could talk to her younger self?
“I think she’d be screaming, crying, throwing up — but also like, ‘Yeah. That sounds about right.’” she said. “She knew this was gonna happen.”
As our conversation deepened, it became more than just an interview, it felt like flipping through the pages of someone's journal. Hana has that rare kind of openness, where every answer is thoughtful, disarming, and just going after what she wants.
From Substacks to Stages
Hana's relationship with fellow artist Jake, who she's touring with, began not on a stage, but in writing. “We were readers of each other’s Substacks,” she said. “He mentioned my music in one of his posts and I was like, oh my God, that’s so sweet. I texted him and said next time you’re in town, let’s hang.” That eventually snowballed into a tour invite. “At that point, he’d floated maybe doing this together. And I was like, ‘Yeah, give me a call.’”
Now they’re co-headlining a run that’s equal parts friendship and collaboration, the kind of creative pairing that makes you believe in artistic fate.
Musical Roots and Country Rebellions
Ask Hana about her influences and her face lights up in memories: “My first concert was Bruce Springsteen, I was four, fell asleep on a blanket.” She’s seen him six or seven times since. “My dad’s a real head.”
She name-drops Joni Mitchell and Taylor Swift (“I had pictures of her on my wall for years”), but also finds reverence in the deep-cut world of outlaw and alt-country. Her own “country single” released last year wasn’t just a nod to the genre, it was a reclamation.
“There’s something inherently political about taking up space in a genre so dominated by cishet white dudes,” she said. “And being like, ‘F*** you, I’ve written the country song — about going down on a girl.’”
Iconic, Something we need more artists to do.
Of Songs and Soul-Ties
When asked about meaningful songs, one lyric stands above the rest: “I want to do right, but not right now.” It’s a Jillian Welch line from Look at Miss Ohio, it is so important to Hana, she tattooed it on her body. She first heard it in a Miranda Lambert cover, but it found its way back to her years later at an open mic in New York. “That album cradled me,” she said. “I love her.”
New York itself was another kind of cradle and crucible. “It made me feel alive,” she said. Hana attended Sarah Lawrence College for a semester and a half before dropping out. “It wasn’t right. I love New York, but that city is not your friend.” Not being afraid to stand your ground and know when something isn’t right for you is inspiring. Seeing the success that Hana is heading towards is what many artists need to see. That you can forage your own path and not let anyone get in your way, amazing friends and opportunities will come your way.
Rituals and Writing
Hana’s pre-show rituals reflect her ballet background: “I have to stretch. The neurochemical comedown is so intense, so I jump up and down a lot after. And shoot the shots with my buddies.” Allowing herself to focus, reflect, then celebrate with her friends after give Hana a stable show ritual.
Her songwriting process is just as physical as it is mental. “I’m more of a words-first kind of girl,” she said. “It’s probably one square foot of real estate up here,” she said, pointing to her head. But her biggest creative philosophy comes from Joan Didion’s On Keeping a Notebook, where Didion separates factual truth, emotional truth, and narrative truth, a framework Hana has adopted. “Not all my songs are autobiographical,” she explains. “Sometimes you want to settle the score in a song. But that’s ego. You have to leave that out.” Hana has an emotional intelligence that really allows her song writing to strive.
The Dance Between Performer and Crowd
As we neared showtime, I asked how she adjusts her performances for different crowds.
“You have to be ready to make people care, especially as an opener,” she said. “Crowds are like living animals. You figure out what works and shift. If they like it slow and sad, I go there. If they’re into something fun, I lean into that.” This really helps gain the audiences attention and tap into what they are feeling. It engages them more with the artist and a new found fan of their music,
It’s a kind of live alchemy: half performance and half people-reading.
Favorites, Family, and the Fine Print of Lyrics
When it comes to favorites, Hana lights up at the mention of “Jesus or Harrison Ford”, a fan-favorite and one of her most playful tracks. “People who know it get excited. People who don’t hear those lyrics and go, what?!” She laughs. “If I’m gonna get them, I’ll have them wrapped around my finger with that.”
Another crowd favorite is “Clementine,” a deeply personal song about her mom. “It makes me cry when people sing along,” she said, especially when her mom is in the crowd. Or, more comically, her grandma. “She’s coming to the LA show,” Hana told me with a grin. “I have a couple lines about certain things... I’m just gonna count on her not understanding them.”
Hana Bryanne is someone you want to keep an eye out for. She is spunky, hilarious, and overall an amazing musician who knows how to connect with people. Make sure to check out her album Dollface.