Holy Hannah!'s Album Debut & Ego Burn

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Over a decade in the making, my debut rock & roll album is finally born. In Jan 2018 at Brown Bag Studios in a little vibey basement two-room studio in South Minneapolis, my crew and I recorded 15 songs to analog tape. After a year and half of blood, sweat and tears curating 9 songs, I present to you my self-titled debut:
Holy Hannah!
You can pre-save the album on iTunes & Spotify and receive the single Lust/Love as a thank you!
(Digital Release 10/11/19)

I'd like to provide some clarity about the image below, which appears on the first run of physical cd's - I'd grappled with choosing an album cover....when I saw the rock & roll photo of me licking my guitar on-site at the photoshoot, I knew there and then that was 'the one'. But I second guessed it - it felt more important to me to present an image that didn't objectify/sexualize. But come full-circle, the official album cover above is absolutely imbued with meaning...my passion for music, my desire for life, my taste for expression. At the end of the day, I just wanted to convey that this music is for the human soul, the existential plight, themes of heartbreak, desire, tenacity, self-discovery. I wanted this to perceived as music from my Heart, a pure expression of my Highest Self, and a testament to overcoming hurdles of fear and self-doubt.

Prior to ascending the 'fear mountain' (as I like to call it) of making this debut album, I made a life-transforming trip to Peru and identified strongly with the essence and Spirit of the Condor. I purchased those lightning bolt earrings long ago as a reminder of the power I, and we all individually and collectively, carry within us, and certainly how I felt/feel wielding an electric guitar. The stage is where my guard comes down. Music channeling through me, pure expression...this is a very powerful flow state. These reminders really resonated with me. I returned to the states with the confidence, emboldened by a fresh identity and the courage to tackle this project. And now, in a beautiful and profound full-circle, I'm learning many important lessons about ego and the path of singularity amidst appropriation of indiginous/native cultures, specifically the sacred symbolism of the Condor and Thunderbird amongst these cultures. I've been shown that the most considerate path in life is one where we consider and act of behalf of the whole...non-infringement on others beliefs, while being true to our Highest Self and promoting equality, Oneness, acceptance, learning, healing, growth and expansion.

I talk more about this in a video here if you'd like to connect a little more about that:

After the local cd release show, it felt like my existential rug was pulled out from under me completely. I'd been working toward this fulfillment for so long - how could it feel so wrong? It begged some really deep questions about my life path. I didn't want anything to do with ego-ic pursuit...only giving and sharing beauty in the world. The path had felt so wrought with self-doubt, comparison, competition, and needing to prove oneself. I wanted nothing to do with those feelings anymore...it was way to draining amidst the daily grind of being an entrepreneur. So I had to really assess how I could feel altruistic in my approach. I had to listen really deep and intently to discern how to make this life path work for me.

With much gratitude for all that's unfolded in the past weeks especially, I now know how music is part of my life's mission: not to fulfill Ego, but to give emboldening, powerful, cathartic experiences to everyone. As a little measure of reconciliation, its become clear to me that instead of scrapping the first batch of CD's altogether, I would make them into a gift-only limited edition. Once they run out, only the GoFundMe supporters and beautiful strangers/friends/family I encounter will have this version. Thank you for being a part of this realization. Once they are gone, they're gone. I am currently redesigning the artwork to have them remade as it was intended. And all of it feels very meant to be. I wouldn't have learned such lessons and gained such beautiful awareness were it not for this experience. What good medicine honesty is.

I'd like to extend a big thank you to everyone who made it out to the CD release show at Icehouse on July 26th. We had a beautiful night and you made it so. We will be celebrating the digital release of singles in September (Lust/Love 9/6 and Brick House 9/20) and a digital album drop on Oct 11! Stay tuned for updates!

Much Love!

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I did a trial run with Brown Bag Studios before choosing to capture my album with owner/engineer Tony Schreiner (Malamanya, Landline) and my experience making thee single 'Time Machine' let me know that I had found the right home to make this record! Watch the music video below:

This is available for streaming at https://open.spotify.com/artist/4HNi0nGGYrRiG0BGUJUyKP?si=iGNc35SZS82b5nEuvgP6Pw
and for download at https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/hannahvonderhoff