Artist With Many Talents: Hana Ni Aka Hanani Taylor
If you get to the point where you're kind of sick of it all, "What is alternative RnB?" And you're not the only one starting to release great music. So I was shocked when I heard this song "For This Life" on YouTube through a link a friend sent me.
It's been a while since I've heard anything this good...it really didn't hurt that the video had that retro-freak vibe, which is absolutely great. Artist Hannah Nee (also known by her professional actress alias Hannah Taylor) meets Whitney Houston, the voice of Norah Jones. Throw in a silky jazz note to "For This Life" that reminded me of "Cranes in the Sky" (Solange Knowles) and I knew I had found my new favourite.
I immediately went on Spotify to find the artist there and couldn't help but miss every one of their songs...and I love them all! "Lotus Life" evokes Erykah Badu (the track reminiscent of "Ten and Ten") with its message of female empowerment and neo-soul vibes. The next track I skipped was "Spaceship" with its techno arrangement and four barbers; The ethereal, trance-like feel of the song evokes a similar vibe to QUIN's "To You."
Other songs with different sounds I found "Bodhisattva (Interlude)" as a great meditation track and "Changes" as a really reflective track about changing people and relationships. Seasoned R&B or alternative R&B (how sad but true).
But the song that surprised me the most was "Mantra (Sun Girl)". The haunting tones of the piano and violin perfectly complement the breathy, slightly scratchy voice, creating a sense of strength and confidence that the lyrics convey ("Because you can and you can and only you can. Bye, bye"), all blended into one beautiful blessing.
It was then that I felt a deep connection with Hannah Ni and decided to meet the artist. The technique worked as usual and after a few DMs and emails I got a full picture of this artist and I want to share it here with our readers.
I've learned that Hannah Nee (née Hanani Taylor) has been a professional musician since she was a child, appearing on national television at the age of 9 on Showtime shows like Apollo and Kid Star of Tomorrow. I was even more impressed (but not surprised) when I found out that Hannah was a top 60 contestant on American Idol at the age of 15. The multi-talented young man has become a successful actor by appearing on popular TV shows like Criminal Minds and Mr. Ross. Student Union President Orville and Punky Brewster are already present in projects like Raise Your Hand, Fantasy Football and Discover the Secrets of Aristotle and Dante's Universe.
Musically, Hannah's combination of soulful vocals and powerful lyrics have made her stand out among popular alternative R&B artists who combine expressive beauty with compelling and powerful messages. His approach is inspiring for old-school fans of the great classics, and for listeners who want to hear something that blends "to be" and "teach" beyond the tired tropes.
Hanna Nee is one of the few contemporary artists creating meaningful art due to her ability to deeply engage and influence listeners with her music, capable of appealing to different generations and backgrounds. Her melody talent and thoughtful approach to songwriting, combined with crossover music, have earned Hannah a growing fan base among loyal and alternative R&B fans alike. We can't wait to see what he does next.
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