In an more and more complicated world, the ability of perception—in oneself, in overcoming adversity, and within the enduring magic of music—shines as a beacon. Ehson Hashemian, a prolific artist recognized for his emotionally resonant soundscapes, delves into this very essence together with his fourth solo album, “Consider.” Removed from a mere assortment of tracks, “Consider” is a testomony to private evolution, a reignited ardour for songwriting, and an unwavering dedication to honesty within the face of setbacks.
On this insightful interview, Hashemian unpacks the deeply private journey that formed “Consider,” revealing how tough life experiences cast a renewed sense of self-belief and creative function. He discusses the album’s central theme of self-honesty and optimism, inviting listeners to seek out solace and motivation inside its 14 tracks. From the surprising genesis of “It Is What It Is” to the cathartic creation of “Really feel,” Hashemian affords a candid glimpse into his songwriting course of, highlighting how “Consider” stands aside from his earlier works like “Face Shine” and “Bliss” by means of its newfound fluidity and constructive mindset.
Past the lyrical depth, Hashemian, a multi-instrumentalist, sheds mild on his distinctive strategy to crafting an expansive but intimate sound, recorded largely himself with just one collaboration for mastering. He touches upon the numerous position of experimentation, mixing genres from rock to afro-beat, and pushing inventive boundaries in tracks that challenged his traditional strategies. As he displays on his journey from co-writing Younger The Large’s huge hit “Cough Syrup” to forging a definite solo profession, Hashemian redefines success, prioritizing creative integrity over industrial metrics.
Hashemian additionally shares how his Southern California roots subtly infuse his music and affords a tantalizing peek into his prolific future, with a number of extra albums already within the pipeline, promising a fair broader exploration of dance, funk, and jazz. Be a part of us as Ehson Hashemian invitations us to “Consider”—not simply in his music, however within the energy of our personal resilience and the enduring promise of a extra optimistic tomorrow.
- “Consider” is your fourth solo album. What does this title characterize for you at this stage in your life and profession?
Ehson Hashemian: Going by means of tough occasions in my life personally, I needed to discover no matter method attainable to consider in myself to beat adversity. After ending this album, I felt my degree of songwriting actually advanced from my earlier work, and reignited my ardour for music that was dwindling for a while. Now I really feel extra assured than ever to share this music with the world.
- There are 14 tracks on this report. Was there a central theme or emotional throughline guiding your complete album?
Ehson Hashemian: The central theme is especially being sincere with oneself when going through excessive setbacks, and discovering a option to consider you could nonetheless discover a option to get by with life. The songs are all type of meant to encourage and inspire the listener when feeling like you’re caught, and that will help you escape right into a extra optimistic state that issues will get higher.
- How did the songwriting course of for Consider differ out of your earlier albums like Face Shine or Bliss?
Ehson Hashemian: The songwriting course of for the “Consider” album was way more fluid than the earlier albums. I wrote my first three solo albums after taking an extended break from writing music, so my writing expertise and musicianship have been somewhat bit rusty at the moment. Nonetheless, after finishing these albums and beginning with the “Consider” album a yr later, I felt way more strong in my potential to write down and report songs. I used to be additionally in a greater temper general, with a extra constructive mindset, so the songs turned out to be extra uplifting and blissful sounding.
- What music on Consider got here to you most unexpectedly—and what was the story behind it?
Ehson Hashemian: Essentially the most surprising music was “It Is What It Is.” I simply randomly got here up with the guitar loop and made it as polyrhythmic as attainable. I needed to hear very carefully to provide you with the best vocal melodies that may carry collectively and simplify the considerably difficult sound. The lyrics have been impressed by the frequent phrase that folks are likely to say when issues go incorrect or are simply out of our fingers. Going by means of some issue myself, anytime I might discuss it to others, the frequent consensus was “properly, it’s what it’s.” I felt that we might do higher than simply stating “it’s what it’s” each time somebody is struggling, so I wrote a complete music on going deeper than simply stating the apparent.
- You’re recognized for writing emotionally resonant music. Have been there any moments through the making of this album that felt particularly cathartic or transformative?
Ehson Hashemian: Sure, after I wrote and completed recording the music “Really feel,” it was fairly uplifting and transformative. It was the primary time that I felt like I had a universally pleasant monitor that basically anybody might recognize and luxuriate in. I used to be additionally very content material with my vocal efficiency on the monitor, as I really feel it was a number of the most emotive singing that I’ve performed.
- Musically, Consider feels each expansive and intimate. How did you strike that steadiness within the studio?
Ehson Hashemian: I attempt to preserve issues so simple as attainable within the studio to maintain it sounding intimate and as in case you are within the room listening to it dwell. I solely use three microphones (two overheads, one kick drum) to report the drums. The expansiveness primarily comes from the polyrhythmic guitar components, which generally I’ll add delay to 1 layer. Discovering the best steadiness between the 2 requires listening very carefully and type of observing every music from as unbiased of a standpoint as attainable.
- You play a number of devices. How a lot of Consider did you report your self, and did you collaborate with others on this undertaking?
Ehson Hashemian: I performed each instrument, sang all of the vocals, wrote, and recorded each music on the album. The one collaboration I did was having it mastered by Grammy-nominated mastering engineer Shawn Hatfield at Audible Oddities.
- What position did experimentation play within the sound design or association decisions on this album?
Ehson Hashemian: Experimentation performed a giant position in creating this album. I undoubtedly experimented so much outdoors of my consolation zone to create the sounds on the album. I attempted to mix sounds from many various genres together with rock, jazz, dance, and afro-beat.
- Did you write any songs on Consider that challenged your traditional strategy or pushed you creatively in new instructions?
Ehson Hashemian: Sure, virtually all the songs challenged my traditional strategy in a method or one other. The music “It Is What It Is” consists of one other degree of polyrhythmic guitar work that required me to essentially take heed to all of the harmonics of the general sound to determine the best vocal melodies. It took a number of focus and pondering outdoors of the field to provide you with. As well as, the music “Really feel” required me to fully detach from the world round me and actually dwell within the second to seize the precise sound that I needed within the vocals, so I might captivate the listener.
- If you happen to had to decide on one monitor on Consider that finest defines the place you at the moment are as an artist, which would it not be—and why?
Ehson Hashemian: I believe the one monitor on the album that finest defines me now as an artist is the music “Really feel.” The music actually captures my character, with the music being uplifting, but heartfelt, and easy.
- From co-writing “Cough Syrup” to crafting your individual solo catalog, how has your notion of success advanced?
Ehson Hashemian: I view success as an artist and industrial success within the music business as separate entities. To reach the fashionable music business, you sometimes have to compromise your sound as an artist to attraction to a wider viewers, and normally that includes following the developments of the time. Sadly, except you’re one of the crucial well-known acts, new artists attempting to interrupt by means of the scene sometimes resort to gimmicks to achieve fast followers, so it’s actually changing into much less and fewer concerning the artwork of constructing music, and extra about who can get essentially the most streams. Nonetheless, I consider true success as a musical artist comes from pushing your self to provide you with songs you by no means thought you have been able to creating, and music that defines your character as an individual, with out worrying about how many individuals will reward you. There’s nothing incorrect with folks praising different’s music, however I don’t suppose that ought to be the primary goal in making music, extra like an additional bonus that you need to be content material with out. On the finish, a profitable artist is one that’s blissful and pleased with the way in which they sound.
- Wanting again at your time with The Jakes/Younger the Large, do you are feeling any threads from that period nonetheless weave into your music as we speak?
Ehson Hashemian: Sure, the time with the band undoubtedly helped me understand the necessity for positivity and connectivity in my music as we speak. We wrote music to uplift folks, and I nonetheless proceed to write down to uplift myself and any potential listener.
- How have your experiences outdoors of music—life, relationships, reflection—influenced the emotional core of Consider?
Ehson Hashemian: My experiences outdoors of music fully formed the emotional core of “Consider.” Whereas going by means of some tough occasions with my psychological and bodily well being, I needed to discover a option to escape the sensation of helplessness and consider in myself once more. Taking issues in the future at a time and studying to push by means of the ache is basically what the album is all about.
- Do you are feeling freer now as a solo artist, or is the strain completely different when it’s simply your title on the duvet?
Ehson Hashemian: I undoubtedly really feel freer now, as I’m not creating music with the first focus being industrial success. My major focus is to simply make the perfect music as I probably can, to depart behind a catalog that I can look again at and be pleased with making, and to share it with as many individuals as attainable to take pleasure in. If I succeed within the business, that may simply be an added bonus. I’m certain there shall be criticism, however I select to make use of the constructive criticism to develop as an artist, and ignore the frequent conception that you must have thousands and thousands of streams to be thought-about profitable.
- You’ve launched 4 albums in just some years—how do you retain the inventive hearth alive with out burning out?
Ehson Hashemian: I undoubtedly take some breaks after making a bunch of songs or an album. Nonetheless, going by means of completely different hardships in life, I are likely to see music as an escape from actuality at occasions, so the higher the music I make, the simpler it feels to get by means of the times. I’ll generally simply have a music thought come to me that I’ll work on, however I normally simply decide up a guitar and simply play with an open thoughts that there’s all the time nonetheless music left to be made.
- What do you hope listeners take away from Consider—not simply lyrically, however emotionally?
Ehson Hashemian: I hope they are going to discover some aid from any hardship they’re going by means of. I additionally hope they really feel refreshed by the sound that’s extra natural than the overproduced music that’s sometimes launched within the mainstream. Apart from that, I additionally hope they’ve enjoyable doubtlessly dancing to a number of the songs.
- Are there any Easter eggs or hidden connections within the lyrics or preparations that longtime followers would possibly discover?
Ehson Hashemian: Sure, a number of the songs have some references to different songs throughout the album, however only a few.
- Will we be seeing a tour or dwell performances to help Consider, and what can followers anticipate out of your stage present?
Ehson Hashemian: I don’t plan on enjoying dwell anytime quickly. Presumably if issues change drastically, however my present mindset is to make music solely as a recording artist.
- How do you suppose your Southern California roots affect the sound or temper of your music as we speak?
Ehson Hashemian: My Southern California roots undoubtedly affect the sound of my music, because the seaside has all the time been a spot for me to seek out inspiration. The sometimes sunny climate additionally helps me keep as constructive as attainable to make uplifting songs. Apart from that, rising up with an excellent group of musician mates within the space undoubtedly helped me study to hear critically and create my very own sound.
- If Consider is just the start of this subsequent chapter, what’s the subsequent dream or musical course you’re hoping to pursue?
Ehson Hashemian: I’ve really already completed monitoring 4 extra albums after the “Consider” album, so I shall be steadily releasing an increasing number of music quickly. I don’t wish to bombard folks with an excessive amount of music without delay, so I’ll most likely launch an album yearly or so. All of my newer work is concentrated on positivity and being as optimistic as attainable, much like the “Consider” album, however increasing the quantity of kinds concerned. Sooner or later, I hope to delve into much more dance, funk, and jazz oriented music.
OFFICIAL LINKS: http://www.ehsonhashemian.com
