Photo credit Frank Murphy Photography
‘She’s an icon and she IS the moment’ is the first sound that comes to mind when I first meet Hannah McFarland, who is currently on the road with Riley Green. She might be battling with jetlag, but her energy is something that I immediately vibed with. I caught up with the Hey Highway hit maker on her travels across the pond, touring with Riley Green, and what does she do to prepare herself for these sold-out show audiences?
So we are here in Glasgow!
Glas-go.. Is that how you say it?
Some people genuinely say Glass-COW, and we’re like, no, it’s Glasgow.. I mean, I’m English and I have been here 7 years, and I think I’m doing it right?
Glasgow, Scotland, I love it!
You’re doing amazing. Scotland wants to adopt you already.
Well, I guess my surname is a little bit Scottish – McFarland, I feel like actually maybe that’s more Irish?
Absolutely! I mean, Hannah, this is such an exciting time for you; it’s still early days from the release of your track with Chase Rice! What kind of response have you had so far?
I think this was something so different for both him and me, so to see the response being so, not like shocked, but people being so excited that we put something out that’s a little bit different than we normally do.. Well, I can speak on my behalf, cause I haven’t asked him yet, but I love it.
So we will just assume Chase loves it; he has no choice…
Haha, yes, he does. He was so excited about it that the next day, after I asked him to be on the duet with me, he sent me a video of him practicing. I was like YAAAS, this is so cute.
Omg I love that! I think especially when you see an artist release a track, and then they pair it with visuals (a music video), and it was so so cute – you both look like you’re having a blast. Were you involved in the conversation as to how the track would come to life?
Yeah, I think that’s the cool thing about my team and me and the career is that it’s all really hands-on and they always ask my opinions, I’ll give them ideas – it’s very much a case of everyone being involved.
Well, we’re here in Scotland, and I believe this is your first time in the UK?
Honestly.. I’m so tired hahahha
Hannah, girl, I do not blame you. That is some heavy time travel.. Sorry, I mean jet lag.
Haha yeah it’s crazy time travel! It’s great though every single show we have had has been amazing – the crowds over here have been insane like you guys listen dso intently – I love the United States but over here, it is the dream crowd for people wanting to play their music and have someone listening like you guys are just locked in to the stories, the songs and staring – its the dream!
It’s funny, we had The Long Road Festival earlier this year and I chatted with Erin Kinsey, who said the same – everyone listens SO intently, but we’re a rowdy bunch.
That’s exactly it!!! We had 2 shows on this tour, and Riley got up to do our duet, and someone passed out in the crowd! We do not know if it’s from drinking or whatever, but they DROP like flies, we’re like WOW.
It’s crazy, but at least you know we love country! The European crowds have gone wild – like it was so hard to get my friends into the country, and now it’s everywhere, I love it! Do you notice a culture shift in country fans being over here?
I definitely do, and I think it’s just such a different appreciation for the art here, and obviously both crowds are incredible, but here is different when you go on tour in the states its rowdy, everyone’s there to have a good time – they’re there for the music but its more rowdy, especially for the openers its hard – but here? The amount of messages, follows, and nice comments I’ve got from this tour just passes every show I’ve ever played over there – and it gives me a platform to share my personality and allow people to get to know me more.
It’s been a year of heartbreak, and the album landed not too long ago, and people are loving it. Have you got used to people singing back your own songs to you yet?
No, and I never will! Someone posted a cover of my song on TikTok the other day, and I opened it like Wait… how do you know that?! I know that people do eventually get used to it, but I don’t think I will! Like I’ll be on stage mid-set and someone will scream out “PLAY THIS SONG” and I’m like HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?! And my team is like Hannah, that’s not cool! Haha, but it takes me by surprise – I don’t care if it’s a group of 3 people in a group of 5000 – the fact people know my music, that’s incredible.
We’ve been loving seeing you on stage with Riley, covering Ella’s verses in their songs. How do you find it putting your own spin on someone else’s music?
I think that’s the biggest part about it, not trying to be them – I get up there and I sing his and Ellas song – first of all – I’m obsessed with both their duets – I was playing this song before I even hit the road, before he even asked me, so I see it as taking my own spin. I think the main thing is to not try and be them – like I could never be Ella she is a POWERHOUSE and incredible – I just want to do her justice – it’s difficult to put yourself in that position to cover a well known song – but people have been pretty receptive to it – and I think its pretty obvious I’m trying really hard! My mindset is getting out there and making it my own.
Absolutely! You’ve played some amazing venues around the world – do you have any unhinged or weird rituals you do before going on stage?
Honestly? No, last night my manager got me started on a new book yesterday – I read 800 pages in 24 hours – I was kicked back reading on my phone till 5 mins before going on stage, and she’s like Hannah, we got to go.. And I’m like 3 more pages!! But honestly! Someone on TikTok Live asked me earlier how do you not get nervous being on stage and I genuinely think I’m so rooted in the fact that this is my purpose, God put me here to do this and gave me the platform to do this – so why wouldn’t I use this platform to succeed – but if you ask me to do a speech? No. You ask me to sing on stage? Yes!
Country music is really on the rise over here. Who is someone who is on your radar at the moment, or someone you think we should be listening to?
Oh, that’s tough cause I feel like I just wanna list off all of my friends! I tell you what, Vincent Mason is so talented, and Cole Goodwin, one of my friends, is so good. If you don’t know him, he is coming up. Kaylin Roberson is another good friend who is amazing and talented – I could literally keep going.
There are so many people I don’t want to say ‘coming up’ cause I’m in that class, I feel like theres so many people like my peers who are so talented it makes you look around like ‘how did i get here’ its like i could sit here and name 50 other of my friends that should be on this tour – its incredible im so grateful.
And the tour isn’t finishing here – I see you’re heading back out on the road with Riley over the pond!
Yeah, we already had dates from November, and I’ve been looking forward to that – but then they reached out like Hey, do you wanna do some spring shows? I was like HELL YEAH! So I’ve taken as many dates as possible – the venues are insane, I’m in shock still. I feel once life has some time out over Christmas break to just chill and rest, it’s all gonna hit me that wow, this is happening, and how much I’ve grown in the past year.
Thanks to Hannah McFarland for taking the time out to chat with Lauren Page of Scottish Music Network look forward to catching up with you again down the road.
Interview by Lauren Page
