BIO
Short Bio
Hailing from Duluth, Minnesota, Hans reimagines classic rock with modern flair. No stranger to controversy, Hans shouts the pressing matters of today’s times from the proverbial rooftop in prophetic and a sometimes sardonic tone. Following in the footsteps of rock legends Bob Dylan and Tom Petty, Hans confronts major societal problems such as climate change,the Catholic church, sexual identity, and gun violence, just to name a few. Hans’s sound is traditional, yet modern. Raw, yet polished. Dabbling in many genres, Hans never fits into one box. And he prefers it that way. One thing that is clear is his innate storytelling ability. Listening to Hans is like taking a dive into the past, except this time, without the 80’s leg warmers and awkward dancing. In an age of conformity in the music world, Hans is a refreshing breath of fresh air.
Medium Bio
Hans Halstead found his songwriting ability almost by accident. After a recent breakup, Hans recorded original guitar riffs while singing off of his phone. It was only after Hans opened up to a friend about it on a bus to a soccer game where he was encouraged to pen words to the recordings. As it were, Hans had a natural instinct for storytelling, exploring harsh breakups, feelings of being an outsider, and the passage of time. Shortly after attending college, Hans met owner and sound engineer, Jason Orris, at The Terrarium Music Studios in Minneapolis, MN. It was here that Hans began to collaborate with local musicians and began to define his sound. College had made Hans into a better songwriter, and a more mature one. Hans was able to pen these experiences through the perspective of realizing what’s important. As a smart lyricist with a natural talent for catchiness. Hans turned to his roots of growing up in Northern Minnesota to create the perfect sound: the feel of classic rock with tales that stand the test of time.
Long Bio
Minneapolis singer-songwriter, producer, and guitarist Hans Halstead was raised in Duluth, Minnesota from the age of five. As a child, he learned how to play classical guitar by being trained in the Suzuki Method. Singing came naturally to Hans, who had been immersed in choir since he was young. However, it wasn’t until freshman year where his sister convinced him to try out for the the upcoming talent show that Hans grew as a performer. Hans then would perform talent shows regularly, covering classical rock songs. After a recent breakup, Hans began to use songwriting as a form of therapy to retell his own experiences. In 2019, Hans found indie rock as an inspiration, heavily influencing his melodies and songwriting topics. Detailing harsh breakups, the passage of time, and young love, Hans had completed a debut EP “The Deluge” that was released in August 2019. However, it wasn’t until Hans attended college, where Hans’s songwriting began to blossom, embracing his talent of being a storyteller at heart. Turning to his roots, Hans began to write songs from the perspective of growing up in Northern Minnesota. Isolation, his love for nature, and its tough minded attitude all inspired a more mature, direct style of songwriting. Turning to Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and Bob Dylan, artists who he had listened to as a child, Hans began to write modern classic rock sounds with a perspective of a witty, wise, appearing almost sarcastic, voice reaching a maturing far beyond his age. Shortly after, Hans met Jason Orris, the sound engineer and owner of The Terrarium music studio in Minneapolis. Jason introduced him to well known musicians in the area who they enlisted to start recording. This would begin the start of Hans’s sound. Through crashing snares, roaring guitar riffs, and melancholy pedal steel guitar, Hans perfectly encapsulates the feeling of living up North while simultaneously turning back the clock to the past.
