Photo Courtesy of Hannah Zhao
We sat down with Hannah Zhao—an emerging singer-songwriter whose music blends heartfelt storytelling with modern pop and electronic influences. Known for her captivating vocals and emotionally driven tracks, Hannah continues to carve her own path in the global music scene, connecting with listeners through honesty and vulnerability.
In this exclusive interview, she opens up about her creative process, musical journey, and the experiences that shape her sound. From her early beginnings to her evolving artistry, Hannah shares the stories behind the music and the passion that fuels her work.
Get to know Hannah Zhao beyond the songs—only here.
Can you tell us about the song and what does the song mean to you?
‘SOLO’ is about being single in your 20s. It’s about the complexities of balancing romantic relationships while navigating young adulthood, which often come with lingering feelings and impulsive decisions even after a relationship has ended. I’m 23 years old and I think what better time than now to write about something so familiar to me.
What inspired this track? Is there a personal story behind it?
I found inspiration for this track in my own feelings and past experiences. It’s natural for me to express my emotions and thoughts through songwriting, and I think ‘SOLO’ helped me channel both frustration and desire into something creative and original.
How is this single different from your previous releases?
I think thematically this single is much more lighthearted than my previous work. I’m typically someone who can write and sing about heavier subjects like betrayal or heartbreak, and while this song talks about post-breakup impulses, the atmosphere built around it feels more casual and transparent compared to my other releases.
What kind of sound and vibe can listeners expect?
‘SOLO’ is energetic and fun – at its heart, it fits into the pop/dance pop genre.
Was there a specific moment or emotion that sparked the creation of this track
I really enjoy the flirty energy that this song embodies, and I would say that set the tone for creating this track. The lyrics from the chorus – “throw rocks at your window” and “leave a message at your ringtone” – are exaggerative and theatrical, like something out of a coming of age movie.
How did the songwriting process for this single go compared to your past work?
‘SOLO’ was written in the summer of 2024, but it was left untouched for over a year when I took a break from releasing music. I remember that writing this demo felt effortless, the melody and lyrics came to me naturally and quickly.
My producer and I made virtually no changes to the original demo when finalizing the full track, which is rare when producing any song.
Did you approach this track differently knowing it’s a solo release?
Yes, I consider ‘SOLO’ to be my debut into pop music and feel more proud of its release. I wanted to give this song its own moment to shine and to tell a story, so I’m excited to announce that ‘SOLO’ the music video will be released alongside the original track on my artist Youtube channel.
Were there any challenges you faced while creating this song?
While I didn’t experience challenges while recording this track, there were moments of redirection during the process of creating the visuals and having strong attention to detail towards the overall vision for this project that took more patience than usual. Creating a story isn’t easy, and I’m thankful that I had creative people around me to bounce ideas off of.
How does this release reflect your growth as an artist?
I’d like to believe that this song represents a gateway into my potential as a mainstream artist one day.
Not just because I can release a pop single but because of the experience of songwriting, recording, collaborating, filming, and directing behind the scenes that offers me the opportunity to grow and learn new skills.
What have you discovered about yourself through making this song?
While working on this release, I got to see a more professional side to myself. There’s a serious version of me that is able to step up to the pressure of being a full time musician now. In the past, I struggled deeply with imposter syndrome, feeling unqualified or simply not good enough to pursue big dreams, and it hindered me from putting my best effort into my art. So, I’m happy to see myself lead and take initiative with this project.
For those who are just discovering you through this single, what do you hope they feel when they hear it?
For those whose first impression of me is solely through ‘SOLO’, I really hope they can resonate with the idea that it’s okay for your love life in your 20s to feel messy. The struggle of finding yourself, losing someone, moving away, or being indecisive doesn’t have to feel so heavy all the time. Sometimes we can laugh along with ourselves and the absurdities of being a young adult.
Do you think this track represents your overall style, or is it a new direction?
This track definitely represents a new era for me as a music artist. In brief, I began my music journey in 2021, impulsively releasing a sad little indie album called ‘Out of Love’ before later establishing myself as a featured vocalist in electronic dance music in 2022 and 2023, during which I was fortunate to work on popular tracks like ‘ghost’ and ‘ON AND OFF’.
I think now that I’m exploring my range with mainstream pop and other genres of music, I’m taking in a breath of fresh air as an ever evolving artist.
Why was March 27 the perfect time to release this song?
Essentially, I didn’t want to wait for myself to feel ready enough to release this song. I sat myself down and gave myself about a month to commit to this release, the filming schedule, pitching, and promoting. It belongs in the world, and I simply chose March 27th as the day I would work towards.
What excites you the most about finally sharing it with the world?
It’s always exciting to share my art with the world, but because it took a team of people to complete this release, I feel even more passionate about how proud I am of myself and the people involved who brought this project to life.
Does this single hint at a bigger project like an EP or album?
For now, it’s hard to say whether I would allude to this single playing a part of a bigger project, but I wouldn’t rule it out as an option. Making music, working with other musicians, and expressing myself creatively are things I’m passionate about, and I would love to make strides towards bigger projects in the near future.
What can fans look forward to after this release?
Fans can look forward to more new music in 2026!
New music, new emotions
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