Rising Music Star Freddy Hall On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Music Industry

An Interview With Edward Sylvan

Slow and steady wins the race. I am a victim of wanting to have everything right away, but I am thankful for the pace that I’m moving. I’ve learned so much from all of my accomplishments and I’m able to employ that knowledge going forward, I can move with intention and purpose and that takes time to develop.

As a part of our series about rising music stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Freddy Hall.

Deemed “a true artist of the human condition” by Performer Magazine, Freddy Hall crafts songs about life, love, and everything in between. This indie/pop darling mixes sonic and anthemic elements of monumental artists like The Killers, Beck and Amy Winehouse as well as the sophistication of songwriting greats like Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell.

Freddy comes alive when he steps on stage. His ability to connect with his audience has landed him in venues of all shapes and sizes; from Lincoln Center to makeshift stages in living rooms. His engaging and energetic performances have earned him a diverse and dedicated fan base.

Earlier this year Freddy teamed up with producer Anthony “Rocky” Gallo (John Legend, Cigarettes After Sex) to record his third studio album Dazy. Dazy is a musical evolution for Hall, expanding on his storytelling capabilities and passion-pop, all the while experimenting with new structures, themes, grooves and sounds.

Due out this Fall, Dazy is a journey of self-discovery through loss and is offered as a beacon of hope, especially to the most fragile among us.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

I’m honored to be a part of the series and I thank you for having me! I grew up in Northern Virginia in a house filled with music. Both of my parents were musicians so music was always present, especially at family parties. I attended a public high school that had a thriving art and music department and I was able to form a rock band, act in the plays and sing in the choir.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I remember taking a trip to New Orleans when I was 9 years old with my family. We saw live music everywhere we went; buskers on the street, bands playing in restaurants, parades teaming with music. We got home I remember begging my parents for a few weeks to take me to the music store to get a guitar. Thankfully, they did!

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I recently asked my fans to help me get a single I released, “The Bad Ones,” to 6,000 plays on Spotify in a month, and if they did then I’d tackle a dare. My friend came up with the dare for me to perform pop-up concerts in my local grocery stores. They got the song past 6,000 plays so I embarked on what I called a “Grocery Store Tour.” I was more nervous about doing that than anything I’ve ever done. I had no idea how it’d be received. I showed up at a Food Lion with my guitar and the workers behind the register started to get really excited. I started thinking about how these brave workers got us through the pandemic! They risked their lives to keep the shelves stocked so we could eat. I played them a song and thanked them for their service, and it was quite tearful. It reminded me that music is so much more than a vessel for fame; it’s comforting and soothing and it heals.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I really can’t recall the funniest mistake I’ve made… mostly because I make mistakes all the time! Be it musical errors, thanking the wrong venue from the microphone, scheduling nightmares (i.e. booking a show in NYC that goes until midnight and then one in Virginia the next day at noon!). But I believe that mistakes are nothing more than gentle reminders to do things differently the next time. Everyone messes up and it’s critical to keep things going. I’ve been learning how to play with my mistakes and turn them into something beautiful… or at least something charming.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I’m releasing my third studio album, DAZY, on November 5th. I’ve been working on it for three years now, and I’m really glad to get it out of my head and into the world. Writing this album has pushed my skills and self-belief to greater heights. In the past, I’ve been very shy about the music that I’ve written, but DAZY offers a lot of comfort and intrigue, so I’m eager to share that with everyone.

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

Hearing other people’s stories is monumental in helping us develop and depth to our compassion. In addition, hearing other people’s stories helps us develop familiarity, and the fear of the “unknown” dissipates. Inclusion in art benefits everyone, it broadens our worldview and expands our understanding of how others think and feel. Art is beautiful because it makes learning relatable and emotional.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

1. Slow and steady wins the race. I am a victim of wanting to have everything right away, but I am thankful for the pace that I’m moving. I’ve learned so much from all of my accomplishments and I’m able to employ that knowledge going forward, I can move with intention and purpose and that takes time to develop.
2. Be kind to everyone. Mostly because it’s just the right thing to do. Also, you never know who is going to become who. A bartender at a venue that you’re playing at might be working on the next hit when they go home that night. And if you were rude to them, guess who’s text isn’t getting answered when they reach out to co-write?
3. Learn from others and yourself. This is a lesson that I picked up from my drummer, Marques Walls. He’s proficient at everything he does, and it’s thanks in part to his ability to research. By seeing how others have done things, he has a frame of reference for achieving whatever it is he’s going for, which saves a lot of trial and error. And also, learn from yourself. Record yourself singing, video yourself practicing. If you’ve got a speech to make, take a video of yourself reciting it and then watch. You can spend a lot of money to hire coaches, but you’d be surprised at how capable you are of fixing your own mistakes.
4. Cheer for others. It’s the golden rule, treat others the way you want to be treated. If you want support then you need to be supportive, if you want listeners, then you need to listen. If you want respect, then you need to be respectful.
5. Jealousy slows you down. I’m struggling with this one, to be honest. I tend to have jealous reactions whenever a friend achieves success. I noticed recently when a friend posted about a major success that I spent all day feeling jealous and like a failure. That’s an entire day where I could have been sending out booking inquires, practicing, working on videos, writing music and making space for my mental health. Instead, I sulked and accomplished nothing. One way I’ve been course-correcting is by picturing their happy face and saying “you deserve this, you are hard-working and you’ve earned the right to be successful and happy.” It’s so much more productive and proactive. And when I get success, I hope that people are happy for me too. Everyone deserves success and happiness. It’s not a gift for the few.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

I would say that keeping your intentions clear and your mission statement at the forefront of your actions will help keep the fuel in the car. Rejection, disappointments, and jealousy seem to be the biggest culprits for me burning out, so I try to stay focused and busy and count the successes and understand that rejections are just a part of the game.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

When we understand each other, when we forgive, communicate and empathize with each other, the flow of goodness becomes healthy and strong. I believe that we are here to keep the flow of goodness moving. I never want to let my misunderstandings or judgments of others block the flow of goodness. I constantly remind myself to respect everyone’s journey.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My dear friend and mentor, Kimberly Grigsby, is someone who took a massive chance on me and opened the biggest door for me many years ago. Kimberly is a big-deal music director on Broadway. She attended the same High School I did a few years before I did, and when she started working on Broadway she set up a scholarship for students studying music/theater in College as a way to give back to her community. I was the second recipient of that and stayed in touch with her thought out my years at Berklee College of Music. She was working with Duncan Sheik on his musical, Spring Awakening and when it came time to assemble the musicians for the tour she asked me to audition. I got the gig and it changed my life dramatically.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

This quote was my North Star when I began the process of coming out of the closet. I was in my early 20s, I read it a year before I told my family that I was gay. I can’t express how much strength and perspective that quote gave me. It became my battle cry as I began a pretty difficult process. I’m happy to report that my family matters :)

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

Someone who’s struggling with their sense of identity or sense of belonging. I’d love to grab some breakfast and chat about how big the universe is and how magical the world can be, and how important everyone is.

How can our readers follow you online?

I can be found on all the socials at @iamFreddyHall, you can listen to my music on Spotify and Youtube and visit my website at: freddyhallmusic.com

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!