Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I grew up in Irvine, California. I learned to sing at an early age in choir classes at school. I took a few piano and guitar lessons in my early teens and learned how to play the drums on my own. I was in a couple of bands with some friends from school and the nearby schools throughout high school and college, and one of the bands was called The Jakes, who are currently known as Young the Giant. I played keyboard and co-wrote music with them for many years. My musical direction was greatly influenced from writing with the band, as well as just jamming with musician friends whenever possible. Another aspect of my childhood that impacted my musical direction was just listening to different artists’ music from many different genres.
Q: Can you describe the musical style of Ehson Hashemian in three words?
A: Organic polyrhythmic fusion
Q: How do you stay connected with your fans, and what role do they play in shaping your musical journey?
A: I have been out of the scene for quite a while, so I don’t really have many fans at the moment. I have just been releasing music and marketing mainly to my Instagram followers, which consist mostly of old friends and classmates. I mainly write music for the enjoyment of writing music, and I share it with people and hope they enjoy the music as well.
Q: You have just released your new album, ‘Believe’. Is there a story behind it?
A: The central theme is mainly being honest with oneself when facing extreme setbacks, and finding a way to believe that you can still find a way to get by with life. The songs are all kind of meant to inspire and motivate the listener when feeling like you are stuck, and to help you escape into a more optimistic state that things will get better.
Q: What is your favorite track from the album and why?
A: My favorite track is “Feel” because it really captures my character in its entirety.
Q: Can you walk us through the creative process of producing the album, “Believe”?
A: I usually start with a guitar loop that I add several layers to, then I come up with vocal melodies, and then I write the lyrics. For the songs “Do” and “Follow The Light,” I actually came up with the drum part first, and then wrote the songs around the drum beats.
Q: What has been the most memorable concert or performance for Ehson Hashemian so far?
A: I have not performed as a solo artist, and do not have any plans to perform concerts. At the moment I am just focused on writing and releasing music as a recording artist.
Q: Reflecting on your body of work, each song holding its unique significance, could you share a particular track that stands out to you personally? What makes that specific tune special, and why does it hold a place of pride in your musical journey?
A: The song “It Is What It Is” really stands out to me as it consists of the most polyrhythmic guitar parts out of all the other songs. It holds a place of pride in my musical journey because it required me to listen critically to all the harmonics of the instruments to come up with the vocal melodies. Although I do listen to all the harmonics to write the melodies for most of my songs, this one just required an extra level of attention to detail to figure out. I also feel that the guitar parts are very unique and have never been done before.
Q: Exploring the diverse creative processes within the music industry is always fascinating. Could you provide insight into Ehson’s unique approach to crafting music? From the initial spark of an idea to the finished song, how do you navigate the creative journey and bring its musical concepts to life?
A: I usually get most of my inspiration from my instruments. I will pick up a guitar or play the keyboard and just play some riffs or chords until I come up with something that I can visualize becoming a full song. I will add layers until it’s got a good balance of depth to the music without over-complicating things. Then I will just listen closely for potential vocal melodies and lastly write the lyrics to go with the melodies.
Q: As we wrap up our conversation, looking ahead, what aspirations or dreams do you have for you, and what message would you like to share with your fans as they continue to accompany you on this musical journey?
A: I aspire to continue to write the best music that I can possibly write, and improve as a musician and singer every day. I hope that anyone that listens to my music can find enjoyment from it in one way or another. My message to any fan is thank you for spending your time listening to my music, and I hope you enjoy my sound. I will continue to share many more songs with you in the near future.
