Interview: George O’Hanlon
George O’Hanlon showcases his songwriting prestige with his intimate, breathtaking debut EP “The Storm”. Featuring four songs carefully crafted with heavyhanded lyricism and stunning melodies reminiscent of an old lover, O’Hanlon digs his heels into the sand and effortlessly proves he is here to stay. I got to chat with the incredible singer/songwriter about his debut EP “The Storm”, get a breakdown of his songwriting creation process, and hear about the future of his exciting musical journey.
Inspired by legendary artists like Jeff Buckley, Thom Yorke, and Bob Dylan, George O’Hanlon brings his own fiercely personal approach to storytelling on his brand new EP. This body of work demonstrates the years of hard work and intense attention to detail that went into creating these songs from the ground up.
The 21-year old singer/songwriter is simply enjoying his new artistic journey as a collection of deeply emotive, incredible moments that seemed unattainable to his younger self. After years of school choir, small college performances, and eventually working his way up to some grassroots venue shows, O’Hanlon knew that sharing his work with larger audiences was an intimidating step he had to take. With a raw talent as unique and authentic as George O’Hanlon’s, the world is lucky to experience the entirety of this young artist’s inevitable rise to stardom.
Of his songwriting process, O’Hanlon shares that his best work comes from quieter moments of self-reflection. The singer/songwriter’s fresh take on life, love, and finding one’s place in the world brings us heartfelt, sonically-brilliant tracks like “The Storm” and “The Weight” off of his new EP. Instead of focusing all of his time and energy on his own perspective, O’Hanlon says a big part of his creative process is flipping the script and viewing situations from an opposing point of view. When listening to O’Hanlon’s new EP “The Storm”, it is clear that the rising artist has already found his unique voice that stands out in a world of mainstream music. O’Hanlon is unafraid to bare all in his music, bringing a relieving feeling of newfound emotional truth to the forefront of his work.
“I want to make music that connects with people in a special way. These songs are personal and I hope people find their own ways to hear the songs on this EP, maybe even differently than how I heard them as I was making them.”
While O’Hanlon may be a more shy, quiet persona in a world of loud, in-your-face artists, O’Hanlon’s music demands your full attention and doesn’t let go. After one listen, fans are simply hooked on his shimmering melodies intertwined with heartfelt, realistic stories. While it’s difficult to box George O’Hanlon’s music into one single genre, I can best describe it as tunes that are good for the soul. They lift you up, they shake you down, and they echo in your mind long after the music has ended.
Performing these songs live is a magical experience in itself. George says he is excited to connect with live audiences once more and give these songs off of “The Storm” EP the spotlight they deserve. For fans itching to see O’Hanlon perform his new songs in-person, the future is bright. With a careful eye being kept on the pandemic, future shows will hopefully be popping up across the UK very, very soon.
George O’Hanlon is the rising singer/songwriter whose success is inevitable. In only a few short years, the artist has effortlessly blended his gripping storytelling skills with gorgeous instrumentals to create timeless, self-reflective magic. If you’re looking for new music to give your playlists a remarkable perspective shift, look no further. George O’Hanlon is the young artist turning heads with his music and now the world can fully divulge into his new body of work.
Check out George O’Hanlon’s debut EP “The Storm” on Spotify and Apple Music. You can follow the artist’s music journey on his Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube channel. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for future live performance on O’Hanlon’s socials!
Interview by Kelly Carrazzone
