Hannah Harper Becomes An Idol Favorite
Aspiring singer and mother of three Hannah Harper delivered one of the most unforgettable auditions of the season on American Idol. After spending much of her life singing gospel and bluegrass music with her family band, she stepped onto the Idol stage determined to pursue her own path as a singer-songwriter.
Harper grew up traveling and performing with her family’s bluegrass group, gaining years of live performance experience before stepping away from music to focus on raising her children. Later, she began writing songs at home and sharing them online.
Balancing motherhood and music, Hannah shared her story of raising three children while chasing a dream that had long taken a back seat to family life. Her performance blended emotion with the vocal control and storytelling she developed through years of family performances.
Her original song, “String Cheese,” resonated with viewers everywhere, and Hannah was quickly identified as one to watch this season.
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Hannah Shares How Her Faith & Woman In Country Have Shaped Her Career
In a recent interview with Music Mayhem, Harper shared the musical influences who have heavily influenced her career thus far.
“I was raised super conservative, and so I knew of Dolly Parton, and we didn’t listen to a bunch of her music, but she was definitely somebody that I was drawn to. So extravagant. It’s so fun. And she’s such a good showman,” Harper said when asked who she listened to as a young girl.
As far as her sound, Harper explained she finds it interesting people compare her to country star Lee Ann Womack, because up until recently she didn’t even know who she was.
“…I didn’t start digging into how she sings and all of that. So people are like, ‘We can tell you’ve studied Lee Ann.’ And I’m like, ‘Crazy thing is, I actually didn’t,’ but I’d say Shania Twain was a huge influence on me and anybody in the early nineties. Jo Dee Messina, the more wholesome side of the nineties country.”
As far as her performances go, Hannah said “connection” is by far the most important aspect. Coming from her background, she shared she is used to the kind of intimate shows where artists truly talk with their fans. She hopes to bring that same feeling to her own performances.
“I really want to keep it very intimate with the crowd and get to know people and not just be a, I’m in an arena with 5,000 people, and you’re out there, and I don’t know who you are,” she explained.
She said she would love to personally get to know the people who come to her shows, rather than simply performing and leaving the stage.
“I really genuinely want to meet everybody, hear their stories, and get to know them. So that’s something that I feel like is ingrained in me now, being raised in that back home bluegrass genre.”
You can watch Hannah Harper on American Idol every Monday at 8/7c on ABC.