Combining 70’s style pop-rock with contemporary soul and blues, then blending them into sweet and sultry songs packed with honesty and emotion, Hannah Gill & The Hours make music you can’t help but be drawn to and captivated by. Praised by VH1 for their cover of Hozier’s “Take Me To Church” and currently promoting their EP The Water, Hannah Gill from the band kindly agreed to this interview to chat song-writing inspirations, dream shows and ultimate ambitions.

Please introduce yourself.

Hannah Gill: Hi! I’m Hannah Gill from Hannah Gill and the Hours.

PW: How would you sum yourselves and your music up in a few words?

HG: We like to describe our music as a blend of pop and soul. With a dash of rock and roll.

PW: Which bands and artists did you grow up listening to and how did they influence you? Have such influences changed over the years?

HG: I grew up listening to lots of different artists and I think because of that I have really been able to pin point what styles or genres I am really passionate about. I listened to a lot of Nina Simone, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Fiona Apple, Louis Armstrong, Cake, you name it! The more I listened, the more I realized I was drawn to the artists that performed with soul. I wanted to be like them.

PW: When did you first realize you wanted to be part of the music industry?

HG: A few years before a graduated high school I had this revelation that music was so much more than just the maker and the listener. It is like a fine oiled machine, and I wanted to become a part of it.

PW: Is there a band or artist out there you might say you’re similar to?

HG: We get compared to Amy Winehouse, Fiona Apple, and Florence and the Machine a lot.

PW: Tell me about your EP, The Water. Do you have a favourite track on the collection?

HG: The Water is an EP all about changes in my life, whether they actually happened or they are only somewhat related. It is a lot of fun to jam out to! I think my favorite track currently would have to be “You and I”.  It just makes you want to dance!

PW: If you could play one venue anywhere in the world, which would it be and why?

HG: Without a doubt I would want to play the Red Rocks amphitheater in Colorado. It is BEAUTIFUL and I bet the acoustics are amazing.

PW: If you could share a stage with four other bands or artists, who can be living or dead, who would they be and why?

HG: Aretha Franklin – I saw her once at Radio City Music Hall, of course she was perfection. I can’t even begin to imagine sharing a stage with her. Louis Armstrong – duh. Django Reinhardt – Because not only is he the best gypsy jazz guitarist in the world, but I want to watch how he plays guitar with eight fingers. And finally, Dr. John – I LOVE the way that man plays piano.

PW: What are your upcoming tour/performance plans?

HG: We are actually hitting the road with Brendan James this fall. We will be traveling all up and down the east and west coasts, check out our website for official dates and venues.

PW: What are your thoughts on social media and do you agree that it’s a necessary tool for bands and artists today? How has it helped establish you as a band?

HG: I do think it is important, there is so much media out there it is hard to really set yourself apart, proper social media promotion really is a way to get your name out there. It has helped us greatly in getting people out to shows. They come because they are curious, and then they stay because they loved what they heard.

PW: Finally then, what’s your ultimate ambition as a band and whose career would you most like to emulate?

HG: Hmm, that is a big question to try and answer… I can’t answer for the whole band but I know that I love making music. It is the only I ever want to do. If there was a way for me to make a living, as well as move people with my music; I would say that is not a bad place to be.

Take a listen to track “The Water” below and for more information on Hannah Gill & The Hours, visit their website, give their page a like on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. The EP The Water is available now on itunes.