Friday, February 7, 2025

Tunes in Town: Hannah Jai

Hannah Jai performs at a local concert (Hannah Jai)

WILLIAMSBURG — Tunes in Town is an occasional series that will catch up with some of the local musical talents that call Hampton Roads home.

Hannah Jai remembers when she was in Kindergarten getting exposed to music.

“I remember one of the things that sticks out the most was when the teacher would play us music and she’d tell us to listen really close and we’d have to tell her all of the instruments that we’d hear. I’d pick out piano and guitar and I just remember that really vividly, just sitting there and listening to all the different instruments,” Jai said.

It wasn’t until she heard Taylor Swift’s Speak Now album when she was 11 that realization hit that music was her passion.

“When I watched a Taylor Swift documentary, I knew this was for me. The way that she talked about music, I felt very connected to it and I knew. From the process of watching that, I started picking up guitar and told myself that I had to write my own music,” Jai said.

Jai, who recently released her new single “Walking with Jesus” on all streaming platforms, sees herself as more of a songwriter than a singer.

“I love writing songs because I can write about my own personal life. But when you are a songwriter, you have the responsibility of telling other people’s stories. I really believe I’ve been given a gift but also a responsibility to write about what other people go through,” Jai said.

As she’s been performing in various venues around Yorktown and Williamsburg, Jai noticed how supportive the local music scene is.

“I’ve truly found such a network of people in this area who are doing exactly what I want to be doing. I’ve been able to meet so many amazing people as I’ve been out performing in the community,” Jai said.

For Jai, it’s all about creating a moment of magic with her music.

“There is something so magical about being able to put on a song and it just transports you to a different place. Music is very healing for me, I can turn on something and it’s the closest thing to what I feel like magic must feel like,” Jai said.

While performing is a love, Jai would love to find a way to make music her full-time job.

“The ideal day for me is waking up, having a cup of coffee, and sitting in a room with other songwriters. I would love to have a life where I wake up and write songs all day and make money off it,” Jai said. ”

In addition to her recent single release, Jai has a second single coming out in early 2025. For all the latest on Jai and her music, visit hannahjaimusic.com.

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