“Hana Fe’s journey started when her parents named her after a road.”

One that’s world renowned for its natural beauty and unpredictable, mysterious turns, Hawaii’s “Road to Hana” winds its way through Maui’s pristine landscape. It’s where unexpected beauty and stark, foreboding landscapes surprise you around every curve.  And like the famous road, Hana’s musical journey frequently winds and curves in response to her travels and experiences. Hana’s lyrical talent and natural inclination towards music was evident at an early age.

“She would sing at the top of her lungs from the minute she woke-up in the morning”

says her Mom.  What followed were the standard rights of passage for a kid interested in music as Hana embarked on her musical path by singing in a local children’s choir, playing the flute, and learning piano. “I started playing piano at 7 years old, and early on, the creative itch was there,” remembers Hana.  “I recall making-up little ‘ditties’ throughout those early music years.  Most of them were classical/Vanessa Carlton inspired pieces.”

This early tinkering progressed into her middle school years when she picked up her first guitar and started writing full-length songs.  “There was just something easy and comfortable about playing and composing on the guitar that made it easy to articulate songs and the ‘difficulties’ of puberty.  Further, experience with guitar-playing enhanced my creative experience on the piano, culminating in each, informing the other.”

At age 15, Hana took a class on sound recording and had an opportunity to work with her first 8 track analog recorder.  It was her involvement with that 8 track that led to her first recordings.  Often light and carefree in nature, Hana’s songs are catchy, melodic, and lyrical.  They are the kinds of songs we find ourselves singing two days after first hearing them.  But Hana’s songs sprang from her experiences during the challenging changes and emotional quagmires of growing up.

“Hana is fortunate to possess an innate ability to put her emotions to song and so her lyrics also show the depth of her soul and a maturity beyond her years.”

When leaving her home in Los Angeles for college in Virginia, Hana gave those first recordings to her Mom who found herself stunned by the professional and unique quality of her work. Convinced that her daughter’s music deserved an audience,  Hana’s Mom shared the recordings with famed Grammy nominated producer, Doctah B Sirius.

“I was working on India Arie’s project when I first heard Hana's demo,” says Doctah B. “I felt the same type of true inspiration with both projects.  Even though the demo was rough, it had strong lyrical content and was magnetic.  Hana’s brilliance was apparent right away.  She has that special “thing” that’s needed to move people by offering strong songs and excellent lyrics.  As an artist, songwriter, and composer, her songs have the power to live on forever and change the lives of all she touches.” Doctah B proceeded to produce and professionally record Hana’s first LP. They’ve since recorded 20 songs together.

"Since then, Hana has received her B.A. in Music Composition and History from the University of Richmond. She’s currently completing her Research Master’s Degree in History specializing in European Expansion & Globalization from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands.  After her Master’s is completed, she intends to get her Ph.D.  She also remains passionate about playing field hockey after more than 10 years of being involved with the sport.

Now 22 years old, the music Hana wrote as a teenager still endures.  There’s also more to come.  As an avid world traveler, she intends to have her new experiences reflected in future musical endeavors.

“Her journey continues, and we’ll enjoy the ride with her music which, like the Road to Hana, promises unexpected surprises around every turn.“

Hana credits a variety of artists for their contribution to her guitar playing and songwriting.  Leona Naess, John Mayer, Pete Yorn, and Sarah McLaughlin were especially influential. “I realize now that I sought artists with particular guitar skill-sets and sound worlds, which I then unconsciously incorporated into my own music.”