Exclusive Interview With The Hunna

We at IndieCentralMusic have been following a Hertfordshire-based 4-piece band who have been getting everything 1Hunna percent right! Just before their 16th show on their 46-date Hunna Tree Tour, we managed to have a quick chat with the The Hunna on the roof of award winning music venue, The Sugarmill. After only being on the music radar since Last October when they released debut single, ‘Bonfire’. They’ve already built a fan base the size of Everything Everything’s and are soon to release their 16-track debut album, ‘100’.
You can listen to the interview in full on YouTube! (link below)

Interview with The Hunna

Stephen McMahon: Firstly, let’s start off, by talking about the feedback on your recent songs. ‘Bonfire’ & ‘She’s Casual’ were the first ones in October last year. ‘We Could Be’, ‘You & Me’, ‘Be Young’, ‘World Is Ours’ and more recently, ‘Still Got Blood’. Just talk us through the incredible response you’ve had from these tracks, and what it means to you guys.

The Hunna: It has been incredible. Everyone’s been so positive and so nice to us about the songs in general and how they’ve connected with them. Obviously, we’d wrote them just as 4 best friends who love a massive range of music and we then whacked that into one which is now known as The Hunna. Everyone seems to just understand it and connect with the songs. The songs and the feedback have overall gone down amazing and we hope to just continue that and then release the album. We’re excited for the future with it.

Stephen McMahon: What would you say is most important to you, the fans giving great feedback or the radio?

The Hunna: Fans without a doubt!

Stephen McMahon: In regards to starting this band, you seem to have done everything very quickly from the point of releasing your first songs. Did you all have an action plan before you started, thinking everything through properly from the get-go?

The Hunna: It looks like it has been really quick to everyone else, but to be honest there has been loads of stuff going into it before. We actually spent 2 years writing before the release of ‘Bonfire’ and getting the songs right. And alike anything we struggled with lots of complications and setbacks. Such as, having part time, even full-time jobs as well as trying to write and practice songs was really tough on us. When ‘Bonfire’ did get released we were told it was going to be quick but we have a great team helping us out.

Stephen McMahon: How much work behind the scenes, actually went into releasing the first track, ‘Bonfire’? Is there a lot going off that we as fans don’t know about?

The Hunna: Well Dan and I met at college 6 years ago on a music practice course in Watford. We started playing music together and joined a management company. Then got records out independently. We started writing and the management covered the business side for us. When we finally did get signed and the plans started. We took 2 years out writing as much as we could to eventually be at this point. And we’ve had ‘Bonfire’ for about a couple of years and it was in its early stages before we even met! It’s been a long process.

Stephen McMahon: In total, 7 songs by you guys on the internet somewhere. The album. Called ‘100’, very fitting for The Hunna! We are expected to see this on 26th of August I believe, you excited for the debut album to drop?

The Hunna: Massively its been such a long time, and now to hear it all come together is great. It’s been a long experience but it’s been a great one. It’s something that we didn’t think would actually happen so now it’s real it’s really rewarding. Our producer, Duncan mills is incredible and we love working with him. It’s been a really nice fit. We’ve worked extremely hard but the turnout and the vision is exactly what we wanted it to be so we can’t wait to get it out there. We just hope the fans like it as much as we do.

Stephen McMahon: Why are we waiting so long?

The Hunna: That’s the business side! iTunes, Spotify, all that stuff. We would have it out now if we could but we’re touring at the minute and we have festival appearances this summer. But also it’s something that you just want to get right and not rush.

Stephen McMahon: What songs on the album would you recommend to listen to first? When we all get the album for the first time, tell us what 3 tracks everyone should listen to first.

The Hunna: Well, when we were recording we were like, “Oh this is the one!”. Then the next one would be, “No, this one is the one!”. They all have their own strengths. To be honest. It all sounds like The Hunna. There are definitely different parts that people won’t have heard from us before. ‘She’s Casual’ is one that people like because it’s slower and more intricate. But if you want the rocky number then you would go for ‘Bonfire’ and ‘Waiting’. People haven’t heard ‘Waiting’ yet, though. ‘Still got blood’ is a big favorite with fans, but ‘Piece by Piece’ is a huge favorite of ours. So listen to ‘Piece by Piece’.

Stephen McMahon: Describe ‘Piece by Piece’ to us.

The Hunna: The chorus is so epic and mid-song is just on fire. It’s groovy-funk meets soul. Heavy anthem rock with plenty of riffs. We love playing the riffs in it. It’s two separate genres but mixed into one and it works! So, really excited for people to hear that one.

Stephen McMahon: All of your songs so far are all jam packed with energy, have we got a nice, mellow, acoustic-ready song on the album?

The Hunna: There is a song called sycamore tree which is on the album and I guess can be acoustic. It uses the full band and builds up very well like a soul record. The vocals are incredible and that’s one that is pretty different to what people have heard before. Also, we use a piano in it which is fun!

Stephen McMahon: Moving on from the album. Do you think it’s important as a band to have an image that is very distinct and original, a bit in your face to some to really get your name out there and to get your message across?

The Hunna: If you think about it too much then it won’t work. Just be yourself and be comfortable in your own skin. We all love fashion so this is us. For us, it comes across naturally. Loads of bands are still just wearing black all the time. It lacks character. Personally, we like having a bit of colour. The 1975 killed just having black all the time. You have to keep it fresh. 50 shades of everything. If you’re comfortable in what you wear, then it is all cool. The rule is there are no rules with fashion.

Stephen McMahon: Confidence is how we would describe your persona and online appearance, especially the way it is marketed. Again, how important is it to be confident as a band in the music industry nowadays?

The Hunna: Absolutely, there is no time to hold back. We know who we are and that’s helped us be confident, we’ve worked hard to get here and we are confident in the music we make. If you don’t believe in yourself then who else is going to believe in you? We are really grateful for the opportunity that we’ve got and want to just keep pushing it forward. We think that the minute that you start doubting yourself is the minute you start doing it all wrong.

Stephen McMahon: Just comparing your Facebook likes, you are only 100 likes short of beating Everything Everything’s 132,500 likes. Music wise – just about to release your first album, We’d say very similar to Blossoms, and you have over 100,000 more than them! How have you done this?

The Hunna: The marketing team. We’ve got a really good team behind us and they know what they’re doing. They’re a new independent label that hasn’t been around for a long time, so they want to make their name in the industry just as much as we do. People are just connecting with our music and getting it. We have great people behind us and we have to really thank them for loads of it. A lot of very clever business minds behind us is the answer.

Stephen McMahon: Are online accounts something you have been focusing on from the start or has it just happened?

The Hunna: It is us that are on the socials. So, if you send us a message then it is us that reply. It’s another job for us. We perform and make music and then other than that we are on social media replying to fans. Even when we meet them it’s so relaxed and great. You can tell that they appreciate us taking the time out to talk to them and we love it as well. Without the fans, we wouldn’t be here and social media is the best way of us getting close to them.

Stephen McMahon: Also your online accounts constantly show, The H-Squad, we love a good fanbase name. Where did that originally come from?

The Hunna: Well, squad itself is like a football squad. A football squad is a team but in the hip-hop side it’s like a family. So squad is just another word for it. Before we even released music or became The Hunna, we always called ourselves a squad and naturally it just turned publicly. We aren’t just a band, were a squad band! People only see us as a 4-piece band but there are many other people involved to make The Hunna happen. That is then the H-Squad.

Stephen McMahon: Is it something that the fans have really got on board with as well?

The Hunna: Definitely, we like it when they say H-Squad because it shows they’re part of us as a band. It’s also just really nice to know they’re on board. Like we said, it’s not just a band, it’s a family. That’s how we are together and that’s how we have got to this point.

Stephen McMahon: I would say overall you’re treating it much like a business. What advice would you give to other people who may be starting a band now to make it like a business and succeed?

The Hunna: Well we didn’t intend to make it a business because music is our lives and passion, we’ve all been playing instruments for a long time and being in a band was always number one! We don’t look at it as a business, but the management and our team behind us do. There is, of course, a business side to it but I think the business and music goes hand in hand. Even if the business side is great, you need a product and that’s the music. So you need to have good music to start off with.

Fans will always know if it is music from the heart or just processed sounds. Although ultimately it is down to the music, we have always thought about the decisions and made wise choices a bit like a business decision. Every night that we got, we put into recording, videos and Facebook advertising. We wanted to get our music heard by the right people. Obviously, the business element is key but it all comes down to music at the end of the day. We need management but management needs our music.

H-Squad!

Stephen McMahon: Recently released the 100 tour for the end of the year, hitting up the likes of The Forum, Rescue Rooms, Thekla and The Wardrobe. What are you most looking forward to on that tour? Because obviously your album will be out by then.

The Hunna: The Forum in London is going to be huge! All of it to be honest, there is always so much going on that we don’t really have time to be excited. We are excited about every show. The album release will be amazing and therefore, the tour will be great to see how fan react to it and we can be a bit more adventurous with the stage presence and really play our songs! We can’t wait to play bigger venues and see more and more fans. We can also get The Hunna name out there more. Every time we play we seem to get bigger and bigger. We just want to grow as a band. The venues that we’re playing now are the venues that we played when supporting Coasts and now we have them to ourselves so it’s just great!

Stephen McMahon: Once the hype of the album has died down and also the 100 tour as well. What plans and goals do you have for the future as The Hunna?

The Hunna: We don’t think it’ll die down. We are going to keep going at this pace hopefully. Maybe a world tour, get out to Australia and potentially with Coasts. We don’t know yet. We are just seeing how it goes. We’re currently focused on getting the album out and killing this year.

Stephen McMahon: Lastly, if you had to pick one goal each that you want to get out of The Hunna before you end your music careers what would it be, what’s the dream come true for you guys?

Jack: There’s a couple but for me if I had to pick one, it would have to be headlining Glastonbury! Don’t dream, you don’t get.

Ryan: For me, my all round goal has always been to be a stadium selling band. And being a huge band that has a great name, globally just a huge name. I want to be one of the biggest bands in the world.

Dan: Sounds crazy, but, for us four to die legends!

Jermaine: I want to just influence many generations to come, I want to be out there with the greats and for The Hunna to be a huge name. Imagine, Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Hunna! Everyone starts somewhere and we want to strive to be the best. For us, we started from the bottom now we’re here. Who knows where we will end up!

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