Hana Eid has a knack for weaving raw emotion and life experience into her music, creating a unique blend of indie-rock with a poetic, folk-inspired edge. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, this talented artist is making waves with her debut EP I Exist Because You Say So, a project brimming with vulnerability, experimentation, and heartfelt storytelling. In this interview, Hana opens up about her journey—from discovering music in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., to finding her voice in the indie-rock scene. Join us as we dive into her creative process, influences, and the stories behind her music.

Nicolle: Hi, Hana, first things first, could you introduce yourself and the kind of music you make to our readers?

Hana: Hi! My name is Hana Eid. I make indie-rock music out of Nashville, TN.

Nicolle: How did growing up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., influence your journey into playing guitar and songwriting?

Hana: Well, I didn’t spend too much time in the city as a kid, but I think just being around so much music and culture inspired me to write and perform. There were these cool little pockets of musicians/local venues around where I grew up in Virginia. It made being a musician a lot more fun.

Nicolle: What sparked your love for electric guitar, and do you remember the first song you ever wrote?

Hana: I started learning guitar because I wanted to learn “Uncle John’s Band” by The Grateful Dead. I took lessons once a week from about nine years old until I left for college. I was really inspired by classic rock music & what my dad coined “guitar heroes” – the likes of Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, and Steve Vai. I completely fell in love with the instrument and became a better instrumentalist. Total rockstar stuff.

Nicolle: What was it like transitioning from Washington, D.C., to Nashville for college, and how did that move shape your artistry?

Hana: I didn’t really want to move to the South when I first committed to attending Belmont. I just had all of these ideas about what the culture & music in Tennessee would be like, which were mostly disproven in a huge way. I’ve made so many friends here & met so many wonderful, talented, & like-minded creatives. I’ve also fallen in love a bit with folk/Americana music in the past few years.

Nicolle: Can you tell us more about the rock influences from your childhood and how they blend with the folk-inspired poeticism in your music?

Nicolle: I was big into Led Zeppelin as a kid. I was enamoured by the classic rock of the 70s/80s and admired anyone who was just great at their instrument. If a song had a difficult guitar part, I probably tried to learn it. Growing up, however, I also just liked the music my friends liked, and any song that could make me feel something. Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift both greatly inspired me to become more of a lyricist. I think a lot of how I write is also inspired by books I read and things like that – I read a lot, and even more so growing up.

Nicolle: How did studying Songwriting & Music Business at Belmont University contribute to the creation of your debut EP?

Hana: I left college around the time I began recording the EP, but I wrote most of the songs while still in school. Moving away and living on my own was an obvious catalyst for change – navigating my relationships, how to spend my time, and what to make for breakfast. I made some good friends through the Songwriting/Music Business program which inspired me to try out new things or write differently. A lot of the writers I know from college inspire me today.

Nicolle: How did exploring indie-rock and alternative soundscapes during your freshman year help you define your artistic voice?

Hana: It was definitely new for me! I’d always opted for more of an acoustic/minimalistic sound. My entire philosophy around production was pretty minimalistic – that a song should be able to stand on its own with as little around it as possible. Bringing rock elements into the songs I was writing was really exciting to experiment with. It brought them to life in a whole new way, & felt way more like myself.

Nicolle: I love your song ‘Avoid the News’. Can you tell us more about the story behind the song?

Hana: Thank you!! I wrote “Avoid The News” about this awful falling out I had with a close friend at the time. I was grieving the end of our friendship hard & then, one day, when I was in French class, her name came up in one of the word problems from our textbook! It made me so upset – I felt like I couldn’t escape the hurt no matter what I was doing. I ended up writing the song a couple of weeks later – it’s just about trying to keep your feelings at arm’s length.

Nicolle: “I Exist Because You Say So” has such a poignant title. What inspired it, and how does the project reflect your journey into adulthood?

Hana: I was having a tough time coming up with a title for the project, and was scrolling through the notes app on my phone when I just saw a note that said “I Exist Because You Say So” and nothing else! I have no idea why I wrote it haha, although I think a lot of becoming an adult is anchored in how you relate to the world around you, and seeking validation from your peers and community. Yes – I exist because you invited me to your party or streamed my song, etc etc. It feels very reminiscent of the social insecurity that comes with coming of age.

Nicolle: What was the writing and recording process like for your debut EP, and how did you navigate bringing your vision to life? Writing it sort of happened haphazardly. I

Hana: I wasn’t writing to turn it into a body of work. I’ve always just sort of written what I feel on an impulse when I feel like it. When I whittled down which songs I wanted on the EP and which songs made sense together, I recorded it with a producer called Tone Def and some of my friends/band (Jake Robuck, Maddie Bouton, Aidan Cunningham). As for bringing my vision to life, I like to come into the studio with some reference tracks. I usually have a pretty clear idea of what I want and I’ve been lucky that my collaborators are often quick to nail it. It’s an entirely collaborative process though, so a lot of talking things through, trying things out, changing our minds. The vision makes itself clearer throughout the process.

Nicolle: What aspects of the sound you leaned into for the EP are you most excited to explore further in your future work?

Hana: I loved having my band come play on the songs for the EP. It was so cool to hear my friends’ artistic voices in the songs. I think I want the new music to continue to feel that way, with real people performing live takes. I also want to keep leaning into heavier rock elements and get a bit more experimental with the structure/parts. Just take as much creative liberty as possible and try things on for size.

Nicolle: Now that your debut EP is out in the world, what has been the most rewarding part of sharing it with listeners?

Hana: I’ve loved seeing how the songs have connected with people. It’s crazy to imagine that they’ve held some stock in anyone’s life. I remember riding the bus from school and how special the songs I’d listen to were to me. They paint those parts of my life better than memory serves. Just the idea that anything I write could become a part of someone’s world like that is mind-blowing to me. It’s exciting because the songs aren’t mine alone anymore – they belong to anyone & can be about anything.

As Hana Eid carves her place in the indie-rock world, her passion for connecting with listeners through honest, heartfelt music is undeniable. With her debut EP, I Exist Because You Say So, she’s already left an indelible mark, and her willingness to experiment and push boundaries promises an exciting future ahead. Whether she’s leaning into heavier rock or exploring new storytelling avenues, Hana’s artistry reminds us that music is a shared experience—one that paints our lives as vividly as our own memories. Keep an eye (and an ear) on Hana; this is just the beginning.

Follow Hana´s journey here and listen to her EP on all streaming platforms.

_

Nicolle Knapova is a little bit of everything. She is a freelance translator, content creator and a social media executive for The C Word Mag. She loves indie music and is always browsing through Spotify to find the next amazing artist to obsess over. Her love for storytelling means she’s always writing something and she’s not afraid of any genre. Her biggest dream is to be a published author. If she’s not writing her fan fiction, she’s writing her poetry and sharing it on her Instagram @elisecaverly.

Featured