Meet Harper O’Neill | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Harper O’Neill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Harper, how do you think about risk?
The most rewarding risk for me is taken in the creative process. Taking the opportunity to step outside a comfort zone, choose to tell the truth, or to even choose to lie within the songwriting process and fully commit to something is what makes great art. But risks are complicated. Sharing my work feels more risky to me than making it. Will people understand it the way I intended? Will people like it? Will people even hear it? It has been important to me to take time to refine my work and make sure I feel accomplished in my expression before I take the leap because once I share these songs, they no longer belong to me. Although it’s a myth that we will ever feel totally ready for anything.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a singer/songwriter in Nashville, TN. I graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising. I took a job in the marketing department at financial services company out of college and saved all the money I could to invest in starting my artist career. I recently cut an EP of 6 songs produced by Jake Gear (Hailey Whitters, Flatland Cavalry and Ben Chapman) set to release later this year.

I am so proud of these tracks and I am excited for this to be my debut project. I have been making music for a long time and I have finally found a body of work that sounds the way I feel. These songs incorporate elements of southern soul and Texas storytelling in a way that feels unique to me. I’m so inspired by artists like Susan Tedeschi, Carole King, Lucie Silvas, Leon Bridges and Norah Jones. It’s the joy of my life to study their work and learn from the magic they create through the years.

After a lot of hustling and grinding in Nashville, I have begun to find myself surrounded with good, kind and talented creative partners who love making music just as much as I do. But ultimately, I’ve learned that we are all on our own paths and timelines. All we can do is be kind to each other and be prepared for the challenge when our chance comes around.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to give a shout out to my parents David and Leslie O’Neill. They filled our home with love, music and space for me to grow and change and fall in love with the world around me.

Website: https://www.harperoneillmusic.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harperoneillmusic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/harperoneill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harperoneillmusic/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/harperoneill

Image Credits
The black and white image holding guitar – Rachel Deeb Photography The main article picture, the picture with my glasses on, the vocal booth, and the picture of 3 people – Aubrey Wise Photography