(Courtesy photo)
After a much needed stay in India, following two back-to-back cross-country tours, 24-year-old singer-songwriter Trevor Hall is back to work as he prepares for his next tour and the July release of his latest album, “Everything, Everytime, Everywhere.”
Before heading to Boulder, where he will be performing a student only show at CU on Wednesday, followed by two headlining shows at Denver’s Bluebird Theater, Hall took some time to chat about his life, music and recent travels with the CU Independent.
A South Carolina native and Southern California resident, Trevor Hall grew up around music. At the age of 16, Hall relocated to L.A. where he studied classical guitar at the Idyllwild School for the Arts.
As a young musician, Hall said he never thought he would want to make music his career.
“I was just letting the music take me where it wanted to take me,” Hall said. “I never thought, ‘I am moving to California and I am going to be a musician.’ [California] helped me grow into it, it all happened really naturally.”
Hall, who attributes a large part of his success to his supportive family, has taken the music scene by storm. With an impeccable blend of acoustic rock and reggae inspiration, Hall’s music is far from simplistic as he belts out lyrics tinged with spirituality and wisdom.
Drawing from his insightful lyricism, various critics have referred to Hall as an ‘old soul.’ When asked about this reference, Hall said he was skeptical.
“The people who tell me that don’t really know me, [they] only know the music,” he said. “The music is definitely a part of me but it doesn’t show where I am. I am a normal person, I love watching chick flicks and romantic comedies; I am a normal boy.”
While he said he doesn’t define himself by his music alone, it’s definitely a big part of his life and has become an outlet for him.
“My music and my spirituality aren’t different for me,” he said. “Music is like God for me. Music is my tool to explore my spiritual world and explore myself; it is my everything. It is my world, my love, and my pain.”
With two successful cross-country tours under his belt, Hall said he definitely enjoys playing for a crowd. But his favorite part about performing only happens once in awhile.
“Sometimes when I perform I am up there playing music and the crowd is giving us all this love and there comes a point where for me there is no more crowd and there is no more performance and we are all just there together,” Hall said. “That feeling of oneness is my favorite part of performing, and is very hard to come by.”
When he said he isn’t in the studio working on his new album (which he says will be more raw than the others) or collaborating with the likes of Matisyahu and Colbie Caillat, you can find Hall in India.
As an avid traveler, he said he has returned to India multiple times over the past few years. The country itself has become more than an inspiration for Hall, it has become home.
“When I am over there I feel like I am home,” he said. “And then when I am here I am just kind of visiting and working, and then hopefully every year I can just go back home and relax for a little while.”
As an artist who takes self-awareness to a level, Hall said one of his favorite songs to perform is “Internal Heights,” which he hopes to bring back in future shows.
In this track Hall sings, “My strength comes from the river/The eternal giver/A transcendent sight/ Maintain internal heights.”
While the lyrics are brief, Hall said that he loves the vibe of it, even if they don’t really play it too often.
The song speaks to the consistent optimism portrayed throughout his work. The concept of internal heights and personal strength is one he hopes to send out to this generation.
“I feel like our generation is caught up in …the world…is caught up in things that will never give us permanent happiness,” Hall said. “The only thing we can do is look within ourselves and within our own hearts to try and be happy and not depend on things outside of us.”
He said he wants his fans to know that he is going through the same journey for happiness.
“I am a normal guy, I make mistakes and I get stressed,” Hall said. “I am just the same normal person that needs things to be happy and is trying to get along just like everybody else.”
See Trevor Hall perform at Old Main at 8:00 p.m. (doors 7:30 p.m.) on Wednesday. Tickets are $10 and available to students only.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Maranda Bodas at Maranda.bodas@colorado.edu.
