Meet Hallie Spoor | Singer Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hallie Spoor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hallie, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
If I am being honest, when it comes to chasing my dreams, I have played it a little too safe for a little too long. I was raised in the “have a plan b” school of thought; my grandparents were children of the Great Depression, who believed first and foremost in financial stability. They then raised my parents to believe that success and happiness meant having money, and a family. That does not mean my family doesn’t have guts and grit; they are true Colorado pioneers, who have a stronger work ethic than anyone I know. But, taking risks was never discussed openly as an exciting thing to do. It was more something to be wary of.

I came out of the womb a kicking and screaming singer, right from the get go. And ever since I can remember making my own choices, it has been a constant struggle of identity: the artist versus the pragmatist. I’ve tried to leave the “day job” a few times since my adulthood, but this year was a true turning point. After my grandmother passed away in November, I started reflecting on what I wanted the end of my life to look like, and a feeling of depressive dread came over me. Will I have regrets? Will I always wonder what could have been if I didn’t try harder- if I didn’t give my music dreams a real chance? After that night, I finally gathered the gumption to take the plunge and am currently downsizing my day job so that I can spend most of my time gigging and playing music. It’s far from a perfect process- and “taking the plunge” looks different for everyone. But this year I am committed to taking a lot more risks in my life, and I try to remind myself everyday that success is not the end result, it is falling in love with the chase. (Easier said than done)

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My music is somewhere in the world of indie-folk. I am often described as an old soul with a big voice, and I think that spirit steeps into my musical vocabulary as well- harkening back to folk icons like Laura Nyro and Carol King. My new record, which will be released this fall, is unapologetic about leaning into emotionality. The lyrics are honest and intimate, and the instrumentation is quite lush- the traditional rock band set up, but paired with violin, cello, and saxophones. I wear my heart on my sleeve, and my music does as well. I believe this record is the most beautiful art I have ever made, and I hope that it helps people reconnect with their feelings after these incredibly trying years.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well these days I actually reside in Brooklyn, NY- but I was born in Santa Monica and went to college at Loyola Marymount! So most of my recommendations are on the west side. I was super sad when I visited LA and played Hotel Cafe this May that my favorite breakfast spot in LA- Maxwells Cafe on Washington Blvd at closed during the pandemic. But, *sigh* this is life. My favorite dinner spot is Fritto Misto, an Italian restaurant in Santa Monica with enormous portions of pasta and the perfect slice of flourless dark chocolate cake.

And my favorite thing to do is the planetarium at Griffith Park Observatory. Might sound cheesy, but walking around that neighborhood, looking out at the sunset over LA- and then taking a little snooze during the planetarium presentation is my idea of the perfect evening.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
What an impossible ask, I want to shoutout so many incredible people in my life.

I have to start with my parents. My dad discovered pretty early on that I wasn’t half bad at singing, and thought I would do well in voice lessons. So every week for many years, he drove me to my lessons. He would stay in the living room, and quietly listen to the entire thing- unendingly positive and supportive. Now that I have taught music lessons off and on since college, I can say that I have not had a single parent of one of my students that has acted the way my dad did with me. Most parents view music lessons as an hour of child care- where they can get a break and go do their own thing, while their kid is entertained. Not my dad. It was unbelievably special; he made me feel so special and loved. And my mom- where to begin. Every single recital, every single talent show, all the insane hairstyles she curled up and makeup she put on me, and costumes that she helped me pick out. The many many times I forgot my choir folder and she brought it by school, saving me from the furious wrath of my directors. Also pivotally, in my adulthood I got to watch my mom gather the courage to leave a job she had grown bored and tired of to pursue her own dream- and seeing her strike out on her own and start over again was so inspiring. I really owe them everything.

Something I am reminded of during my harder days is that almost every beautiful thing that has come into my life is because of music. The bandmates, the friends, the lovers. I am eternally grateful that I was born with this addiction to singing and writing songs- it is a really interesting lens to view your life through.

Website: https://halliespoormusic.com/

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

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19DcFubLddg

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ECDeEDUQUYQxEIrwjqTrB

Image Credits
Sierra Voss Aidan Grant Shane Walton