Hane | Controlled Burn Featured Artist

Hane | Controlled Burn Featured Artist

Tell us about the work you’re performing at Controlled Burn. What’s it about?

I’m an artist and musician in Minneapolis, and my work is from my upcoming album Diamond Eyes, which centers around queerness, revolution, pop culture, disco, and punk culture. Diamond Eyes represents a craving for impact while embracing and arguing about queer culture, among other things. It’s about the truths we discover in ourselves and the pursuit of our deepest desires. Having been deeply embedded in the queer community these past few years as a gogo dancer, I’m telling my stories through pop theatre and rock. 

What motivates your work as an artist? 

Genuine expression, truth-telling, politics, parties, and overwhelming fabulousness.

Talk about your background. What sort of experience are you bringing to this production? 

I’ve been passionately making art of all kinds since I was very young. I’ve always been singing, acting, painting, and writing, and I’m excited to feel a sense of focus with my current pursuits that isn’t always present. It’s important to strike while the iron is hot. I’ve been writing and performing my own music for a decade and have been involved in theatre forever, earning my degree in it in 2016. My artistic experience stems from my life experience, which is wrapped up in a tornado-range of experiences from a young age: great family struggles, poverty, identity conflict, and more, and I’m grateful to have a platform through which to share my stories.

Which artists and/or performances have inspired you?

I love local artists, musicians, burlesque performers, and drag artists. I’m also inspired by Prince, Bowie, and Lady Gaga, particularly her early work. I like theatre that uses wild metaphors to tell interesting human stories. Shock art and visual/emotional impact are important.

Are you working on any other projects at the moment or coming up on the horizon?

My album! Keep your eyes peeled for Diamond Eyes, which is planned to be finished and released in the next few months. There are tracks on this album that I initially wrote a decade ago in high school, intermixed with many new ones. A lot of hard work is about to pay off in fabulous fashion and I couldn’t be more excited. Follow me on instagram @sir.hane for updates.

Aside from your artistic work, how do you spend your time? What are some of your hobbies or passions in life?

Honestly, I love gardening. My plants are where I chill when I crave a certain kind of serenity, while the stage delivers another type of serenity. In fact, I have a track on Diamond Eyes called “Sunflower Sex Drive,” which will be pretty on-the-nose to anyone who knows how much I love my plants. I’m a green queen.

Why do you think artmaking is important work? 

Art communicates in ways that no other language can.

Describe your pre-performance ritual if you have one.  

I spend time stretching, do a quick, light workout, vocal warmups, put on some makeup, review notes for myself, maybe drink some coffee, and if I’m feeling anxious at all, I’ll take a shot of tequila. Then I rush out the door as fast as I can because I’ve taken too long getting ready. xoxo

Hane will be performing on Thursday, February 13 @ 7:30pm at Controlled Burn: Queer Performance for a World on Fire.