Ones to Watch: Carlie Hanson

At only 19, power-pop singer Carlie Hanson has already been featured on two playlists of Taylor Swift’s favorite songs and opened for the likes of Troye Sivan and YUNGBLUD. In September, she will be embarking on her very first headlining tour throughout Europe and the UK. With all of that considered, it’s hard to believe that only a few years ago she was working as a cashier at her local McDonald’s and trying to make it big on the internet like so many before her.

The singer calls it unreal, which it is; her second single “Only One” has over 55 million streams as of now, only two years after its release. Several other tracks have gathered up well over a million streams as well, exceeding anything she ever could have dreamed of.

“I’m still that same bitch,” Hanson says, even after moving to LA from her Wisconsin hometown and snagging a deal with Warner Records. In the time since, she’s made new friends, gotten an Audi, and fallen in and out of love. However, the singer is cautious to stay grounded and true to herself while on social media and talking with her fans. You can find her constantly posting selfies with funny faces and captions all over her Instagram feed as means of living unapologetically.

Along the same theme, her debut EP Junk, released in

June of this year, touches on all of these experiences — growing up, falling in love, and falling out of it. The five-track record is quite the opposite of its name, which Hanson says she wanted to be simple and not too thought out.

“Back In My Arms,” a notable fan-favorite (and the track that Taylor Swift added to her most recent personal playlist) about being in love for the first time, follows Hanson’s lead by mixing her songs with honest lyrics and catchy hooks. In fact, the whole EP follows that lead; Hanson describes writing the album as cathartic and like a therapy session for her. “I haven’t felt this confident since I was very young,” she says. “And I’m guessing that has a lot to do with how open and honest I have been with myself while writing.”

We can only agree. The future for this young artist looks very bright. She is beyond excited to be back on the road again, this time headlining a six-show run. On top of that, she’ll be opening for Lauv in Australia and New Zealand before the end of the year. As Junk continues to gather streams, we can only assume that the singer is continuing to work on her next project behind-the-scenes. If you haven’t gotten a chance to check out Hanson’s music yet, be advised that she has a little something for everybody, so you’re bound to find a track you’ll fall in love with. For the most part, her music follows the styles of pop stars such as Maggie Rogers, Phoebe Ryan, and Nina Nesbitt. Junk and more by Carlie Hanson can be found on all streaming services now.

Written by: Lexie Dopwell, Meg Clemmensen

Photos by: Devyn Vaughan