We Interview Empowering Pink Pop Princess HANA2K

We know what you did last summer... and last month, and last week, and last night. Instagram scrolling and self-scrutinizing, that's what. And, look, it's okay, it's not your fault. Because growing up with social media, for girls especially, feels like growing up with a computer chip in your head that's hardwired to tell you that you aren't enough. You aren't popular enough, you aren't skinny enough, you aren't pretty enough.

Well, if this feeling had a face, Welsh pop princess HANA2K's latest single 'Pretty Enough' would punch it right between the eyes. The 18-year-old singing, songwriting and producing talent is as much substance as she is space suit-clad style, using her angelic voice and upbeat sound to deliver an empowering message to our image-obsessed generation.

Following HANA2K's (real name Hana Evans) first headline show, we caught up with the one-to-watch to talk micro pigs, space suits and self-care advice.

Hey Hana, how's it going?

Helloooooooo.

Describe your sound in three words.

Pink pop princess.

You recently performed your first headline show. How did it go?

It was a few weeks ago, and I’m still excited by it! It was a total blast. I jumped around and threw fake money and blow-up micro pigs into the crowd. Just crazy!

I think pretty much every girl in our social media age can relate to 'Pretty Enough.' Can you tell us more about what inspired the song?

I would be getting negative comments about myself that I never asked for, so I wrote the song as a reassurance that sometimes you need to remind yourself that reaching this imaginary idealistic version of perfection is pointless.

Give us your best self-love advice.

Sometimes you feel great and sometimes you feel shit. Stick Britney on and dance around like an idiot or have a bath with a facemask and drink green tea. Everything seems better after a green tea.

We love the artwork of the single. What was the idea behind it?

I just thought, you know what? Why not wear a space suit. Like, if I want to rock up in a space suit, I will. Who cares? The idea was exactly about how it felt when I wore the space suit for the video shoot, on a beach in Barry [Wales]. Everybody stared at me, and asked why, and what was I doing. Some even told me why I was wearing it. It’s exactly what the song is about; it was based on that idea.

Being a singer/songwriter is enough for a lot of artists. Why did you choose to also do your own production?

Because it was a way for me to document and put down my songs without needing to wait on other people. And I can show people the sound I want. Instead of trying to do a terrible acapella version of a drum kick and describe the beat, I could just play it. 

I'm sure a lot of people commend you on how much you've achieved at such a young age. How do you stay motivated?

Because boys keep getting on my nerves I always have content to write about. Hahaha and also, I just enjoy doing music and it has always been as simple as that. 

Who or what are your biggest musical inspirations?

For sure, I'm a massive geek when it comes to music, so for me it would be the names of songwriters and producers – for example Max Martin – that you would find on the back of most billboard hits. I used to research the writers and producers more than the artists!

And finally, predict the future for us. Where will you be this time next year?

On the moon with loads of micro pigs in a sparkly pink space suit doing a headline show on there.

See you there!

Listen to 'Pretty Enough' here.

Next up, we interview Lexie Liu for the Superdry Sounds campaign.