Hana Pestle On A Pedestal

She sat with me by the bar and ate cupcakes after opening for two of the biggest bands in rock history at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. Barely out of high school—charming, charismatic, and only 19—she is Hana Pestle, a singer songwriter from Montana (not to be confused with Hannah Montana, as her name is pronounced like Hoh-na). After touring this summer with Live, Collective Soul, and Blues Traveler and just finishing the last leg of Joshua Radin’s tour, she is now opening for Graham Colton, an artist best known for his song “Best Days” featured on American Idol.

While others her age are leaving for their first semester of college, Pestle released her debut EP, which is produced by former Evanescence member Ben Moody, an artist who has written songs for Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkston. A prequel to her upcoming full-length album, the EP contains 4 songs—3 originals and an extended cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” that makes you forget that someone else ever sang it. The first track, “These Two Hands,” was co-written with Moody and is eerily reminiscent of Evanescence’s first big hit “Bring Me to Life.” The song is about overcoming the fear of the unknown, something that Pestle must feel as such a young, but by no means small, girl playing on a such a big platform. The remaining up-tempo ballad “Just a Phase” and the catchy melody “Together Forever” show maturity beyond her age in vocals as well as lyrically. Pestle also adds contributing backup vocals to a song on Celine Dion’s latest album “Taking Chances” to her impressive resume.

Hanging out with her at Hammerstein, where she played alone on stage with only her guitar—raw and with edge—she turned down a drink at the bar, which says she still retains a sense of normalcy and collectiveness that today’s pop stars often ruin for us as listeners. Her sense of ease and fluidity easily comes across in her music and gleaming personality, as she seemed genuinely pleased to hang out with her fans after performing.

Calling L.A. her home for now, or in whatever city she is playing for the night, Pestle feels she is home wherever her guitar is. Her EP can be purchased on iTunes, and if the EP is a preview, then I’m stoked for the upcoming full-length feature. Watch out—she’s the next big thing.