Exploring Life & Business with Hannah Laine of Seed Sound Studios

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Laine. 

Hi Hannah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I’ve been singing and songwriting since I was a little kid, taking inspiration from my father – Jeff Schroeder – who always brought people together to sing at family gatherings and performed locally. Singing has always been a very spiritual experience for me and seemed to help me connect to my soul and express my emotions as a kid. Songwriting was and still is a kind of therapy for me to process what I’m going through and create something beautiful and moving out of some emotionally turbulent experiences. I was a pretty shy kid, but yet very performative around my close friends. I think the stage has always called to me, providing me a space to truly shine as my weird, dramatic, and emotive self without the societal pressures of “fitting in” socially. 

Music was a huge part of my life and my biggest passion throughout grade school. I was lucky to have great mentors and art programs at Rockford High School that gave me a solid foundation in classical singing technique and music theory – though in my angsty teenage years I just wanted to sing pop tunes and write songs about what I thought love was! My eyes and ears opened up in college as I was introduced to new genres and cultures of music, which opened my mind to new avenues of songwriting. I joined an a cappella group – the ICONIC MSU group Capital Green – and created lasting friendships through song. During my senior year, I felt called to dive deeper into my own songwriting and started performing as a singer-songwriter in East Lansing. Through these performances, I met other musicians who attended MSU and eventually introduced me to my now bandmates. After graduation, I was persuaded by a friend, Jeff Oxford, and encouraged by my partner and family to record an EP, which I released in 2017, titled Cut Your Strings. Justin Avdek (bass), played on this EP and we started playing as a duo around Michigan. A few months later, Justin invited me to record with him, Dutcher Snedeker (keys), and Mario Copeland (drums), and thus formed Earth Radio. For the past 5 years, Earth Radio has been playing all around Michigan and the Great Lakes regions. We’ve released 3 albums, and a 4th is on its way! 

It’s been an incredible journey of personal growth, dedication, and camaraderie. After all of these years, I find myself now as a full-time musician. Although the pandemic threw us all off course, I am grateful to have had the time to study the voice and deepen my connection with my own. I’ve had many opportunities this year to perform at some wonderful Michigan music festivals and create meaningful connections in this community. This year, I also celebrated the opening of my very own studio for Vocal Empowerment Coaching – Seed Sound Studios! I feel so fortunate to be able to spend this life creating art, singing in beautiful places, and empowering others to find their voices as well. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’m not sure if a smooth road truly exists! Living as a musician in this society certainly has its ups and downs. Being self-employed, my bandmates and I have had to take on many roles. We manage everything ourselves – booking, promoting, social media, accounting, event coordinating, sometimes running sound, tour managing, creating music, recording, producing, rehearsing, performing, etc – on top of juggling other gigs and jobs to make ends meet. It is a lot to do on our own. I think the dream of most musicians is to have the means to be able to hire someone to take care of the business aspects so that we can focus on what we feel matters most – the music. Creative differences have also been a struggle, but I think in the end when we’ve found middle ground, the music has become more genuine and impactful. 

On a personal note, I have struggled more recently with sinking into my creative practice, having multiple projects to juggle on top of a jam-packed gig schedule. Balance is really important to me, so that is something I am always aware of and working towards, but it can be stressful when things feel topsy-turvy. I am feeling that with the change in seasons, I’ll be able to slow down, sink into a balanced flow, and adapt to this new way of life (post-pandemic). 

As you know, we’re big fans of Seed Sound Studios. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I started Seed Sound Studios in March 2022, for Vocal Empowerment Coaching. I had been giving voice and piano lessons for about 5 years and realized that my approach to vocal coaching was unique in that I am able to lean into the healing element of singing and utilize techniques that have helped me in my own singing journey to help others connect with their voices on a deeper level. As someone who is so passionate about singing and performing and obsessed with learning more about the amazing apparatus of the voice and sound healing, I am dedicated to diving deeper and bringing what I find to the surface to share with those who wish to learn. I also love being able to support and hold space for others as they are exploring their own voices. The breakthrough moments are awesome to witness! I’ve heard that a person’s purpose is to share with others the light and wisdom that healed you. That is exactly how I feel about singing, performing, and Vocal Empowerment Coaching. Seed Sound is a space where I can share this more deeply and support each individual person through their own evolution. 

Our grand opening is December 8th from 6-9 pm! 

Located at 1415 Plainfield Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505 

What matters most to you?
I think about this often, especially during these times of uncertainty with social & political unrest and climate change, and the word that comes up the most frequently is “community.” Community is the way we are going to get through hard times. Community will keep us alive. Community is where we will find support when things fall apart in our lives. Community is like the roots of trees that pass nutrients around to make sure everyone is supported and getting what they need, communicates when there is a threat nearby, and binds everyone together when storms arise. If we have a strong root system, we can make it through and build a better world for everyone. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hannahlainemusic.com/vocal-coaching
• Instagram: @hannahlainemusic, @seedsoundstudios
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/hannahlainemusic, www.facebook.com/seedsoundstudios
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzqXq2i6UuGZzG-AdWb5QoA
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7dO2R7fGaTuTyueMgTdqxN?si=STodJ2eYQrm1gPsyH6VheQ

Image Credits
Loren Johnson
Sunfire Studios
Robby Fischer
Carrie Malleaux