Breezy Love Recording Session

In Love’s song, Hangin’ on Life, a teenager is trying to decide whether or not to attend college and what to do with her life. The character feels like she is, “Hanging on life like it’s some kind of rope, whipped in the wind, beaten and thrown.” The song is about knowing when to hang on and when to let go of the things that don’t serve you. Full lyrics are available here.

Here is the song as Love submitted it in spring 2019: That song was the starting point for Love’s weekend workshop in August with her mentor César Alvarez and music director Patrick Sulken.

 

Below is a video of the final song with scenes from the recording session.

The professional ensemble for Love’s song is listed on the program page and features Jessie Shelton who is with the Broadway production of Hadestown. Bios for Alvarez and Sulken are posted here.

 

Download hi-res image »

A young women sits in a desk chair in front of a large soundboard in a recording studio, looking at a computer monitor. Standing around her are three men, adjusting the controls. In the background, beside a couch, stands a young man with a ponytail lookin
Audio engineers Ian Kagey and Thom Beemer with Breezy Love and music director Patrick Sulken. Photo by Natalie Powers.

 

Download hi-res image »

Four women and three men stand center frame in a recording studio, arms around each other, smiling.
Love with her mentor Cesar Alvarez (1st of left) and Patrick Sulken join with their vocal team Lexi Rabadi, Matt Farcher, Renee Marino, and Jessie Shelton. Shelton is with Hadestown. Photo by Natalie Powers.

 
Download hi-res image »

Three young women sit close to one another in a recording studio, next to a desk, smiling for a photo.
Akira Sky, Tessa Barcelo, and Love hang out in the control booth. Photo by Natalie Powers.

 
Download hi-res image »

A young woman sits next to a bald man on a couch in a recording studio, speaking to him.
Love consults with Alvarez in the control booth. Photo by Natalie Powers.


In an interview after her recording session, Love said,

“What really surprised me was when Jessie Shelton, the actress who was able to sing my song, performed it, the song hit me in a completely different way. I was able to feel it emotionally to a new capacity that I hadn’t been able to hear when I, myself, was singing it, maybe because I took a step back, and I was able to listen from the outside, and all the lyrics were interpreted in a different way that I never thought of, and it brought me to tears.”

Additional photos and b-roll are available upon request by emailing hutterv@arts.gov.