Meet Nathan Hanson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nathan Hanson.

Hi Nathan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! My name is Nathan Hanson, also known as Nate or my producer “alias”, n8than/prodby8than. I’m from a small town; Canton, Connecticut. Ever since I was young, I always considered myself an athletic individual rather than a creative one. I grew up playing soccer throughout my whole life but it wasn’t until college that I discovered a new-found passion for producing music and being more of a creative individual. I went to college at Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI.

I originally majored in Marine Biology and quickly realized that was not the route that I wanted to go down. I found a new family in my close friend group where I started to get into photography, videography, fashion, and everything in between. As a final project for one of my core art classes, we had to present something of art to our class. My professor explained that art is a lifestyle and is in everything around us. For instance, we could have brought in a branch off a tree and if we could explain and defend how this could be considered art, then we would still ace the final project. Wanting to do something different and because I wasn’t good at drawing or painting, I had the idea to create a beat as my final project since music has so heavily impacted my life.

Eventually, things took off and I quickly discovered that I had a new passion, talent, and good ear for making music. I started making beats on garage band. Eventually, as a Christmas gift, I received an Alesis keyboard that came with a free trial of Ableton, and did everything I could to learn the digital audio workstation (DAW) like the back of my hand. I fell in love with making music and the gratification of truly creating something. For the next couple of years, I continued to practice, study, and learn all things music.

I began to navigate the road of turning a hobby into a profession while working full-time for different companies in Marketing (the B.S. degree I ended up graduating with). All of that has led me to where I am today, along with all the support I receive to this day from my friends and family. While I’m still on the cusp of turning a hobby into a profession, I’ve come a long way from the 20-year-old kid who wanted to make a beat for a final art project.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been the furthest thing from a smooth road. I think there are a lot of struggles and road bumps when it comes to pursuing anything in a creative field. At first, one of the things I struggled with most was the opinions of others. For the longest time and when I was first trying to learn the ropes and develop my sound, I often focused on how I thought others would feel about the music that I made. I found myself trying to make music that I thought other people would like, rather than focusing on what I liked. Eventually, I got over this and whether or not people like what I make, I’m happy with what I make as long as I like it.

I think another thing that I struggled with was being vulnerable. Whether I liked it or not, for people to discover me and my music, I had to put myself out there for the world. When releasing music or marketing myself on social media (filming me making beats, posting a beat I made, etc.), I was never that comfortable on camera and I wasn’t sure of how I felt about other people (whether I knew them or not) watching things that I enjoy doing. I felt like there was this huge sense of vulnerability that I wasn’t able to accept for a while which made things even more difficult for me. At the end of the day, it was something that I had to come to terms with. For people to know me, I had to put myself out there more. It was a big relief to accept that I can’t control how other people view me and that no matter what, everyone will have their own opinions of me.

On a similar note, having confidence in what I make was also something I struggled with. I think I still struggle with it today. Being a member of the producer community, it’s so hard not to become overwhelmed with everything going on. I’m an active social media user on pretty much every platform, so every day I compare myself to other producers, question my creations, and overthink a ton. But, I think this is a commonality among creators…of anything.

Another thing I struggled with was having too much knowledge of how music is made, and so often I would get discouraged. I would get so discouraged because there were popular songs coming out that I could have made years ago. I became almost too aware of how songs were made and it diminished the value of it to me…because it was so obtainable. Eventually, I matured and shifted my mindset; I realized it was holding me back thinking like this. I realized that I would complain about what I heard, things I didn’t like in a beat/song. But it took me a while to realize, “I didn’t make that”. “I’m not the one who made that beat, someone else did.”

So, what sounds good to me doesn’t necessarily sound good to them. I think becoming aware of how music is made, and what sounds are used, you slowly realize that it’s not necessarily about how many sounds you put in a beat or the “correct” way to make something, it’s more about how you use certain sounds and the end product. Goes back to the point earlier, if I created something I like, then that’s the best I can do.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a producer/beatmaker. Primarily, I make beats in the style of hip-hop, rap, trap, melodic rap, hyperpop, alternative, etc.

I like to consider myself more into the underground sound rather than the popular sound, although I can do it all. For specifics, I make a lot of beats inspired by Lil Uzi Vert, Juice Wrld, Showjoe, Dro Kenji, Tuxx, Aries, DezPierre, Rich Amiri, KayCyy, TyFontaine, and so many more artists. Some are more popular than others, but all similar sounding to an extent.

For more context, my favorite producers whose sound I hope to emulate in some fashion are Nick Mira, Wondagurl, TM88, Southside, Rio Leyva, SupahMario, KimJ, Mike Hector, and too many others to name.

What sets me apart from others is my ear for detail. I like the small nuances of things and I try and incorporate that in the music that I produce.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I’m a huge soccer fan.

I watch every English Premier League game. I’m a Manchester United fan. I’m also really into gaming and the Apex Legends Community. It’s a nice way to take my mind off work and the pressure of being creative.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://n8thansworld.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prodbyn8than/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/prodbyn8than
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9xhVM5uxp0H43yL_VE6rIA
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/prodbyn8than

Image Credits
Gabe Garza