by brittany and everly ormiston
photo by stephanie siau
Singer/songwriter Caleb Hearn wears his soul on his sleeve through reflective lyricism, captivating vocals, and an effortless blend of folk and indie pop. In past tracks, he zeroed in on relationships and lessons learned. Caleb digs even deeper with his new EP 1200 sq ft by uncovering his family roots, and telling his story from childhood to present day. The project as a whole displays an organic sound with an acoustic guitar leading the way. With the elegant instrumentals and Caleb’s soft yet powerful vocals, the message of each track is crystal clear to listeners. Through his unmatched artistry and undeniable talent, Caleb is paving his way through the music industry and making it known he is here to stay.
Your new EP 1200 sq ft is now out in the world! Describe how you are feeling in three words.
Caleb: “Excited, eager, and nervous.”
There was a Zoom release party for your new EP. Tell us about a few moments you shared with your supporters during that time.
Caleb: “For most of the recent releases, I’ve been doing release parties, and they’re one of my favorite parts about releasing new music because I get to interact with my fans face-to-face. On Zoom, I played everyone the new EP and watched their live reaction to hearing the songs I’ve been waiting to share with them for so long. In addition to sharing the music, I told everyone the story and inspiration behind each song, making it feel more intimate despite being online. I also teased some future releases to get fans excited about what's to come!”
Thinking back to the creation of 1200 sq ft, what is your most treasured memory?
Caleb: “My favorite memory was sitting with Marc Scibilia in the studio and listening to the finished version of the song together. Marc and I quickly became friends throughout the song-creation process, and it was extremely special to sit with him and listen to what we created. I also got to perfect the song with him in real time, which was super cool since I usually send my notes to collaborators online.
Similar to your songwriting, John-Luke Carter (p/k/a Mokita) utilizes honest storytelling and illustrates personal life experiences. Describe the time you spent working with Mokita to create “1 day you will.”
Caleb: “It was incredible working with Mokita since we clicked instantly, and writing with him felt very natural. We finished most of the song during the first session we had together, and then I met with him again to finish the song. I worked closely with him throughout the entire process, and I’ll hopefully create more projects with him in the future.”
The music video for “1200 square feet” perfectly depicts the emotions centered around your childhood home, and when your parents separated. Viewers can feel the love to heartbreak timeline through the acting and cinematography. What was the creative process for this video, and how did you provide direction for it?
Caleb: “The concept for the music video stemmed from an idea I had about depicting my childhood through a child actor. I met with the director, Maya Sassoon, about this concept, and we brainstormed my childhood memories. After doing this a few times together, Maya was able to weave them together to create a plot for the video. The video is extremely special to me because even though the content is displayed through an actor, the scenes are very genuine to what I went through.”
The lyric “it was only 1200 square feet / it wasn’t much / but it was enough for me” references being thankful and appreciative for what you have. How did your upbringing affect how you navigate life today?
Caleb: “So much of who I am is because of the people I grew up around and the experiences I had as a child. Honestly, I didn’t have the most perfect childhood, and there were certainly negative parts. However, I’ve realized that there is just as much I can learn from the negative aspects of my upbringing as I can from the positive. I look to different experiences I had as a child as examples of what to apply — or not to apply — to my life.”
Who do you consider to be your biggest role model(s) and/or inspiration(s) for the music you create?
Caleb: “I look up to many different artists for inspiration depending on what aspect of the process I’m working on, but one of my biggest inspirations is NF. I have a lot of respect for how vulnerable he is and how he isn’t afraid to push any boundaries. I also am inspired by artists including Justin Bieber, Lewis Capaldi, and John Mayer.”
You have had several life-altering experiences over the years, and know what it is like when everything changes at a moment’s notice. What are a few ways you stay present in the moment, and allow yourself to enjoy the little things?
Caleb: “Recently, I’ve prioritized spending more time with the people I love since I realized how short life is and how easy it is for my career to consume me. I realized that if I constantly work on music, I won’t have anything to write about because I’ll never experience anything. Switching my mindset to understand the importance of fully living life definitely helped me become more present.”