REVIEW: Hannah Stokes is Right Where She Belongs
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY JESSICA BATTISTI ☆
IT’S EVIDENT THAT ORLANDO-BASED MUSICIAN HANNAH STOKES IS MASTERING HER SOUND through her debut full-length album Right Where I Belong—an easy-going, groovy portrait of self discovery, creative exploration and identity—wrapped up in a bossa-fied bow.
It’s hard to not get lost in the singer-songwriter’s signature sound. Produced by Jordan Morales of Raised Eden Records and performed with her full band, the album is a cohesive love affair of folk, soul, classic R&B, bossa nova and jazz, partnered with the serenity of Stokes’ vocals. Stokes enters a “flow state” throughout the 10 track sequence, transporting you to the front of the crowd at your favorite local hole-in-the-wall venue.
Stokes—comparable to the likes of Olivia Dean and Norah Jones—channels her many influences on the debut; from Emily King and Lianne La Havas, to Joni Mitchell and Aretha Franklin. However, Stokes’ niche sound is rooted in her years of training in classical music, time in musical theater and admiration for Motown classics.
From her 2022 EP Hollow Bones, Stokes’ growth on the debut is made notable through the strength in her cadence; embracing more of the maturity and sultriness of her voice and the inflections that make soul so addictive.
Tracks like “Waste Time,” “We Two,” and her cover of “Say a Little Prayer” by Aretha Franklin are absolute standouts. Stokes captures her experiences of young womanhood across the past decade and beyond—detailing the emotional clarity that comes with the post-grad maturity of your mid to late 20s. Stokes gets more intimate as the album progresses, with tracks like “Landscapes,” reflecting on inner change and grieving a past love, or pursuing an illusive “grand destiny” on “Glory.” “Crazy Woman,” the second to last on the track list, hits home. She sings:
“But I’m tired of being scared/ Of being angry/ Carrying the weight/ It gets so heavy/ And maybe this is what they mean/ When they cry ‘crazy f*cking woman’/ Maybe this is what they say when they mean a woman.”
Outside of her own artistry, Stokes is a cornerstone of the local indie scene. She serves as a talent curator by hosting events across Orlando, from her “Inspired By” series to “Songwriters Rising,” where she platforms local musicians across different venues and coffeehouses. These pieces of Orlando are littered throughout the album, from the album cover shot in the downtown area to her track “Within the Year,” recorded live from Will’s Pub—a live music venue, bar and community staple in Orlando’s cultural powerhouse, the Mills 50 neighborhood.
As the album wraps with a cover of “My Favorite Things” by Julie Andrews, it is clear that Stokes’ “favorite things” (or perhaps favorite genres and techniques) are what drives her music home. This deep-rooted love and respect for soul, jazz and folk and the artistry and intimacy required to execute it well is channeled across the entire record.
