In her debut album what a way to pass the time, Ottawa-based indie folk pop artist hannah vig (uncapitalized for artistic reasons) delivers a track list that contains a mix of emotions and musical genres.
Merging into a meaningful journey of self-discovery in your young adulthood, vig does not hold back on what this journey meant to her as she delves into all the lighthearted and nasty feelings that came with it.
What a way to pass the time acts as a follow-up to her EP season change, which explored vig’s experiences dealing with major life transitions and acceptance. The bulk of those tracks were written when she was 19 years old and wanted to convey her conflicting feelings of “being alright” with these changes, when in reality, she was not.
However, the entire album, which was written between August 2023 to August 2024, was not a project that she was set on completing right after her first EP was released.
hannah vig. Photo by Adel Manji.
Her newest album acts as a more developed extension of these themes, tackling the idea that some people aren’t meant to be in your life forever, and to cherish your time with those that are currently there. While there is no succinct genre, the album transitions between indie rock, Americana, and folk pop. “I think it’s a little bit all over the place, which is just very fitting to my personality,” vig jokes.
Songs such as “stitch me up” and “lose it!” exemplify themes of inner rage that can emerge from heartbreak along with catchy guitar melodies and head-banging drums, while softer-toned tracks like “least favourite goodbye” offer a more poignant perspective on letting go of someone you once loved.
While vig’s songs are often reminiscent of her personal experiences, she also emphasizes the importance of representing queer experiences in her music, which resonates with many listeners.
“When I came out, I found that there weren’t a lot of songs that I could find kind of digging into the more awful parts of queer relationships… and no one is talking about these. So I was like, ‘Screw it. I’m just gonna write them,’” she explains. “That’s what I’ve been wanting to do… be that representation.”
Vig also discussed the impact of playing with a backing band, allowing her to explore different sounds and styles compared to her previous acoustic solo sets.
“I find that my favourite niche kind of music that I listen to a lot is the kind of stuff where it’s devastating lyrics, but kind of upbeat melodies. Getting to kind of dive into those sounds more with a band has been a lot easier.”
hannah vig. Photo by Adel Manji.
Vig describes the album’s track list as a chronological progression of when she wrote each of the songs during specific moments of her life within the past year. The opening track “over the moon,” which involves a culmination of upbeat Americana-inspired instrumentals, is a personal song for vig, as the lyrics are juvenile in nature and detail a past romantic experience. However, the title is also inspired by her grandfather, who had kept old tapes of the moon landing that were recovered while vig was recording the song.
“It is just really personal to me because my grandfather passed away some 20 years before I was born. So it does feel very important to me to have that in there,” she says.
Another personal favourite track, “second hand interlude” includes recordings of voicemails that vig’s bassist and friend, Matthew Scharfe, sent to her, acting as a “love letter” to her friends. The dainty, rustic tune is a strong example of the main theme vig wanted to get across in the album: “How else are we supposed to spend the time but loving people and friends and anyone who’s in our life while they’re in it?” she says.
hannah vig. Photo by Adel Manji.
Following the album’s release, vig was featured at Ottawa Bluesfest’s Emerging Artist Showcase, where she got to perform her newest tracks in front of a live audience. Along with her recent win at the Capital Music Awards for Newcomer of the Year in 2024, vig sees her award as a premonition for her current success.
While she wants to let all the excitement from her newest release sink in, she is constantly writing new songs and is already hinting at some new music. “Who’s to say? Time will tell,” she teased.
You can listen to what a way to pass the time wherever you stream your music.
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