It took love, heartbreak and a bout of emotional numbness for Dana Lee Hom to put together her first full-length album. Now that she’s ready to release those songs to the public, she feels like the burden of some of her troubles is disappearing.
“My story is still being written, but (this album is) called ‘Almost Gone’ because I feel like these songs have lifted a huge weight off of me and let me start anew,” she said. “They all definitely tie in together … all brought me each a step closer to feeling free.”
And while she may be a rooted with a small-town soul, the Colonie native has big plans in big places. The 18-year-old finished Shaker High School a year early to attend Berklee College of Music and once she officially releases her album on May 6, she’s hoping to finish up her music business and vocal performance dual major a year early so she can move to New York City or Los Angeles.
“I really want to do gigs and travel and grow as an artist,” she said. “I want to be writing and singing and making people happy.”
Hom said while her latest songs are getting “a little more lighthearted and happier,” the eight tracks on “Almost Gone” are more on the heavier side. Experiencing two intense but loving relationships at a young age helped spark Hom’s first real songwriting experience last fall. The baggage from the breakups and losing her innocence, she said, were the catalysts to songs that just kept “pouring out” while sitting at the piano.
“I had all of these ghosts I never dealt with,” she said. “There’s so many different kinds of feelings you’re trying to go through when you’re trying to relinquish them. My songs all encompass that kind of heartache but delve into the deeper facets.”
Those different levels of emotion are what Hom is hoping her listeners will cling to. She said she knows not everyone will like her indie/pop sound, but her lyrics, which “paint memories and touch upon specifics” are what she thinks will be most relatable.
“I think everyone feels sad. I think the beautiful thing about music is that it can unite people who wouldn’t otherwise feel united,” she said. “Love is a kind of universal emotion. Close to everyone has experienced that (when you’ve) lost someone … you feel bottomless, like you can’t breathe … and then you breathe again.”
Hom released a music video with Boston-based company Long Haul Films for one of the album’s tracks, “Grow Old,” last week. Since its debut, the video has racked up close to 11,500 views on YouTube. She said for the video, she really focused on getting the theme of the song across, which is about thinking of growing old with someone.
“You really truly believed you were going to grow old with that person and that it was that simple,” she said. “The song is a good portrayal of being jaded and pure, being a child and being an adult. There’s a huge dichotomy with younger me and older me.”
For the album itself, Hom teamed up with fellow Berklee student Paul Garcia, who aspires to be a producer, and recorded the songs in his apartment. All of the songs feature Hom singing and playing piano, but some tracks include bass, drums, guitar and strings.
Now that the album is finished and ready to release, Hom said she’s working on new material.
“There’s always something to write about, and more opportunity to writing songs as you get older,” she said. “As I get older and find new chapters in my life, I’ll keep writing.”
Hom said she plans to play her music live this summer with some local gigs. To hear Hom’s music, visit facebook.com/danaleehom.