Hanna Barakat

ORIGINAL MUSIC:

Hanna Barakat is a Lebanese-American singer/songwriter/guitarist, graduate of Berklee College of Music and international performer. Influenced and inspired by hard rock and popular music styles, Hanna’s unique style merges Arabic/oriental influences for powerful and genuine connection with her audience. Socially and politically charged, her passion-driven compositions and performances often add Arabic ornamentation, as well as other musical influences to transcend language and borders to touch the heart.

COVER MUSIC:

Hanna Barakat is an experienced international performer, with a vast repertoire under her belt. She offers a solo, duo, and full band act, for private parties, gallery openings, weddings, hotels, and pub/restaurant/cafe events! Whatever you need, it can be accommodated!

With such versatility and extensive experience, Hanna has the ability to tailor the performance to your desired audience and clientele, perform many genres of music, from R&B to Country to Pop/Rock to heavy Rock and Roll and soft jazz.

Hanna's repertoire has songs from artists such as Michael Jackson, Janis Joplin, The Beatles, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Adele, Neal Young, Tracy Chapman, Bob Marley, Aerosmith, Bruno Mars, Jewel, Gavin DeGraw, Lykki Li, Ben L’Oncle Soul, Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, John Legend, Whitney Houston, Radiohead, Police, Chris Isaak, Hooverphonic, Aerosmith, Maroon 5, Ray Charles, Gotye, Aloe Blacc, Old Crow Medicine Show, and many more!

Special requests can be accommodated, with advanced notice.

LIVE SAMPLES:
- Hanna + Lisa Duo Setup:
- Mozart’s Coffee Roaster - Austin, TX - https://fb.watch/7Cr3546sse/

- Trio Act, Full Electric Setup:
- Hanna Barakat Trio Live @ Meanwhile Brewing, Austin, TX: https://www.facebook.com/hannabarakatmusic/videos/3056193284625944

- Full Band, Full Electric Setup:
- McGarveys - Altoona PA (Original and Cover Mix Set) - https://fb.watch/7Cqb-zQgqc/

- Full Band, Smaller Electric Setup:
- Balsam Falls Brewing Co., Sylva NC - The Hills - The Weekend Cover - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Bi3WASSuZtftnM6JFSUdHeZswPg8LSOB/view?usp=sharing

- Acoustic Set Ups:
- Bombshell Beer Company - Holly Spring NC - Pink - What About Us Cover - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KiNR3C1Jam3HES0-FvB2gfFfikhnpT0a/view
- The Pourhouse Record Shop - Raleigh NC (Original and Cover Mix Set) - https://fb.watch/7CqoWWaZuE/

- Pop Up Performances:
- "Leave Your Light On" - Original Pop Up Performance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJoa4Ym_2Co

- In Studio Original Performances:
- "Cycle" - Live Full Band Studio Performance - https://youtu.be/1N2fCwLhoRY
- "In The Night" - Live Full Band Acoustic Performance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EraQ-LpyUN8

Debuting her singing talents as a child from under dining tables at family gatherings, Hanna’s innate passion lead her on great adventures, opening doors to opportunities such as performing at the TD Bank North Gardens Stadium with the New Kids on the Block for their comeback tour, facing a sold out 37,000 person stadium.

While attending Berklee College of Music, Hanna was finally able to dive into Arabic music through the middle eastern fusion ensemble. From there, she performed with distinguished artists such as Simone Shaheen, Bassam Saba, Erkan Ogur, and Laço Tayfa’s Hüsnü Şenlendirici. Hanna personally directed and performed in the group representing the Middle East in the Berklee International Folk Festival. Hanna also performed and worked alongside artists such as Paula Cole, Don Was, Philip Bailey, Lailah Hathaway, Burt Bacharach, and many others. It was at that pivotal time in Hanna’s musical journey that she realized she had to find a way to join rock music, which she loved so much, with influences from the Arab world, whether that be through Arab instrumentation, the language, or with ornamentation and infections in her vocal melodies.

Barakat’s unique style merges Arab-oriental influences, as well as hard rock, for powerful and genuine connections with her audience. Socially and politically charged, her passion-driven compositions and performances often add eastern ornamentation, as well as other musical influences to transcend language and borders to touch the heart. “It is amazing to see musicians from various backgrounds, religions, mindsets, prejudices, and upbringing, that would normally separate them, join together and produce such brilliant sounds,” says Barakat.  “Those unique situations are the fertilizer for peaceful soil, and this Earth needs much more of that.” She aims to connect with others, both those displaced from their homelands, being influenced by multiple cultures around them, while simultaneously reaching mainstream audiences that appreciate writings of personal encounters, relationships, life issues, and, of course, love.

After graduation, Hanna headlined at the Boston House of Blues main stage before moving to Beirut, Lebanon, to pursue two of her true loves: music and the Arabic language. Hanna was well received and performed her original rock fusion music throughout the region, namely at Beirut’s Hard Rock Cafe. From there, the world has been her stage, traveling, and performing across the Middle East, Canada, Mexico, and the United States, where she currently calls Austin, Texas, home.

Influenced and inspired by hard rock and popular music styles, Hanna combines Eastern music with contemporary Western music, demonstrating her own varied cultural background while connecting with others – both those displaced from their homelands and influenced by multiple cultures around them, and mainstream audiences that appreciate writings of personal encounters, relationships, life issues, circumstances and, of course, love. The simple concept of combining world music styles (Eastern Rock Fusion) allows for intercultural connections among the musicians as well.

“It is amazing to see young adults from various backgrounds, religions, mindsets, prejudices, etc. that would normally separate them, join together and produce such brilliant sounds… Those unique situations are the fertilizer for peaceful soil… and this Earth needs much of that.” –Hanna Barakat

EXPERIENCE

International Vocal and Instrumental Performance Artist
USA, Canada, Lebanon, Mexico — 2010 – present

Musical Director | Songwriter | Lead Singer | Manager 
Booking and performing solo, duo, or with a full band for public venues, private & corporate events, weddings and festivals. Original music as well as cover acts, tailored to occasion.

Yo Team Assistant – Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts — 2008-2010
Working with executive producers Rob Rose and Ken Zambello on all musical events held at and for Berklee College, managing back stage productions, auditioning singers and players for major productions, emceeing events and acting as personal assistant for all guest artists on location.

EDUCATION
Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA — Songwriting, 2010

PERFORMED WITH:
The New Kids On the Block - Boston, MA, Providence, RI, & Uncasville, CT
Don Was, Paula Cole, Kirk Franklin, Erkan Ogur, Bassam Saba, Simon Shaheen, Husnu Şenlendirici, Atlas Soul, The New York
Gypsy All-Stars & the Berklee Middle Eastern All-Stars

NOTEWORTHY VENUES:
Texas: Come and Take it Live, Dirty Dog, The Parish, Uber Radio Live Stage at Austin City Limits Music Festival, Red Gorilla Music Festival, The Lights Fest, Pecan Street Festival, Vulcan Gas Company, Craft Pride, The Blackheart, HAAM Day
New England: TD Banknorth Gardens, Mohegan Sun, Providence Civic Center, House of Blues, Boston University Agganis Arena, Berklee Performance Center, Berklee Cafe @ 939, Berklee David Friend Recital Hall, Berklee LOFT, Church of Boston, All Asia, Fisher College, Harvard University
NYC: Webster Hall, Carnegie Hall, Bowery Poetry Club, Knitting Factory, Bowery Electric, Queens International Night Market,  Rockwood Music Hall

Mexico: San Miguel Sound International Festival, SMA Food Festival 

Canada: Heart & Crown (Byward Market & Preston St.), Rainbow Bistro, Woody’s, Peter Devine’s, Schnitzels, Bay Street Bistro & Bar, The Glen, Pour House/Aulde Dubliner, Highlander Pub, Royal Oaks (multiple locations), Pub 101,  Barley Mow (Barrhaven), Deacon Brodie's

Middle East: Hard Rock Cafe - Beirut, Razz’zz Jazz Bar, Hotel Le Grey, Dany’s, Walimat Wardeh, Captain’s Cabin, Grafitti, Name this Bar, Knock On Wood, G. Bar, Oaks

RECORDED WITH:
John Moyer - Disturbed
Tim Palmer - '62 Studios
Omar Vallejo - 512 Studios
Johnny Hooper - Hooper Music Productions
Sabi Saltiel - Gevrec Music Production

FEATURE FILM APPEARANCE
“The Alamo,” featuring Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton, Austin, TX, 2003.

TELEVISION APPEARANCES
VHI Concert Series: New Kids On the Block at the TD Banknorth Gardens, Boston, MA; background vocalist

RADIO APPEARANCES
Radio Disney, Dallas, TX; record theme jingle for the radio show produced by John Hooper

HONORS & AWARDS
Indie International Songwriting Contest 2016, 1st Place Winner for Original Rock composition, “Cycle”, 2016
Indi.com and America's Got Talent, Judge's Pick, Los Angeles Castings 2016 original song challenge, and a front of the line pass to audition live for the producers
Indi.com Judge's Pick, Original Rock Challenge, 2016Music I/O Online Song Challenge, 2015 – 3rd Place in all categories
Music I/O Online Rock Challenge, 1st Place, 2015
Berklee College of Music – Songs for Social Change Runner-Up, original "Cycle," 2010
Berklee College of Music – Women Musicians Network Competition Winner, original "Cycle," Student Ambassador, 2010
Berklee College of Music – Substance Abuse Awareness Competition Finalist, original "Let Go," 2010
Berklee College of Music – Songwriting Department Annual Competition Winner, original "Cycle," 2010
Berklee College of Music – Walter W. Harp Liberal Arts Music & Society Award, Excellence Award, 2010
Berklee College of Music – Lester Lanin Endowed Scholarship, 2010
Berklee College of Music – Jack Maher Award, Songwriting Department, 2010
Berklee College of Music – Performer/Songwriter Competition Winner, original "Wanting to Go Home," Songwriting Department, 2009
Berklee College of Music – Berklee Achievement Based Scholarship, 2009-2010
Berklee College of Music - Dean's List 2007-2010

Hanna performs through a TC Helicon VoiceLive 3 Extreme vocal and guitar effects processor that allows her to utilize natural vocal harmonies, as well as embellish guitar effects, as songs demand. For smaller venues and private events, requesting Solo/Duo acts, Hanna can provide her own professional PA system for her act. For larger events, requesting full band, a full PA system with at least 8 channels will be required. Lighting is not provided, at this time.