Interview: An Intimate Conversation with Singer-Songwriter Eric Hunker on Creativity, Passion, and Beautiful Endings

With a debut solo album that soared to the #9 spot on the iTunes Singer-Songwriter Top 20 chart, Eric Hunker has captivated audiences with his warm and captivating melodies, honest lyrics, and commitment to creating memorable musical moments. In this interview, we delve into his creative journey, the inspiration behind his upcoming album Beautiful Endings, the intersections between his music and his work in promoting healthy masculinity and consent culture, and much more.

Your debut solo album “All These Little Loves” was very well-received, debuting at #9 on the iTunes Singer-Songwriter Top 20 chart. How did this success influence your approach to creating your upcoming album “Beautiful Endings”?

My first album was a whirlwind. I recorded the whole thing in 2 weeks in a friend’s house in Denver, Colorado. The time from beginning recording to release was a month and a half. I was blown away by how well it was received and people still ask for those old songs at shows today. This time around, I wanted to keep the same urgency and excitement without the rush. It’ll be a year and a half from recording to release. I took all the time I needed to make it exactly what I wanted it to be.

You’ve had the experience of performing both as a solo artist and as part of the duo Eric & Happie. How do these two musical contexts differ for you, and how do they shape your creative process?

I feel really lucky to have written and performed with as a part of Eric & Happie for so many years. It taught me to flow between taking up space and making space when the moment calls for it. Performing as a part of a duo is almost like dancing. Leading and following from moment to moment. Now that I’m relaunching my solo career, I feel a little more free to experiment. Free to try on different sounds and styles without feeling inauthentic. I still look for opportunities to collaborate with artists as often as I can. That energy is still important to me. But releasing this music and touring as a solo artist is what I need right now.

Your music is often described as warm and captivating, with honest and relatable lyrics. Can you share some insights into your songwriting process and how you bring your personal experiences into your music?

I’ve been writing my life down in songs as long as I can remember. It’s the closest I get to meditation. I can think about my joy and pain all day long, but it never comes close to the processing I get from writing. Sometimes you need to say something out loud to understand it for the first time. Usually, when I sit down to write, I’m in the middle of feeling something in particular. Not just sadness, but a really specific moment of sadness. Not just joy, but a moment of joy that stopped me in my tracks. Recently, a lot of that writing time has happened on airplanes. There’s something about being 30,000 ft. above the world. 30,000 ft. above the people waiting for you to respond to texts and emails. It’s just you and the sky and (in my case) a little songwriting journal. You get to know yourself pretty well when you have nothing and no one there to distract you.

Your commitment to creating memorable musical moments with your audience is a central aspect of your performances, and you’ve played some incredible ones like SXSW, Sundance, and even for the United Nations. Could you share an instance where you felt this connection strongly during one of your shows?

On this last run of shows, I was traveling with a 5 piece band. The first show we played was a house concert in Baltimore, MD. It was this old townhouse with 20-foot ceilings in the living room. We packed the whole band and 40 people into the living room and it was just magical. The sun went down and we finished the show with this song off the new album called “So Live It.” It’s about living your life loudly and unapologetically. There we were, shouting the chorus in this packed house. Those are the moments I live for.

You’re known for your belief in treating people with kindness and maintaining a sense of humor, How do these principles translate into your interactions with fans, both on and off the stage?

Life is short and weird and awkward and hard and confusing enough as it is. If being kind and making people laugh can make things a little bit easier for someone, why wouldn’t I do that? I know it’s not as simple as that for most people, but it’s always been my default. Smile often and laugh a lot.

Your upcoming album “Beautiful Endings” is set to be released during a national tour. Could you give us a glimpse into the themes or inspirations behind this album, and how they’ve evolved from your previous work?

This album chronicles ten years of songwriting. In those ten years I fell in love, dated someone for six years, experienced deep loss, and learned a whole hell of a lot along the way. One of the things I learned most intimately is that love doesn’t have to last forever to have been worthwhile. Endings aren’t always tragedies. They can be as beautiful as beginnings and journeys if we allow them to be. This album is very human. I think everyone will hear a little bit of their own lives in these songs. It’s not just the highs and the lows. I tried to walk the line between the two. That space where one song can feel full of love and loss at the same time.

Tell us about the tour. Where can fans find you, what can they expect?

I’m in the middle of confirming a bunch of dates (Orlando, Atlanta, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, New York, LA) around the country. We’ll be playing in venues and bars, living rooms and backyards. You can find all the details at www.erichunker.com/tour

In addition to your music career, you’re also involved in teaching workshops on healthy masculinity and consent culture for teenagers. How did you get involved in this, and how does this work intersect with your identity as a musician?

I’ve been lucky enough to teach at Summer Camps for most of my adult life. Five or six years ago, I was asked to create a curriculum for a Summer Program for teenagers centering around identity exploration. Something that’s been really important to me has been my own journey into understanding why I have or haven’t felt like I had access to worlds of emotion and language in my own life. It’s been really humbling and fulfilling to bring that exploration to young people. I’m just trying to help folks figure out how to live the lives they want to live without feeling like they have to occupy suffocating boxes of gender identity they had no part in building. My music has always come from a place of truth and hope. This feels like an extension of that same spirit.

Your love for traveling, hiking, and the outdoors is evident. How does your connection with nature influence your music, and do you find moments of inspiration while exploring these spaces?

Whenever I’ve had time between touring and gigging in my life, I’ve run to the outdoors. It’s where I think the most clearly. It’s where I feel the most like myself. It’s where I find my inspiration and get my perspective. More than anything, I think it takes removing myself from the white noise of small-talk and technology for me to feel fully able to think deeply. When everything get’s quiet, I get to ask myself questions that matter.

Your goal of leaving your audience feeling better about themselves after your shows is a beautiful sentiment. Can you share a particular fan encounter or feedback that reinforced the impact your music has on people’s lives?

On this last run of shows, we came through Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New Jersey. After the Philly show, someone introduced themselves to me and shared that they had recently gone through a breakup with a long-term partner. They said my music helped them shift their perspective about what that breakup meant. It didn’t feel like a failure on their part anymore. Just a natural part of the way love ebbs and flows. Those moments make all the late nights and long drives worth it.

Thanks for chatting with us! Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Just big love for some thoughtful questions! Thanks for listening to the album, and for spreading the word. The only goal I have for this music is for it to be shared with as many folks as possible. I don’t really dream about big stages or getting rich off some big hit. I dream of people hearing a song and listening to it again and again because it helps them feel something they’ve been needing to feel. That’s the big dream. Thanks for being a part of it.

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