R&B singer and songwriter Haben was born in Seattle and her sultry voice is giving her fans something to wait for. Her new EP is almost finished but before we look forward, we take a look back at Haben’s career.
At eleven years old, Haben and her two sisters, under the moniker EriAm Sisters, took the America’s Got Talent stage in 2009 and captivated the audience and earned them a spot in the semi-finals of the show. From then on, Haben knew that she wanted to pursue music full time. “I grew up in a household that never stopped playing music. I felt that it was inevitable for me. I loved Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey.” The R&B maven emulated those stars so much she immersed herself into the R&B scene.
We talked to the budding R&B star about debuting on the scene with her sisters, covering some of the greats, and her sophomore EP.
The Knockturnal: What were your experiences like with America’s Got Talent? Why didn’t you continue to perform with your sisters?
Haben: America’s Got Talent was a dream of mine. In the early days of YouTube, I was watching a lot of American Idol auditions. We auditioned twice, but we didn’t get on until the third time. It was a great experience and loved singing with my sisters. We had a long run singing with each other. They moved out of the music scene and didn’t see it for themselves anymore. I have been writing and dabbling in production since then. Music wasn’t something I could let go of.
The Knockturnal: Did you find it easier going solo then?
Haben: Solo is definitely easier. I know how I feel about songs. It comes down to one opinion. You can follow your heart and express yourself. It is fun performing in a group as well though.
The Knockturnal: How did growing up in Seattle inspire your music?
Haben: I did a lot of shows around Seattle when I was younger. It’s the most supportive community to have around me. The weather had a huge impact on the kind of music I made. It was a mood I fell in love with. I was making songs about break ups before I had a boyfriend. It’s a lot of sad deep feelings and stories that I was told as a kid. There’s no pressure to be anyone here either. I got supported at a really young age. I feel very free here.
The Knockturnal: Do you ever plan on leaving Seattle?
Haben: Actually, last year was my official move out from the area. I’m in Los Angeles now.
The Knockturnal: Any special highlights or achievements you would like to share?
Haben: I released my first solo project, which is was a big deal for me. Now, I’m experimenting and excited to put more stuff out.
The Knockturnal: Your covers contain a lot of soul, especially in your voice. What will you bring to the R&B genre?
Haben: I had a karaoke machine with Whitney, Mariah, and Christina songs on it. That was probably the origin story of my voice. I love knowing that I can do harmonies and I want to be tasteful as I can and fuse as many other sounds with R&B as I can. I grew up on a lot of other genres. It’s important to further experiment with the future R&B that’s coming up.
The Knockturnal: Do you enjoy covers versus original material?
Haben: I learned a lot about my voice through covers. There is fun there, but there’s nothing like writing your own material.
The Knockturnal: Your sophomore EP is due out this Spring. How would you describe it?
Haben: This is the most experimenting I’ve ever done in music. I’ve been isolated in my music up until this project. I’ve worked with a lot of different collaborators and producers. It has been pushing me into places I haven’t gone yet. I think we are 80 percent done.
The Knockturnal: Will you be touring behind the new EP?
Haben: That is the goal. I want to tour. I did my first tour this past year. I had the best time vibing with the audience. It’s so much fun than being in the studio.