Q&A: Hohnen Ford Grieves Through the Seasons in Latest EP ‘I Wish I Had a God’
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY ELLIE GILBERT- BAIR ☆
“UNTIE THE STITCHES ON MY CUTS AND ALL THE SCARS I COULDN’T COVER UP,” Hohnen Ford pleads in the opening track of her latest EP I Wish I Had A God, which was released this August.
Hailing from North London, Ford is a “songhuman” who effortlessly weaves her training in jazz voice with a love of indie pop, folk, and singer-songwriter classics. “When I’m writing, I try and turn off my theory brain and leave the rationalizing for later,” she says.
Shortly after releasing her debut EP Infinity in February 2023, Ford lost one of her closest friends and mentors, Imogen Shelley Moore. The loss shaped the entirety of her next project. “Songs are what accompany me through life,” says Ford. “It’s how I make sense of the world and how I best relate to people.”
Sifting through the songs she wrote over the year, she selected five that trace how Imogen stuck by her as she “cut her teeth” in love and life. The result: a stunning EP that layers haunting vocals, playful piano motifs, and heart-wrenchingly candid lyrics.
Looking toward the new year, Ford reflects on the seasons, touring across Europe and finding light in music.
LUNA: How did this fall treat you?
FORD: That’s a lovely question! Honestly, every year autumn is a rollercoaster for me. There is something about this season that turns my world on its head. There’s a haunting nostalgia and loneliness to it. Having said that, there are lots of new and exciting things that have been going on. I was on tour with Wasia Project across the UK in November, and then on another small tour around the Netherlands in December. I’ve been traveling and writing so I’m happy.
LUNA: Do the seasons affect you and your work?
FORD: Despite being a Londoner, I am someone who craves sun and long days. The music I listen to and write depends on what happens in my life more than the seasons, but the process is affected.
In the summertime, I’m usually soaking up life, collecting things to write about. Then as we move into winter, I have more time alone to reflect and make sense of things and enter a writing phase. I tend to need a lot of time and perspective to work out how I feel, so the cycle is necessary!
LUNA: Bring us into your creative process. How do you approach writing and performing songs?
FORD: The only constant in my process is that I continue to create irrespective of the weather. It’s so important to carve out time to sit with your own thoughts and at an instrument, even when inspiration doesn’t strike.
Collaboration is a newer element to me. I’ve really enjoyed co-writing over the last year or two — something I’d had no experience with previously. I’ve made great friends along the way and every session feels like a school day: I always come out feeling I’ve learned something.
LUNA: What story of love and life is the EP carrying us through?
FORD: One of trial and tribulation! Of messiness and frustration and compassion. It’s really just touching on the big feelings that I’m trying to understand as a young adult.
LUNA: You’ve said that you chose the five songs on the EP, out of many you wrote in the past year, as a dedication to Imogen. Was this difficult?
FORD: Everything I write feels connected to Imogen in some way as she’s such a big part of me. I wanted to tell these specific stories because of how she helped me navigate the situations each song is about. Since losing her, I’ve been taking a lot of time to recall all the things she taught me, and these songs felt right to live together. Making the EP so closely dedicated to her was a very heavy task at times — but I hope some of her light can be found radiating through it.
LUNA: In the title track, you say “I wish I had a God so you could be here with me.” Tell us more about what this wish means to you.
FORD: I grew up without religion, and grief made me envy those who have a God. I felt if I had a belief system with a God I would be able to understand the grief better and forgive the world a little. I think in these moments, we look for solace in something bigger than ourselves to try and understand.
This recording is actually the demo of this song, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to sing the melody in the bridge or not. When we got there in the take, I felt too in my emotions to sing properly, but I was moving through it.
LUNA: You end the EP with a simple question: “So why’d you wanna waste my time?” Why did you want to leave listeners on this note?
FORD: “Skin Deep” is about being misunderstood and feeling frustrated for not being seen for who you are. It is a feeling that plagued me for a long time, and I felt that it was my own fault for presenting myself in an unclear way. I found some power in turning it ‘round and taking the blame away from myself.
I also wanted to end with this song because there’s a lightness there. I hope it leaves the listener swaying and feeling more empowered than when they first put on the record.
LUNA: You completed your first EU headline tour in September — congratulations! Do you have a favorite memory from tour?
FORD: Thank you! I had such a wonderful time. I was traveling solo but met with many friends on the way! Pure joy. Meeting people who have listened to my songs for years, or days, or who’ve just heard snippets is always a delight — so many kind and generous people to connect with.
There were many highlights. One that stands out was meeting a girl in Hamburg around my own age who had a little cry when we met after the show. Hearing how my songs have accompanied her through her life was such a great reminder of how important it is to put our everything into our art, and how powerful it can be.
LUNA: What’s next for you?
FORD: I’ll be on tour with FINNEAS in the spring! Can’t wait to meet some new faces. I’m also collating the songs for the next project … so the studio is afoot. That’s gonna be good. Feels things are brewing this winter.
