Today we’d like to introduce you to Erik Newman.
Hi Erik, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Space Hug is a husband and wife team music project, consisting of Erik Newman (Songs/Production) and Adrianne Prettyman (Vocals/Production). We also enlist help from our talented music buddies through the wonders of technology.
Space Hug grew out of friendship, unexpected timing, and a deep love for making music. We were bandmates in a previous project and stayed close through our shared passion for original songwriting and a bond forged over hundreds of gigs together.
When the pandemic brought everything to a halt in the Twin Cities, Adrianne, then a single mom of young twins, found herself without childcare and needing support. She reached out to Erik, and he (nervously) stepped in to help for what was supposed to be a short-term solution during a friend’s time of crisis. That’s when something shifted. The four of us became a family.
We built a home studio, surrounding ourselves with instruments and creativity, and as the world started to reopen, we officially launched Space Hug as our passion project. We reached out to musicians that we trust and respect. We created a space to safely write and record with intention, honesty, and joy. Hot wheel tracks tangled with guitar pedal boards. Stuffed animals padded the drum kit.
Minneapolis, which was our home then, was literally on fire (George Floyd), but rehearsals were that moment where we could all crack a beer, a joke, and a smile. We played across our favorite stages throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul, were featured on local radio, won original music competitions, and watched our videos featured on the Jingle Ball Jumbotron. Our rescue dog, George, was always part of the lineup, right on stage with us, and he continues to be at our side wherever we go.
Tired of the cold and snow, we made a big decision as a family to move. Now based in Hawaii, we still make music together in our musical home, collaborating with friends near and far.
Space Hug is a reflection of who we are. A family, a band, and two best friends writing songs side-by-side.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We’ve been through so many struggles together. We fought through a pandemic together, furloughed jobs, isolation, selling both our homes and planning and executing a move from Minneapolis to Hawaii with two children, our animals, and only the most precious of our belongings, leaving everyone we knew behind for a great adventure together. It’s such a challenge to make such a big move but we were a fantastic team.
Musically, its been difficult to promote and find relevance doing original music. The live music scene has changed over the years to a more cover and tribute band focus. Carving out a niche and finding an audience for original music is very challenging. It is all for the love of creativity and, unlike the music scene of the past, there are no physical music sales to financially support projects, so artists have to foot the bill ourselves. Yet, we have persevered, living on the joy that collaboration brings and knowing that if we do our best work, we will find an audience.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Space Hug music is a joyous collaboration between Erik and Adrianne. We formulate our songs on the couch with a guitar and written lyrics. Erik presents the song and then Adrianne helps adjust the words and melodies interjecting her beautiful skill and love of writing vocal harmonies. We then move into the studio where Erik oversees the building of the song with the input of Adrianne along the way. We enlist friends to track extra parts and stir it all into a tasty musical stew. The journey has both joys and bumps but we usually always come to a place where we are both pleased with the outcome. We release our songs onto listening platforms and promote them the best we can. We think what makes our songs special is the attention to songwriting detail and the wonderful vocal stacking that Adrianne brings to the equation. And of course, we must say thank you to our mainland friends who add their remarkable talents to the blend.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
We have to thank all of our former bandmates and friends who have performed on our songs. Dave Kolar and Cory Eischen (keys), Brett Haugen, Al Bergstrom and Andrew Walls (bass), Ryan Barrett (drums) and C.B. James (cello). They bring their own special sound and make have this knack of making everything…better. We’re grateful for all of our fans, friends and families for listening and supporting us. There isn’t really any financial reward but there is plenty of reward in knowing that people enjoy the songs. They deserve credit and a shout out for supporting original music.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.spacehugmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spacehugmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spacehugmusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@spacehugmusic
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ukbiNSmtJiZA8eLKGjbVM
