Hannah Baiardi boldly celebrates the intimate and vulnerable side of sensuality.
The Ann Arbor “sophisti-pop” pianist and singer-songwriter explores the deep spiritual and emotional connection between two fated lovers on her new soulful single, “How Do You Want Your Love.”
“In an era that puts emphasis on ‘hanging it all out there’ in terms of sexuality, I wanted to shift the narrative to be focused on the energy exchange and the aura of seduction,” said Baiardi, a University of Michigan jazz studies alumna.
“‘How Do You Want Your Love’ is claiming our own sensuality and energy … for ourselves first … to revitalize ourselves. In the song, you never see the ‘seer,’ – the gaze – that part is left to the imagination.”
Inside her groovy, piano-driven intimacy anthem, Baiardi uncovers a newfound “How Do You Want Your Love” freedom as instinctive piano, magnetic bass, upbeat electric guitar, soft drums, and warm cymbals spark an undeniable chemistry.
Alongside hypnotic finger snaps and quiet storm rhythms, she sings, “We think there’s one way to show our love/But my love goes beyond touch, words, feels/There’s many places to activate it/Only these words can fail us/But you know what can’t/The charged spaces in between our hands/And the air that stands still when we make it so/Heart racing, suddenly you know.”
“I imagine myself through the eyes of my lover … morning light streaming in, a primal dance of seduction, and the charged energy in between,” Baiardi said. “I play a lot with fantasy and suggestion, hoping it will awaken the ‘Kundalini energy’ within us and ignite something inside us.”
Baiardi recorded “How Do You Want Your Love” with producer Marty Gray and bassist Takashi Iio in Gray’s home studio. The track serves as the third compelling single from her second full-length album, Magic, which dropped May 12 and includes the previously released tracks, “Reason” and “Lot Lot (featuring Joey Hewie).”
“Magic chronicles a journey of self-discovery, rooted in compassion, gratitude, and exploration,” said Baiardi, who draws from jazz, soul, R&B, pop, and world music influences. “The experience of writing the music for Magic was mystical, enchanting, and otherworldly. It grabbed a hold of me, wrote me, and in doing so, released me.”
Baiardi also finds a sense of release in her new video for “How Do You Want Your Love.” Directed by Caitlin Mayernik at the Detroit Artists’ Test Lab, it features two personas of Baiardi, a vulnerable version with a white floral satin robe and a carefree version with a black-clad outfit, wearing vulva-shaped earrings.
“These are very special earrings because they make me feel both empowered and brave, which plays off the yin-and-yang theme of duality also reinforced by the outfits,” she said.
“These earrings, in the shape of vulva, by the Etsy artist The Dreams of Eve, allow us to claim and step into our power. Every step of this (process), from choosing the outfits to the earrings to the poses, made me feel very vulnerable and open, yet liberated.”
Now that “How Do You Want Your Love” has hit streaming platforms, Baiardi is preparing for Magic’s release as well as a June 12 Ann Arbor Summer Fest live show. She’s also continuing to write and record additional new material to showcase her evolution as a rising crossover artist.
“I believe this is an important time for artists to be their true selves and honor their sound, style, and vision,” she said. “I hope to write music that evokes a sense of compassion and light in listeners that lifts them to a higher place.”
For more information on Baiardi’s music, upcoming events, and social media links, visit https://www.hannahbaiardi.com/about
