Meet Korian Hannah | CEO, Musician, Photographer, Videographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Korian Hannah and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Korian, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
Over the years some habits that I have built up to become successful are having time management skills, showing up for rehearsals and gigs which includes giving myself time to set up or to find parking when it is not prioritized for the band. Being prepared in advance also helps with time management. I am constantly thinking of ways to better myself, therefore on a daily basis I am researching, watching youtube videos, or talking to a mentor about ways to better my craft is a habit that I found to enjoy. A very important one is, not overplaying my part. A lot of times musicians have a tendency to play to much when its not their time to shine, so practicing self-control while playing has become intentional and important also while remembering to compliment fellow musicians on the stage. I pride myself on always demonstrating respesct, professionalism and self-confidence, for a time in my life these attributes were lacking and this habit has helped when interacting with the fans and our listeners and be sure to engage with them during performances and include them in my social media presence.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Anything worth having, never comes easy. There are many people and situations that have led to where I am today professionally. First off, I had a great foundation when I was asked to be a part of the Trueway Gospel Singer (Gospel Quartet) at the young age of 8. It was with this powerhouse singing group that I learned how to be a part of a group and play my part. I learned how to live life on the go. I have always had a love for the drums and I began playing the drums when I was 6 years old at my church. I remember my church had bought a Tama drum set and I had to put it together. I had no idea what I was doing LOL. At the time buying a drum set came with a VHS Cassette tape that explained in detail the parts of the drums and how to assemble a drum set. It was then I was introduced to one of my favorite drummers, Mike Portnoy. I took a lot of his playing, incorporated it with my playing and that is how I began learning more about being a drummer. However, by the time I was in middle school, is when I was introduced to the sousaphone. My teacher, Mr. Edward Gooding, encouraged me to play the sousa phone because he needed a “BIG GUY” to hold the instrument. I carried on playing sousaphone through highschool and It was during my time as a Spartan band where my time management skills were perfected. This discipline carried over to my enrollment at Myles College where I put the sousaphone down and decided to take playing drums more serious. As an adult, I ventured out to play in different settings to learn a variety of styles of music starting at what became my church home St. Peters MBC, where I have been there only drummer for 12 years. During my time here, I have met people that have contributed to my current success. Reaching out to my musician colleagues to help with recording music, whether it was to play a part in the recording or asking for engineering advice. Being open for criticism on how I performed and what I can do to better my playing, My oldest brother Avery Hannah, made himself available for live recording sessions, mixing and sound engineering on different projects I have produced. When out supporting other artist I’m always paying attention to what is being played and making connections and connecting other musicians/artist to one another. As a full time musician, my pastor has secured my position as their drummer when opportunities to tour and travel has presented itself. I was able to to gain this exposure and network peacefully, knowing my fulltime gig was available when I returned. Travelling the East Coast and some of the West Coast have allowed me to experience music from different parts of the world to widen my library of music.

These experiences have taught me to never give up on a dream and blessing comes in many ways. The music industry can bring great friendships’ and it can also show those against you. As a musician you have to have tough skin, and handle rejection. I also learned that rejection is not a denial, but a door closed that I was never meant to enter. That has made me learn different approaches to situations.

The most important thing to me I want the world to know about me and my brand is, I am not only a drummer, I am a husband, father, sound engineer, photographer, videographer, barber, creator, CEO, and so much more. So When you see or hear aDrummerslove Production LLC just know that it is the thing I love and enjoy doing that allow me to be me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, I am not one who really hangs out a lot however if I had some friends in town and I wanted to show them a good time, I would take them to some of the venues that I perform in. Places like Lagniappe in the midtown area, The Gibson room in Coral Way, Mickey Burkes on South Beach, and Magic 13 Brewing just to name a few. All of these places are great environments to hang out with friends and even family. It’s nice to go to those venues leisurely, to enjoy the food and live entertainment and support other musicians in the area with the ones you love. It gives them exposure and experiences other than the hype of the party life on south beach. Now I’m not saying going to South Beach isn’t fun because it is when the weather is great.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate this, first, to my wife. She encourages me to keep a strong and steady head in all that I do. Next on the list would be my mother. Anytime I need her, she is always just a phone call away and willing to help out in anyway she can. Eric Garcia, we’ve been rocking strong for about 10 years now. He has given me many opportunities, not only to be apart of his band however also referring me to other musicians/bands, traveling and going on tours. There are many stories and memories that have come with our friendship. I call him my friend and photography mentor, Pierre Renord. He is one of Miami’s best professional photographers. If I have questions, need help with equipment, lighting, information, etc he definitely shares the knowledge and wisdom with me anytime I call.

Instagram: @Khantgious305, @kaptursbykhan

Youtube: Adrummerslove Production & Kapturs By Khan