Tag: Hunter deBlanc

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Hunter deBlanc Announces Aussie Bushfire Benefit Show

Widespread bushfires have devastated Australia, wiping out homes and entire towns, killing wildlife and some of the brave people working so hard to fight them. The bright light has been the way Australians and the people who care about this country have banded together to raise funds for the organizations truly making a difference. At home we’ve seen musicians staging benefit shows, from pub gigs to stadium spectaculars. Abroad we’ve seen high-profile celebs like Pink and Bette Midler writing sizeable cheques. Louisiana-based musician Hunter deBlanc is the latest international artists to throw his support behind the bushfire efforts.

Hunter spent a couple of years entertaining crowds on Australian cruise ships. During that time he developed a deep love for Australia, its people, and local music. He’ll dust off those Aussie classics for Hunter Down Under: A Benefit for Australia, at The Pearl in Lafayette on January 17. All money raised on the night will benefit the RFS.

If you’re in Australia or living somewhere else in the world, don’t worry. You can catch the show live online and donate via Hunter’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/hunterdeblancmusic. It all kicks off at 9:30 pm US CST. That’s 2:30 pm AEDT for the Aussies on Saturday afternoon, January 18. Check it out and give generously!

Photo credit: Nicole Bell Photography

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Hunter deBlanc Drops Stellar New Single, “Radelaide”

It wasn’t so long ago that my favourite adopted Aussie Hunter deBlanc was singing the praises of New South Wales’ capital with his last single “Sydney.” Now it’s Adelaide’s turn to feel some love with his latest track “Radelaide.”

This song is making me super nostalgic recalling my own time in the City of Churches. It’s often seen as a poor cousin to Sydney or Melbourne, but Hunter’s lyrics beautifully capture Adelaide’s charm. Adding to the nostalgia, we’ve got those saturated synths and delicate electric guitar chords. It all adds up to something pretty special.

“Radelaide” is out on all your favourite digital music platforms now. Wrap your ears around it!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Aussie Cruises Inspire Fantastic New Singles From Hunter deBlanc

Mondays are never easy, but that first Monday after holidays is particularly trying. This time last week my husband and I were living it up on the Pacific Aria. We love so much about cruising, from lazy days on the deck to the seemingly never-ending supply of food, but what we love most is discovering great live music. Cruise performers have a reputation for being a bit loungy, but over our last four cruises we’ve been entertained by an artist who breaks the mould: Hunter deBlanc.

Hunter hails from New Orleans, but after 18 months on Australian cruise ships he considers himself right at home here in Oz. At night he covers everything from Billy Joel to Blink-182 in the piano bar, but by day he works on his original music. Those original songs have been so well received Hunter will soon leave the ships behind and announce his own Australian shows. With that Aussie tour in the works, there’s no better time to become familiar with this exciting independent artist.

While cruising around Australia and the South Pacific playing to packed-out rooms each night might seem glamorous, the life of a cruise ship entertainer isn’t always easy. Hunter touches on the isolation and tedium of those cruise contracts, and the way a visit from someone special can brighten the dark times, with his latest single “Sydney.” It’s got a great pop-punk feel, which makes me nostalgic for the late ‘90s, although I can hear the influence of our own INXS creeping in. Fittingly the lyric video for Sydney shows the New South Wales capital at its brightest during the annual Vivid festival.

If you’ve never cruised before, don’t be surprised if the lyric video for “Tides” tempts you to take the plunge. Its ocean imagery is just stunning, the perfect support for this banging tune. Released in late May, this dynamic synth-driven track tells of the way Hunter’s first cruise contract reignited his love of music and gave him the drive to pursue his dreams.

“It challenged me in so many ways, and made me grow as a person, a performer, a musician, and a songwriter. It gave me the confidence and reassurance I needed to come back from that first contract and hit the ground running,” he explained. “The lyrics of the song say ‘Right when I was about to sink, I started flying. I came alive, started to live like I was dying,’ because that’s exactly how I felt— almost as if I had caught a second wind. I felt revitalized, rejuvenated, and ready to complete my unfinished album (Daydreaming) and get back out there writing new material, and use every day to continue to further my music career.

“Sydney” and “Tides” are both available now on all your favourite digital platforms including Spotify, iTunes, and Google Play. Look out for Hunter deBlanc’s shows around the country later this year.

Photo credit: Nicole Bell Photography

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Daydreaming” – Hunter deBlanc

Spend enough time in Australia and we’ll claim you as our own. We don’t care that Keith Urban is a Kiwi living in Tennessee or that Barry Gibb is a Brit who divides his time between Florida and Buckinghamshire. So perhaps it’s not so surprising that by the time he completed his first contract entertaining crowds in the Pacific Jewel’s piano bar, Hunter deBlanc’s local fans were already calling him an honourary Aussie. With another P&O stint coming soon after the release of his new EP Daydreaming, the Australian fan base of this Louisiana native is sure to grow.

At a time when concept albums have gone out of vogue, Daydreaming proudly owns the title, exploring themes of day, night, time, and space. “Dawn” is a clever introduction, an instrumental number which seamlessly weaves together melodies from the rest of the EP, like the overture of a musical but so much more modern. “Breaking Out” is one of the strongest tracks in my opinion, an infectiously catchy song about leaving society’s expectations behind and chasing your dreams. The calypso flavour of “When the Sun Goes Down” is the perfect antidote for the gloomy Australian winter weather still lingering. The next song, “Back 4 More,” is a real pop gem which Hunter explores with four different versions on this release. Each one reveals a different side to the song, but my favourite is the stripped back take that closes Daydreaming. Without all the studio wizardry, it’s much more emotionally charged than the remixes or even the original version. If you’re not listening closely, “Night Noises V2” seems almost like a Halloween novelty, with its references to skeletons and spiders and samples from vintage horror films. It can be appreciated on that level, but tune in to those lyrics and you’ll discover this introspective song is so much richer. After several upbeat power-pop tracks, the romantic “Daydreamer” really stood out to me. It’s such a gorgeous song, with an easy groove and some of the EP’s most poetic lyrics. Starting with “Dawn,” it’s only fitting that we later hear “Dusk,” which serves as the EP’s outro. It lasts for only a little more than a minute, but this slice of piano-pop perfection leaves an enduring impression.

Daydreaming challenges the notion that concept albums have had their day. The themes are explored thoughtfully and the songs fit together so cohesively. I’d heard many of these tracks before through Hunter’s Spotify page, but I’ve grown to appreciate them more hearing them in the context of this EP. Hunter builds on the piano skills he showcased to local audiences on the Pacific Jewel, using them as a launch pad for sonically complex electronic soundscapes. He also shows that while he can perform a cover like nobody’s business, his songwriting skills shouldn’t be underestimated.

Pre-order your physical copy of Daydreaming through pre-order through Hunter’s website. He’ll launch the EP for hometown fans at Lafayette’s Feed & Seed on September 8 before returning to Australia. Aussie music lovers can catch Hunter on the Pacific Aria for four months from September 22.


Image used with permission from Hunter deBlanc

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

From Cruise Ships to Aussie Pubs: Meet Hunter deBlanc

I love so many things about cruising: alcoholic beverage packages, afternoon trivia, and having the freedom to do as much or as little as you like. I also love discovering talented musicians on board. The latest to catch my attention is Hunter deBlanc, who I’ve had the pleasure of checking out on my last two cruises on the Pacific Jewel. He hails from New Orleans, but he embraced Aussie tunes and delighted the masses in the Orient Bar with his stellar piano renditions of tracks from John Farnham, The Angels, and Daryl Braithwaite, to name a few. My husband and I were also thrilled with his knowledge of our favourite ’90s tunes. In amongst the covers, if you were lucky, he’d play one of his incredible original songs.

Which brings me to the point of this post. His contract on the Jewel is coming to a close, but he’s had such a blast with Australian audiences he’s already planning a return visit to play pub gigs in Melbourne, Sydney, and Newcastle. I’ll be sure to bring you the dates once they’re announced, but I just wanted to put him on your radar with my favourite of his originals, “California Orleans.”

Enjoy!