About Hannah Curteis

I am a Scottish singer songwriter. I grew up in St. Andrews, Fife, then spent 15 years living in Nicaragua, before moving back to Scotland in 2018.

I started learning piano and writing my own music as a child. I studied singing, piano and composition at St. Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh and later at King’s College London.

At 19, during my first trip to Nicaragua, I fell in love with the socially transformative and empowering tradition of Latin American revolutionary music. Most notably the music of Silvio Rodriguez and Victor Jara.

Over the past ten years I have explored many different musical genres including soul, jazz, blues, pop, hip hop and different Latin rhythms. 

My musical style as a songwriter reflects my broad influences.

My lyrics speak of social struggle, personal loss, and dreams of justice. My songs reflect my commitment to my and others’ lived experience and a deeply felt sense of human vulnerability.

My first album Yo Nací de Mujer (I was born of woman) was released in March 2019. It was released under my former artist name Clara Curteis.

My debut album in English I will rise was released in January 2024.

I have performed my music at different events and festivals in Scotland, Wales, Nicaragua and the USA.

In 2018 I published my first book (El Legado Musical De Don Felipe Urrutia y Sus Cachorros) a compilation of Nicaraguan folk music with the support of the Nicaraguan Institute of Culture.

I am also a music educator with over 20 years’ experience working with arts education programmes in underserved communities, most notably Sones Segovianos in Esteli, Nicaragua, and Big Noise Douglas, in Dundee, Scotland.