“It’s been incredible. I never imagined I would be an artist for most of my life,” says Evan Honer, looking back on how quickly his life has shifted following the release of his latest album, Everything I Wanted, out now. The path hasn’t been one of careful calculation or rigid plans, but instead a series of moments that carried him forward. “I have met so many amazing artists and musicians that I’ve been lucky enough to call my friends now. I’m very grateful for this opportunity to share my music with these beautiful people every night.”

That humility and perspective ground him, even in the wake of rising attention. His songs have reached larger and larger audiences, yet the process behind them remains stubbornly personal. “I don’t think it has affected the way I approach music,” he says of the recent attention. “I am so very grateful for the support on anything I make but I will always be making music for me,” he explains. “I never know how the songs are going to turn out but the goal is to be proud of it. It’s still mostly me just sitting with my guitar for hours coming up with a few lines here and there. Some songs come easy, some songs are extremely hard.”

Honer works at his own pace, outside of industry formulas, and that independence defines the rhythm of his releases. While some artists hold back songs until the timing feels commercially right, he follows a more immediate instinct. “I want to release music that still relates to me so that I can still feel it and be excited about it,” he says. “The music industry is so delayed in the way of releasing songs or projects that oftentimes you’ve been sitting on a song for so long that you’re already over it by the time it comes out. Being an independent artist, it is a beautiful thing to be able to release my music whenever I want and still be excited about it.”

That sense of control is key. It keeps the songs connected to the moment they were born, alive with urgency, even as his catalog grows. It also allows him to keep experimenting, testing new sounds and sharing projects at a pace that feels true to him rather than to an industry standard.

With the new album comes a headlining tour over the course of this fall. And as Honer has learned, touring brings its own set of lessons. The life of constant travel, late nights, and shifting venues is both energizing and exhausting. “Touring is so much fun but also very hard,” he admits. “These shows mean so much to me, so when I think a show doesn’t go exactly how I want it to go, I’ll get discouraged. Trying to stay healthy and putting on the best absolute show are my main priorities on tour.” That said, he’s still waiting on making a niche festival dream come true. “Festivals are very fun, but I am wondering at what point in my career do I get a soundcheck at festivals? I would feel a lot better about festivals if we were able to get a soundcheck,” he laughs. 

For all the growth and momentum, Honer’s vision of the future remains simple. He doesn’t sketch out a long list of ambitions, but when asked about dream collaborations, one possibility stands out. “If Pinegrove gets back together, then a collaboration with them would blow my mind.”

Even with his audience expanding and the industry taking notice, Honer returns again and again to the intimacy at the core of what he does. The songs, for him, begin in solitude. Words and melodies come slowly or all at once, pulled from his own life and held close until they’re ready to share. “I hope they take away that I am just a guy writing songs that are close to me and mean a great deal to me,” he says of the people who listen. “If they mean something to you, then that is a huge plus.”