On a cold and rainy Monday night in Boston, a crowd of fans queued down the pavement outside the Brighton Music Hall ahead of a 19:00 show. Clad in raincoats, people of all ages huddled together, seeking shelter beneath parts of the surrounding buildings to escape the downpour.
Inside the venue, 27-year-old indie-folk artist Hunter Metts was tuning his guitar after a successful soundcheck. He stood in front of the mirror in his green room—his reflection conveying the depth and maturity of an artist far beyond his years. With his trimmed brown beard, moustache, and outdoorsy style, Metts is well on his way to becoming a recognisable figure in the indie music scene.
Metts released his latest EP, *A Crater Wide*, on 10 October, and began his headline tour on 28 October in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The 10-show tour stopped in Boston on 10 November to welcome a swarm of fans into the dimly lit performance hall. Metts said he has met many people on this multi-city tour and is grateful for the support of his fans.
“I love to, when it makes sense, go out and meet as many people as I can after the shows,” said Metts, in an interview with *The Beacon*. “I want to know who my fans are, on a first-name basis.”
Long before he created his soulful discography, Metts was a passionate young artist with a knack for guitar playing. He grew up in Tennessee, surrounded by nature, and spent a lot of time outdoors as a child. He said those experiences have inspired many of his songs in recent years.
“My dad is from a farm in Mississippi, and my mum is from a ranch in Texas. It’s kind of all I knew growing up, being outside,” said Metts. “I think there’s just an endless well of inspiration, because it’s different every time, it changes every year, it’s always new, things are always growing, and it resembles us as humans in a lot of ways, too.”
Before he released his own music, Metts was a finalist on Season 19 of the ABC talent competition series, *American Idol*. He sang a duet with former judge Katy Perry in the finale episode and made it to the Top 7—an impressive feat, seeing more than one hundred people compete on the show each season.
Speaking about his experience on *American Idol*, Metts reflected on how the show’s producers curated his image for television.
“It is one big first impression, told through somebody else’s point of view,” he said.
In the more than four years since his national television debut, Metts said he’s worked to find his individuality in the industry.
“Getting off of that show, it’s been a priority to tell my story in my own way, and how I want to tell it,” said Metts.
Now, he is at the helm of his creative expression, whether it be his clothes, lyrics, or musical style.
*A Crater Wide* is a seven-song EP, featuring three new songs and four pre-released tracks. “Telescope Lovers,” “Till the End,” and “Heavy, Heavy Love” all premiered last month along with the album. The latter song already has more than 590,000 streams on Spotify. Metts said that, before this project, he produced every song himself, and he didn’t want to do that anymore. So, Metts drove out to Colorado from Tennessee to work with a producer, which allowed him to focus more on the artistry of the music.
“I wanted to give it up a bit in the editing regard and have more of an expression, where my focus is more lyric, melody, and delivery, rather than the drum editing, or little things like that.”
Metts draws inspiration from fellow indie-folk artists, but at the same time, he is also redefining songwriting expectations in the genre.
“This EP has some pretty positive moments, which I think can be pretty few and far between in folk music, and I think it’s worth highlighting the good, too,” said Metts.
In addition to themes of interconnectedness with nature, Metts also writes songs about his past experiences with relationships—both family and romantic.
“Obviously, relationships and love are a huge thing, whether that’s family relationships, and struggles in that regard, or someone you’re in love with,” said Metts.
At 19:00 on the dot, doors to the Brighton Music Hall opened, and fans funnelled through the double doors. Fans flooded towards the front of the room, removed from the stage only by a series of chest-high metal barriers. The venue’s intimacy created a perfect environment for Metts to connect with his audience on stage. When he finally walked out, Metts donned a black buttoned shirt and a cap over his thick head of hair. The venue’s red stage lights outlined Metts and illuminated his body through the fog produced on stage. Even from the back of the space, it was hard to miss his silhouette. Holding his guitar, Metts skipped the small talk and immediately dived into his first song of the night, “Paper Moon,” released in 2023. The whispery vocals and guitar accompaniment tell the story of a person promising to love their partner, even if they can’t give them everything they need.
“I can’t reach the real one, so I’ll make you – paper moon,” Metts sang.
Metts’ music is reminiscent of the well-known indie band Bon Iver, mixed with the upbeat melodies of Fleet Foxes. His soothing vocals and strong upper register hid any hints of exhaustion from the previous eight shows. Metts has developed a few pre-show rituals to prepare himself for every performance. For one, he doesn’t eat before he sings. Metts believes anything carbonated will interfere with his voice. And paired with the demands of the tour, Metts said he’s taken a vow of silence to preserve his smooth vocals.
As he wraps up his headline tour, Metts has advice for the next generation of singers.
“There’s a lot more sacrifice that goes on behind the scenes than people want to admit,” said Metts. “But in those moments, it’s so uncertain, so I think it’s just important to lean into the sacrifice and know it’s for something better.”
Metts’ *A Crater Wide* tour ended on Tuesday with a performance in Portland, Maine. He is gearing up for another series of performances with Canadian artist Leif Vollebekk, with the first show happening on Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia.
In the future, Metts is determined to maintain his individuality, despite the ever-changing nature of the industry.
“I’m pretty obsessed right now with what it looks like to carve your own niche,” said Metts. “As long as it’s your separate little niche, I think that’s really important.”