Article Contributed by IVPR
Published on 2026-08-15
From the very beginning of her musical journey, sixth-generation musician and Nashville native Charissa Hoffman wasn’t interested in hearing about the limitations of her chosen instrument, the ukulele, or the insistence that she should learn to play guitar. She’d found her songwriting voice with the tiny, four-string accompaniment and set about her way. The fascination with the instrument carried her from Nashville to Boston where she was the first ukulele principal to be accepted at Berklee School of Music, and back to Nashville where Hoffman’s dedication to her craft drew iconic musicians like Béla Fleck, Abigail Washburn, Chris Eldridge, and Nina de Vitry to guest on her upcoming debut LP, Horizon.
And while Hoffman’s instrumental prowess is one of her calling cards, her songwriting is the underlying star of Horizon. Drawing from personal experiences with family history, a religious upbringing, and pursuing a singular musical path, Hoffman dreams that all the songs on Horizon will help other listeners find connection through music in the same way that her younger self experienced. “When I was a young teen, I was very curious, listening to Pandora and buying CDs from second hand stores, stuff like the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack and Aoife O’Donovan and Gillian Welch—singer-songwriters touching on topics that I hadn't heard before,” she explains. “I think a lot of folks go through this phase of figuring out who they are, apart from their parents, by listening to music. If someone hears this record and it resonates with them in the same way that those records resonated with me, then it's a success. I'll be very happy.”
Produced by John Mailander, Horizon opens with today’s newly-released single, “Forward Motion,” which Hoffman wrote after stepping away from the Southern Baptist denomination. Despite some wonderful aspects of the church, she says, “I was picking up on some things that I felt were maybe inconsistent or maybe not coming out of a place of profound love and kindness. So, for the first time in my life I was starting to push back against exactly how I was raised—‘Oh, you're gonna believe this, you're gonna say this, you're gonna follow this’—and I started to say, ‘Hey, let me think this through on my own and decide.’”
Initially inspired by the rhythmic lyricism of folks like Thundercat or Beyoncé, the final cut leans a little more math rock than R&B, thanks in part to Mailander’s push. “I never thought I was ‘cool’ enough to write a rock song,” Hoffman laughs, “So, it was really exciting to watch it come to life.” Hoffman credits drummer Mark Raudabaugh (Sierra Hull) for laying the foundation for such an inspiring track. “Mark held it down on the drums in a way that gave us all freedom to be creative with our respective parts.”
“My favorite section is the bridge, where John had the idea to add group vocals on the refrain, ‘I believe, I believe,’” says Hoffman. “I like to use questions rather than declarative statements in my writing, so this section stands out to me and I thought the ‘choir’ in the background really brought home the message.”
“You can trust yourself
You can love yourself
True love always wins
True change starts within.”
Fans can stream or purchase “Forward Motion” today at this link and pre-order or pre-save Horizon ahead of its October 16th release here. Hoffman will take the stage at Nashville’s Analog at Hutton Hotel for a special, hometown Horizon release show on November 9th. Tickets are available right here.
For more information, please visit charissahoffman.com.
Horizon Tracklist:
Forward Motion
If I Could Fly
Who Am I
Kitchenette
Love Is An Ocean
Natchez Trace Bridge
Wind Beneath My Wings
St. Joseph
Parallel Lines
About Charissa Hoffman:
Songwriter and instrumentalist Charissa Hoffman is looking through the clouds of the past and emerging with a fresh perspective on her thoughtful debut album, Horizon. A sixth-generation musician, Hoffman is eager to show audiences just how versatile the ukulele is. The fascination with the instrument carried her from Nashville, where she grew up, to Boston, where she was the first ukulele principal to be accepted at Berklee School of Music. Produced by John Mailander, Horizon includes special guests such as Béla Fleck, Abigail Washburn, Chris Eldridge, and Nina de Vitry.
