Hilary Camino thinks the world should be messier.
The Jackson-based vocalist and songwriter has seemingly always been this way. She talks freely about popular culture’s portrayal of perfection and how it can prevent talented people from sharing their work or being honest.
Day-to-day, Camino is a full-time music therapist at St. John’s Health. Being part of the healing process, she said, inspires her songwriting.
“I started practicing my songwriting and using that as a way to process and work through my own emotional journey and really put it into song. That’s where I find my source of healing.”
Sharing, she said, is a big part of that.
“I’ve always written, but I haven’t shared a lot of my music… I think a part of it is the vulnerability that comes along with sharing your work,” she said.
Camino’s sound imbues structures rooted in folk music with warm, poetic lines.
With a sound reminiscent of classic ‘70s era studio crispness, “Release Your Grip” combines rich vocal textures and playful melodies that create an inviting atmosphere.
Through her single “Release Your Grip,” produced by Leif Routman, Camino aims to celebrate the beauty in imperfection and the freedom that comes from dismantling unrealistic standards.
Camino and Routman have been longtime collaborators and produced the song together at Hen House Studios in Victor, Idaho.
Routman is also a fan of the raw sound.
“There’s nothing automated on this track,” he said. The artist is a founding member of Jackson bands Whiskey Mornin’ and Inland Isle, and described the process with Camino as creating “tapestries of sound.”
Searching at the start can be intimidating, Routman said.
“I think the scariest part of the whole process was the blankness of the canvas,” he said. “You can’t put everything on it and not everything’s going to fit.”
But through a process he described as layering and “painting with auditory color,” the picture becomes clear.
The song’s message came from real challenges, Camino said, including the day-to-day hustle of life with two kids, a husband and a full-time job.
“People rely on you,” she said. “It takes a lot of effort and a lot of reminders all throughout my day. Just let go. Let things be as they want to be and as they are, rather than making them fit into my mold.”
She bristled at what she sees as the “highly produced” sound of contemporary music and said she seeks the “human qualities.”
“Release Your Grip” features Jackson artists Liam O’Neill on drums and Joe Rudd on keyboards. The track was mixed by Jonathan Jones in Southern California.
Camino plans to release music in 2025, likely more singles. Her new single “Release Your Grip” is available now on all streaming platforms. More information on Hilary’s Instagram @hilarycaminomusic.
Listen above for KHOL’s full conversation with Hilary Camino and Leif Routman.
