Sound Advice: Cincinnati Musician Mol Sullivan to Perform at Northside's Hoffner Park

Photo: Courtesy of Mol Sullivan

Mol Sullivan performs at Hoffner Park on Oct. 13.

This story is featured in CityBeat's Oct. 4 print edition.

An expertly and lovingly crafted set of superb songs is what local singer-songwriter Mol Sullivan will bring to Hoffner Park in Northside on Friday, Oct. 13. In every performance, armed with a yellow Fender Telecaster and Nord Electro, the Cincinnati-based musician coats her listeners in a musical emulsion of all that is Sullivan, feeding her growing audience a full range of emotions.

Sullivan began her musical journey in middle school, taking guitar lessons, then at age 17, began writing original material. Her early performing opportunities were singing in choirs and some musical theater. But later, it was singing harmonies in her church youth group worship band that Sullivan credits as being the most beneficial in developing her sense of comfort and familiarity in being on stage. Since then, through her many appearances, from her first live show in the parking lot of a hardware store in Oakley to touring around the United States, Sullivan now takes the stage with the ease and confidence of a seasoned performer.

As a child, Sullivan listened mostly to ‘90s hitmakers like Sheryl Crow and Lisa Loeb, then in her teens, artists like Sufjan Stevens and Broken Social Scene. When it comes to influences though, it’s Sullivan’s relationships and personal life experiences, like getting sober, that act as her writing weathervanes. “Since quitting drinking, I’ve taken a more inquisitive ear, challenging myself to dig deeper,” Sullivan told CityBeat.

Sullivan’s first full-length album, Goose, produced by Sima Cunningham, is set to release in early 2024, with the first single “Eggshells,” accompanied by an incredible music video, to be released Oct. 10. 

Mol Sullivan plays Hoffner Park on Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. Info: facebook.com/molsullivanmusic.