In the words of folk musician Jack Johnson, “time is just a melody.” And for singer-songwriter Cole Hallman, the time is now. 

Growing up in Manasquan, New Jersey, Hallman was surrounded by an endless coastline and a rich, local music scene. 

“There is a lot of music in my area, a lot of music in New Jersey,” says Hallman. “And I live along the coast, so every bar, every restaurant you go to, there’s some kind of music.” 

In his own household, Hallman’s music taste was not only nurtured by the songs of Jack Johnson, but also popular 2000s artists like John Mayer and Norah Jones. He eventually ventured into more genres, including hardcore folk-rock, old-school country, and the best of bluegrass, developing his personal style over time. 

And while he spent the early years of his life as an avid music lover, Hallman’s start as a musician was actually the result of his other great passion: surfing.

While spending time with his high school surf team, Hallman was inspired to learn guitar after joining in on his teammates’ impromptu jam sessions. 

“Before we would go to practice, they would all jam, so I would pick up the guitar and try to do something, and they would show me one note, or one chord I could play,” shares Hallman. “So, that’s kind of where it started.”

And so, as a senior in high school, Hallman traded in his surfboard for a guitar, quickly becoming a self-taught musician. Soon after, he was already diving headfirst into songwriting.   

“The kids I would play in that band with—I don’t even know if I would call it a band; it was just kind of a jam thing in a basement. They were a lot better than me, and I was like, ‘Okay, what can I bring to the table? Well, I can try and write a song,’” says Hallman. 

But it was in the midst of the pandemic that Hallman truly realized the potential for a music career, after he received an unexpected opportunity to play live. 

“They had everybody out on Main Street instead of inside the restaurants,” explains Hallman. “Somebody heard us from my buddy’s backyard, and we weren’t even a band, but he was like, ‘You guys can come and play.’ We were playing that gig before we even had a name,” Hallman laughs. “We were singing cover songs and stuff, and I was like, ‘Okay, this is something I can do.’”

At the encouragement of his friends, Hallman also began posting covers on TikTok. And in 2022, he headed to Nashville to audition for season 20 of American Idol, after initially being scouted on the app by the show’s producers. 

Following his time on the show, Hallman released his first full-length album, Good Morning Mr. Hallman. The record is a collection of Hallman’s early songs and pays homage to his full-time gig as a middle school teacher, even including an introductory track featuring his then fourth-grade students. 

“I enjoy working with kids, for the most part,” Hallman expresses. “But [teaching] allows me to not get burnt out on music, and allows me to do it long-term. Who knows, maybe I’m doing it the wrong way. Maybe I should be broke and be a starving artist.”

Now, Hallman is most interested in developing a real point of connection between himself, his music, and those who choose to listen. 

“I like writing songs, and I’m trying to get more people to know my songs,” Hallman says. “That’s what I’m about.”

In an often loud and heightened industry, Hallman shares that his choice performances are those in the quieter corners of the music world, where audiences have the chance to connect, recalling one experience at a writer’s round in Nashville. 

“I have this one funny line in my song ‘Cleo,’ and I could hear people laughing after I sang the line,” explains Hallman. “Everyone was attentive and listening, and I was like, ‘Oh, I want to do more of this.’ Even if it’s less people at the gig, just more attentiveness and playing my own songs.” 

This year, Hallman released multiple singles, further deepening that sense of connection through his music and showcasing his evolution as a naturalistic, acoustic songwriter.  

Hallman’s release this past April, “House On the Highway,” is not only a nod to the irreverent storytelling style of the folk genre, but a not-so-subtle admission about his own experiences while attending college in Hawaii. 

“What I will say about that song is that about 98% of it is true,” laughs Hallman. “It’s mostly true, but some of it is a little bit of embellishment … but not really. Most of it is true, but I’m never going to say what’s true and what’s not true; I’ll leave it up to the people to say.” 

Later this month, Hallman will join RiverJAM’s Songs & Stories event, alongside musicians Jack Romano, Sandi Joy, and Johnny Kasun. 

“I love these listening room type shows,” says Hallman. “It’s mostly what I’m looking for these days. Like, I just played a show at Danny Clinch’s place called Transparent Clinch Gallery, which is a photograph, art studio, room, gallery for people, but it also kind of doubles as a Tiny Desk vibe, concert thing. I love shows like that. I mean, the goal is to do it in a giant venue and to have that vibe.” 

And as he continues writing and performing, Hallman hopes fans will get to know him for who he is, and maybe, ride this wave right alongside him.

“I just hope that they’re like, ‘This guy is authentic,’” shares Hallman. “Because at the end of the day, I feel like that’s the throughline for what I like about any kind of music.”

Photos courtesy of Cole Hallman | Interviewed July 6, 2026