Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Cutt.
Hannah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started my musical journey six years ago when I met my first producer at the driving range. I told him I was a singer and we decided to get into the studio, where we worked on the first version of my current single, “Messy.” From there, I ended up working with a few other writers before I met Scott Storch, who I have known and worked with for almost five years now. He has won multiple Grammys for his work and is just a great collaborator. He produced an entire album for me, which I finished a year ago. It’s been a long process but I am planning to release it this year.
On the live performance side, my first show was at the back room of the Pig and Whistle five years ago, where I performed with my current guitar player and drummer, Sean Hurwitz and Ronen Gordon! We lost touch over the years but reconnected last year when I wanted to create some original covers. Sean got a band together and we did Amy Winehouse, Marilyn Manson, three doors down… and from there we began working on my original music. I connected with the general manager at the Viper Room in LA on Instagram and he booked us for our first gig. We’ve played four shows there at the end of this past year! We played a couple of shows at Whisky a Go Go in January, and now I’m looking forward to a show at Molly Malones on February 20th and another at the Troubadour March 2nd.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Once I got my band together, things have felt smoother. Before this last year, I have just been knocking on the doors of labels and managers nonstop with no results. I knew I had great songs and a strong voice, but I just wasn’t quite sure of anything else. The only performances I had done were through an iPhone in the bathroom mirror!
Now I have a band, and we perform rock music several times a month. But I’m still building my career–we’re eager to tour, to open for bands, and eventually find a label, anything that will give us exposure.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m just getting started with my career as a musician, but I’d love to be known for my lyrics. Writing lyrics excites me. I write them and then share them with my friends or family immediately.
When I write, I start with a subtle feeling. I think about where that little feeling comes from and I investigate it. The feeling becomes clearer, and it grows and transforms into something specific, a clear picture that listeners will understand and relate to. I think this is especially true for my choruses and hooks.
I always want my lyrics to come from an honest place. Right now, my lyrics are darker because they come from a darker period in my life because I’ve been dealing with mental health issues and sobriety.
I’m most proud of surviving my battle with mental health and depression. About five years ago, I got sober, and then in 2019 I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It’s been a very difficult road. As a multiple suicide survivor, I don’t think there are many singers who have been to the places I have been mentally and physically.
I’m really not one to recognize my own strength and what I’ve overcome, even though I’ve been through a lot. My instinct is to say I’m more proud of the tangible things– like performing and the music I’ve written. It’s hard for me to recognize or even admit the achievements I’ve made in my mental health. However, with the support of my friends and family, I have made great strides, and it is something I will have to deal with my entire life. Music is a place to discover and challenge my feelings, and in short, has truly saved my life.
In the end, I’m proud of my willingness to try to figure out ways to make myself happier. It wasn’t always obvious that I could find those things or even that I could continue to search for them. But every day, I work on figuring out my life and what makes me happy.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The pandemic has been such a truly difficult time for everyone, but to be honest, I was so depressed even before Covid that the first lockdown didn’t really affect me. I didn’t want to leave my couch–all I did was watch Girls Incarcerated and wish I was there. My friends wanted to get me off the couch, but I just couldn’t.
Once pandemic restrictions started to loosen up, I started getting ready to perform again. And here I am…
Contact Info:
- Website: cuttmusic.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuttmusic_
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CUTTmusic
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/cuttmusic
