Hidden Gems: Meet Chris Hutton of Chris Hutton Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Hutton.

Hi Chris, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been a professional singer for almost a decade, and my career has been eclectic – I’ve toured with Disney Concerts in Asia, I’ve appeared in a Food Network promo for The Holiday Baking Championships, I’ve performed in several rock cabaret shows in LA, I’ve worked with some amazing composers on new musical developments, and I currently do a lot of session work.
Throughout my career, I’ve always taught in some capacity. I’ve worked as an artist developer for the label InRage Entertainment, and I directed high school a capella. Both of my parents are educators, and I’ve learned from them how to communicate and explain concepts in a variety of ways, a skill that’s necessary for teaching something like singing and performance since every person’s connection to their voice is unique. Through word of mouth I’ve always had a handful of private students, and within the past few years, teaching them has brought me more fulfillment than I anticipated, and I wanted to follow that joy.
Because I made the decision to study both classical technique and contemporary singing in college – a decision many of my peers and professors thought strange at the time – I’ve been able to have the wide-ranging career I have, and I’ve developed a skill for helping singers expand their stylistic diversity. I help classical singers find their pop sound, and I help contemporary singers ground and support their performance with classical knowledge. Feedback from my students informed me how rare this approach is, and that led me to officially launch Chris Hutton Studio this year. I’m beyond excited to focus more of my energy on building up singers of all ages and skill levels, and to that end I’ve started creating educational content online, connecting with other instructors and studios in the community, and expanding my voice studio to accommodate more students. We’re just getting started and can’t wait to grow alongside the singing community in LA!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think any creative person’s road is smooth, especially in LA (unless you have the benefit of nepotism and/or copious amounts of money). We all take a while to find ourselves – what we actually like to do, what our true strengths are. Most working musicians wear many different hats in the industry simply out of necessity, and figuring out the difference between survival gigs and genuine passions takes time and maturity. A lot of musicians teach in some capacity as well, and it took me several years to realize “oh, I’m actually really good at this and have some skill and insight that not everyone has.” Once that clicked for me, I gained a lot more confidence to start putting myself out there as an instructor and connecting with other music educators. In addition to the self-discovery piece, there’s also a certain “screw it, I’m just gonna do what I want” attitude that you need to find as a creative business person in a world where everyone has an opinion on what you should do or how you should show up with your craft, and quite frankly I think that just comes with age. I’ve been around long enough that I’m no longer concerned with other people’s expectations of me creatively, and without that freedom I wouldn’t have been able to push myself to launch a voice studio.
On a more personal note, the dissemination of AI within arts spaces is, quite frankly, exhausting and infuriating. Tech bros trying to profit off of artists by stealing their work and regurgitating it to the general public under the guise of innovation is one of the most stomach-churning hellscapes I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime as an actual musician, and watching it erode people’s knowledge and appreciation of the craft and artform of music makes me want to rip my hair out. Teaching singing has helped keep me sane. It’s the most humanly connected thing I’m currently doing, and gives me hope in people’s ability to work and learn and appreciate something that is hard to do but beautiful to experience. Now more than ever, I believe that kind of connection is desperately needed, and fostering that connection brings me joy.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Chris Hutton Studio is my voice studio! I teach singers of all ages and skill levels and I specialize in working with singing actors, studio singers and artists. My training in both classical singing and modern studio singing sets me apart from other voice teachers because the tools used in both of these areas are related but different, and understanding the nuances and differences between them is still not common knowledge in most singing communities and music academia. I love helping a classical singer find their pop sound, and I love seeing a pop singer expand their stylistic range. I love seeing an actor who thinks of their singing as a secondary skill find real joy and confidence in it, and I’m proud that I create space for my students to feel safe to explore and find tools of their craft they hadn’t previously considered.

I offer one on one lessons both in person in North Hollywood and online, and I’m currently connecting with local acting studios and creative spaces to find more group learning and performance outlets for my own students and other performers in LA, if you’re a fellow studio owner or creative with an idea of how to connect I’d love to hear from you! I also offer vocal reel production for pro singers and offer vocal production services upon request.

What matters most to you?
Creativity, freedom, and connection. I believe these three things are at the heart of any kind of art, and every kind of story telling. The world needs empowered creatives, and creatives need support and confidence to create things that make the experience of being alive a bit more bearable. We owe it to each other to share our passions, speak truth to power, and encourage each other to connect to ourselves and our shared humanity with depth and commitment.

Pricing:

• coaching pricing available upon request
• Reel production/vocal production quotes upon request

Contact Info:

• Website: https://chrishuttonmusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrishuttonstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576414894480&mibextid=wwXIfr
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chris-hutton-studio-north-hollywood
• Other: https://www.chrishuttonmusic.com/voicestudio