Check Out Coen Hutton’s Story

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

Hi Coen, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started my journey to where I am now through my education; I was born in San Jose, CA originally and moved to a small town in Northern California. I moved/traveled between these spots for the majority of my childhood. Growing up in a small town, I always dreamt and wondered what else was out there in the world and where it would take me. Being from such a gargantuan metropolis and predominantly being raised in a minute place immediately placed me in a social dichotomy that I still navigate through to this day.

What carried me and my dreams further was music, it kept me in tune with myself. As time went on, my dreams of music and seeing the world became grandiose; in high school, I decided to spend a large portion of a summer in France as a trial run (living there really lit my fire for traveling, and my love of baked goods and French Rap music). Since the trial run was a success, I explored the idea of studying abroad and was wanting to further expand my musical knowledge with asian pop music; growing up I loved J-Pop deeply (shoutout to Hikaru Utada I am your biggest fan!). As high school was closing, I deeply dove into the world of K-Pop and was presented with the chance to study in South Korea. I ended up spending about a year there and fell in love with the culture, food, language, music and so much more.

I felt so inspired from my travels that I mapped out the next five years of my life and knew I wanted to work in music full-time; this plan brought me to Southern California to finish my music studies after receiving my first college degree in Recording Technology at Foothill College, and my second in Music, with a Concentration in Music Industry Studies at Cal Poly, Pomona (emphases were artist development, voice, and songwriting). As of now, I work in music, as well as a creative writer, and am based in Los Angeles, CA.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I will be honest, nothing with my journey in music is easy. I did not come from a musical background, and my family was not remotely in the music business; I took a lot upon myself to get to where I am today. From getting to know the education system, what I wanted to study, where I wanted to study, etc. Not to mention how I would even work my way into the industry after college.

I took it step by step, changed schools as I needed, and spent so much time in music practice rooms singing songs, playing melodies, rearranging songs for performances, etc. Pursuing higher education taught me a lot about music, and I am so deeply grateful that I have it as my guiding light in life.

Through hard work, discipline, and faith (with of course, trial & error), I finished two college degrees in one piece and followed those up with a life fully wrapped in music, which was my dream as a child. I have now come full circle, thanks to not only my own hard work but my incredible family, friends, loved ones, and professors, who continue to support me along the way. The biggest reward is listening to those finished songs before sharing them with the rest of the world. That, to me, is the purest form of magic there is.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work in music full-time in artist development while also being a songwriter and recording artist. I am known for & specialize mostly in hip-hop, pop, and R&B in both worlds of the industry, while I am more of a ‘pop & b’ recording artist myself. My background in music is focused on lyrics & melodies (also known as top-lining in the music business), and again my education which focused on artist development, recording technology, songwriting and voice. As of now, I have worked on projects that have gone #1 on sales charts in the dance, hip-hop, and alternative spaces (‘Red 4 Filth’ by Alaska 5000, ‘GAY BARZ’ by Bob the Drag Queen, ‘The Blonde & Pink Albums’ by Trixie Mattel).

I am most proud of my ability to adapt and remain open to all kinds of music. While pursuing my education, I was taught as a classically-trained singer how to sing and perform; while the knowledge and skills of being a classically-trained performer are unparalleled, I always maintained a connection to recorded music. I would even go on to perform piano arrangements of pop songs in ensembles I was in or as a solo performance (“Postcard” by Troye Sivan and “Clown” by Emeli Sandé were a couple of personal favorites!). I really believe that maintaining a connection between the classical and commercial worlds of music placed me in another dichotomy that gave me the ability to be flexible in an industry that is constantly changing; for that, I am eternally grateful.

I am also a creative writer and self-publish my own writing through my Substack called ‘COEN’S WORLD’; additionally, I am working on a poetry book to be self-published (TBD title). Both my upcoming poetry book and original music are slated to be released in late 2024/early 2025, with new Substack posts out every Sunday at 9:30 AM PST / 12;30 PM EST.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
For those starting out, my advice would be to please know and understand that every journey, not only in music but in life, will never be the same. How you choose to pursue what you want is up to you and what feels right to your mind, body, and soul. The internet can be a great tool to connect you with others; it can also be a place of fallacious pitches and shortcuts; please be cautious. Enjoy the journey, embrace the struggle, & keep the people you love and appreciate close so you can uplift each other to new heights. If you believe in it, you can achieve it.

As far as what I wish I knew starting out, I wish I knew to be more consistent early on in my journey. The more consistent you are with chasing your dreams, the more you see just how close they are. Consistency builds discipline, and practicing discipline (with applying patience) will reap you the rewards you want to earn. Finding a medium of self-care can also help you balance your life to remain grounded and true to yourself; I highly recommend this so you can ensure you pursue your path with the clearest intentions.

Contact Info:

• Website: linktr.ee/coenhutton
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coenhutton/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/coenhutton
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CoenHutton
• Other: coenhutton.substack.com

Image Credits
Personal Photo: Téa Todman, Industrial: J. Churchill Morris