A New Voice in Music

A New Voice in Music:

BERKLEE GRAD RETURNS TO VIRGINIA TO RELEASE FIRST SINGLE

Story and photos by Jennifer Gray

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Hannah Juliette Rutti is a small-town girl from Upperville, Va., with big dreams of where her musical profession may take her. If you hit play on her latest single, “lazy boy,” or another favorite, “Air Supply,” you’ll hear why her powerful voice and pop melodies are meant for bigger things than what this small town has to offer.

Rutti attended Wakefield in The Plains before setting her sites on Berklee College of Music. During the pandemic, Rutti returned to Upperville to finish out her senior year remotely. We caught up with Rutti to find out more about who she is, what she’s listening to, and what’s next for the aspiring young artist.

Can you tell us about Berklee College of Music and what you focused on while you were there?

I graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston with a major in songwriting. I learned about the art of songwriting, how to work in the professional world, the technicalities, and the many ways to earn income as a songwriter.

What was your biggest takeaway from attending Berklee?

Berklee was an amazing school of music with incredible facilities and faculty, but it was a place where you had to network and go above and beyond to get the most out of it. Music is a very competitive field, but there are so many different facets of the music industry, and Berklee was so helpful for students to seek those opportunities out.

Do you think you will relocate for music now that you have graduated?

I am living in Virginia and am pursuing my music career, and if I feel that I get to the point that moving to either LA or NYC will benefit me, I will begin to make the move.

“My style of music is pop music with a very warm, fun twist to it.”

– Rutti

Can you tell us about your performance at Trinity while you attended Wakefield?

My senior recital was at Trinity Episcopal. It was for my music-directed study at Wakefield. I studied with my jazz teacher, Dr. Adrien Re, and my vocal teacher since 12 years old, Professor Emeritus at Shenandoah University, Dr. Janette Ogg. Dr. Ogg and I studied vocal anatomy and classical music history. It was a culmination of my high school musical journey. The recital was a combination of my classical and jazz repertoire.

What do you see as your more immediate next steps in your music career?

I am releasing music and building my social media following, and pitching songs for synch work (tv shows, movies).

How would you describe your style of music?

My style of music is pop music with a very warm, fun twist to it. I often incorporate indie styles and dark pop [into] some of my music.

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Do you write your songs?

Yes, I write all my songs.

The lyrics in your songs are fun. Are they about anyone in particular? What inspires you?

Yes, they are about my longtime boyfriend, and [they are] fun-loving, ode[s] to summertime song[s]. I am inspired by so many things: relationships, nature, my feelings, movies, books, music.

What’s your new single about, and where can we listen to it?

It’s about being in the moment and doing nothing with someone who means a lot to you. It is on all streaming platforms. “Lazyboy” came out on August 20, and since then, I have gotten [over] 9,000 streams.

What other artists influence your music?

I am very inspired by Charlie Puth, Elley Duhe, Lennon Stella, Fletcher, Sasha Sloan.

What’s currently on repeat in your playlist?

I am listening to Fletcher’s new single “healing” on repeat and Sasha Sloan’s “hypochondriac.”

If you could fulfill all of your musical career dreams, what would that look like?

I would be a Grammy winner and be a very successful recording artist who has written hit songs for artists and myself, and done big synch movies, tv shows, play live shows, and be able to make a living solely on my music.

Can we expect to see you play a live show in the local area at some point soon, or are your sights set on bigger venues?

I do not have a live show on the books just yet, but I am hoping in the near future to release my next song and do a show next year! ML

This article first appeared in the October 2021 Issue.