Hannah Cutt writes and records her soulful and brutally honest body of work in her native home of Los Angeles. An old-soul powerhouse, her lyrics have been described as edgy and raw, and her songs are both an exploration and discovery of self on her journey towards sobriety. Cutt describes her music as “pure catharsis.” In turn, her career has been an ode to finding new life through music. Her debut rock EP Nightmares, produced by GRAMMY Award winner Scott Storch, was released in May of 2022, and her sophomore EP Misery in Heaven is scheduled for a 2023 release. Here, Hannah Cutt tells us her biggest influences and her own essential songs to hear.
INFLUENCES
Eagles: “Take It to the Limit”
I love the Eagles. I saw them at MSG about five years ago. It’s just such an epic rock song that you can just belt the chorus to which I love. I grew up listening to a lot of classic rock and I plan on my fourth album being classic rock. I know that’s many albums away, but I plan ahead!
Falling in Reverse: “Fuck You and All Your Friends”
Falling in Reverse is one of my favorite bands. Ronnie Radke has an amazing range that he shows off on big catchy fun choruses! I saw them last year and am planning on seeing them again in Vegas this summer! This one is just so catchy. It’s an anthem against the social climbing, shallow people that his best friend fell victim to.
Amy Winehouse: “What Is It About Men”
Amy Winehouse is a lyrical genius. Never has any cheesy lines or stuff you’ve heard before. She is so specific in describing her feelings and what is going on in the song. I believe uniqueness that is relatable is the key to great songwriting. This one is Amy’s self reflection on being the other woman and the self destructiveness that it can cause.
The Libertines: “Music When the Lights Go Out”
I was obsessed with the Libertines in middle school! They are an English band. Pete Doherty, who was famous for dating Kate Moss, is another lyrical genius. I still have his book of poems, The Books of Albion. This is a song about a dying friendship, and it is really sweet and beautiful.
Aerosmith: “Dream On”
Aerosmith is one of my favorite bands. I sing “Dream On” for my acoustic shows. I am a diehard hockey fan, and this song is the theme song for the hockey movie Miracle. It is just such an epic song. It gives me chills every time I hear it.
ESSENTIALS
“Happy in Hell”
This song is being ironic because I have a great life, but I am bipolar and I have suffered with depression. It’s about accepting where you’re at mentally, moving forward, and trying to smile along the way.
“Messy”
This is my favorite song I’ve ever written! It is at 54 bpm, which is my lucky number. We didn’t do that on purpose though. It’s the first song I ever worked on in a studio, and I just love it! It’s sexy, aggressive, catchy, and has a cool club vibe to it.
“Kind of a Bitch”
I wrote this one when I realized that perhaps the root of my social anxiety was that I was kind of an asshole. I think sometimes we get so focused on what other people do for us that we forget that they do the same. You gotta give love to get love.
“All These Pages”
This and “Messy” are my two favorite songs of mine. I wrote this when I realized that I needed to get sober. It’s about me looking through the pages of my journal and finding all the broken promises to myself about controlling my drinking. It’s just a very intelligent song or I think it is! Lol. strong complex lyrics, again very specific.
“Lonely Lovers”
This one I like because it is such a unique metaphor. My lonely lover is about my past struggles with my eating disorder, and it is about the tumultuous relationship I had with food. I like it because it is a dark topic wrapped in sweet musicality and story.
