Sophie Hutchings spent most of her childhood by the ocean when not in her “big, noisy, active” home – but it was her self-imposed seclusion that shaped the way she composes music today. She always preferred to cloister herself away to enjoy congressing with the keys, and this shows in her intimate musical output which The Guardian has described as “an intimate, contemplative quality; some-times melancholic, often with an exhilarating beauty.”
Having chaffed with traditional conservatory ways, her discovery of works by Harold Budd and Arvo Pärt helped her identify modern-classical music. However, Hutchings’ style – repetitive chords, subtly shifting moods – was entirely her own, arriving from a place of deep, unfettered instinct.
Hutchings’ 2010 debut Becalmed was named in MOJO’s ‘Top 5 Independent Albums’ of the year but it was her 2015 album White Light that marked her first buzz release, proving a hit on streaming platforms and earning her a wider, more global fan base. Hutchings’ stunning new album Scattered On The Wind – her first major label release with new label home Mercury KX – is a spellbinding affair, an elegant and transcendent meditation on “surrendering to the unknown, trusting that things will align.”
A decade on from her debut, with a growing, global fan base and new continents beckoning, Hutchings is a force to be reckoned with.
For over a decade, Sounds Australia has coordinated some of the most talked-about showcases at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. From THE AUSSIE BBQ to Sound Gallery, 2 For The Showcase, Beat Pie and …
"Sounds Australia has been an integral partner for SXSW. Their knowledge of the global market and their connections within the Australian music industry have proven beneficial each year, as they consistently put together one of …