Today we’d like to introduce you to Sasha Hurtado.
Sasha, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am a 16 year old singer songwriter from Dallas, GA. I started singing at a very young age. My mom says I’d sing or hum any tune that was either on the TV, radio, or music playing in a store. My mom noticed early on that for the most part that I was on the pitch with pretty much anything I’d attempt to sing. When I was eight years old, my parents asked how I felt about taking vocal lessons and I said, “sure!” and that was the beginning of my musical journey.
My first music opportunity began with singing for the kid’s ministry at New Season Church in Hiram, GA. I remember being scared to death but quickly moved on at the age of 12, singing with the adult praise and worship team where I remain to this day. It is there where I learned how to sing wearing a pack and it helped train my ear to sing with a click, backing track, and with the band and other vocalists all mixed in my ear. I continued to take vocal lessons up until I was 13 years old. During this time, I started posting singing videos on Instagram and Facebook. A producer from The Voice found me on Instagram and before you know it, I was flown out to LA for a final executive callback for the show. I didn’t make the cut, but I was the youngest one there, and I just felt like God was telling me to stick to it and that I was on the right track.
In the meantime, I did any and everything to work towards my goals. I entered and won several local singing competitions and also became a member of an audition-only performing arts group made up of kids from all over GA, where I am currently a 6-year returning member of this group. I also learned how to play guitar and after a year of lessons, and at just 14 years old, I was booked my very first paid gig at a local pub in Douglasville, GA. I remember being absolutely scared to death and because I was so nervous, I sang through my first 1 hour set in 30 minutes. I credit booking agents such as David Winkles and Crest Pointe Entertainment Group for helping me book my first few gigs. It is difficult for establishments to take a chance on booking me because I was so young, but David Winkles, along with Crest Pointe, had my back and vouched for me to help me get in the door. My parents always taught me that even though I may be young, I am a working musician now in the adult world. They told me that I need to be professional, have my setlist list organized and timed out, and practice! They made me learn how to set up and break down my own equipment, made sure that I knew how to change out a popped guitar string in a pinch, and to have extra songs on hand if they were needed.
Since all that, I have been gigging all over Northwest GA and East Alabama for about 2.5 years. What some people don’t know about me is that I am quite shy. Gigging has continued to help me get over my stage fright, so I am extremely thankful to the venues and for the people who give me a chance to perform and do what I love to do. At my 3 hour gigs, my setlist contains pop and alternative and a few classic songs from all decades. As far as my original music, I began writing songs shortly after I started gigging. One of the first songs I had written is my newly released single “Song for the Lonely” which is now available on all streaming platforms. I head back to the studio to work on my next single which should be released sometime this November.
I am also coming off the heels of placing within the top 60 of Season 3 of American Idol. I flew into LA on my 16th birthday and made it through all three rounds of Hollywood Week, where I was placed in the “it’s a no for now” room at the very end. What an exhilarating and terrifying experience, but I feel so blessed to be one step closer to living my dream and learning all that I can about the music business. Out of 15,000 competitors, only 166 were flown into LA for Hollywood Week, and I made it to the top 60.
After my American Idol experience, I knew it was time to start working on releasing some original music. Back when I was in LA for my final callback for the Voice, I had been following several other singers on the socials that were also in LA for a callback. There was one singer there named Hamilton Troy Hayes, who is also from Atlanta. I reached out to him prior to the pandemic to see if he’d like to produce my first single. He said absolutely, but right when we were about to get started, COVID brought everything to a halt. We had to get creative on how we were going to push through with the production of the song amid a massive shutdown. We messaged each other with several ideas and sound samples to get the base of the song created. Until it was safe to do so, we finally met to get the vocals recorded and the song was finally released on August 7th!
It was the same situation for getting my photoshoot underway with Daniel Aristizabal, an amazingly talented photographer also from Atlanta, for I needed photos for the promotion of my new single. When it was safe to be around others through social distancing, he actually came out to my house and created a really great shoot! Last but not least, I needed someone to create my album artwork and another local graphic design artist from Atlanta, Hiroki Okura, did a phenomenal job creating and representing what my new single is about.
I just feel the need to shout out Hamilton Troy Hayes (@HTHAZE), Daniel Aristizabal (@mind_of_eighty) and Hiroki Okura (@designsbyhiroki). I am young and new at all of this, but they were extremely patient with me and helped make my first single an amazing experience. With the way so many musicians are having shows canceled and their projects being put on hold until studios are allowed to open up, I appreciate that through all of this, local independent artists including myself, came together and made it all happen.
Has it been a smooth road?
No, it has not been a smooth road, but it also hasn’t been extremely bumpy. I am young and I am just now beginning to scratch the surface, and there are so many others out there also trying to get their music heard. This business is so competitive and at times, it can overwhelm you and make you doubt yourself. However, I have amazing friends and family that really get behind me and support me all the way. It’s really hard work, but I just continue to stay focused doing what I love.
I am also shy, so when you have people telling you to be like this and be like that, it can feel unnatural at times. I’ve had to find the right balance by staying true to myself, but also stepping out of my comfort zone to push through to the next opportunity. Gigging has helped me come out of my shell and I have met some really great people at my performances who encourage and support me. I cannot tell you how much that means to me. Recently, a couple drove almost an hour to one of my shows to see me perform and that blew me away. It’s moments like that that validates what I am doing is the path I’m supposed to be on.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Likes: Atlanta is one of the best cities in the world! It’s nice to live close enough to the city of Atlanta where there is always something fun to do. It’s also where some of the most talented musicians and producers are from!
Dislikes: Atlanta is a great city, but our traffic horrible.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sashahurtadomusic.com
- Email: sashahurtadomusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/sashahurtadomusic
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sashahurtadomusic
- Other: www.youtube.com/sashahurtadomusic
Image Credit:
Daniel Aristizabal
Aimee Hurtado
American Idol
Aimee Hurtado
Candace Adams
Daniel Aristizabal
Daniel Aristizabal
Daniel Aristizabal
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
