Meet Sasha Hurtado: Singer-Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sasha Hurtado and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sasha, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I really feel like the music industry and life is all about taking risks, about making decisions without necessarily knowing the outcome. We can only hope for the best, but never really know the outcome until it’s all said and done. Taking risks has played a significant role in my life. Deciding to be homeschooled all of my high school years to focus on my career was a risk. You only get to be a high schooler once. Although I didn’t get the typical teenage high school experience, it’s a risk I decided to take, and now I wouldn’t change it for the world. Because I took the risk to focus on my career, it lead to one of the best opportunities I’ve gotten to be apart of. I got to compete on season three of American Idol where I placed top sixty. Auditioning for American Idol was even a risk. I was fifteen when I auditioned, so the thought of standing in front of three celebrity judges and performing was absolutely terrifying. Not to mention it’s all filmed for the world to see. For me being so young and flying out to audition was a big risk because there’s that fear of failure or rejection. However, it’s an experience I will never forget and I’m very blessed to have been apart of it. Songwriting and putting out original music is also a risk, a scary one at that. A song is very personal and intimate, so putting it out for anyone to listen to can be scary. There’s always that fear of rejection or embarrassment. Songwriting is a musician’s art, so it’s always the hope that people receive it well- especially for a perfectionist like me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Well I am an independent artist and I write all of my own songs. I am most proud of how hard I work as an independent artist and gigging musician. I’ve been gigging since the age of fourteen, learning to sing and play for three hours. Gigging has really taught me how to perform and entertain rather than just sing a cool song. It has also expanded my ear to so many different genres and eras of music. I am proud to say that I perform a very diverse set of songs. It definitely took some work to get to where I am now though. I took professional vocal training for years, and guitar lessons for couple of years as well. I give gigging the most credit to where I am today professionally. It’s really helped develop me as an artist. Being on American Idol also really helped develop me as an artist. When I got off the show, I started writing a lot- just trying to figure out who I wanted to be. I released my first two singles not long after. I think the biggest obstacle I have and will always face is myself. There is so much talent in the world, and I get discouraged easily. Comparison is a man’s worst enemy is what I say. What really keeps me going is my family and my faith. Both give me hope and encouragement to keep pushing. It’s a lot of hard work and people don’t realize that. I’ve always told people, singing is a sport. You have to warm up and cool down, you can’t eat and drink certain foods, you must stay hydrated, you must rest… I mean the list goes on. I’ve learned that you just have to stay true to yourself and not take it too seriously. At the end of the day, you only live once. Enjoy doing what you love while you can and try not to get caught up in the negative aspects of it. I want people to know that nobody is perfect and we’re all human. Don’t let social media or others bring you down. I hope that through my music, people can relate and feel understood. From someone who has been bullied myself, that’s my goal.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Halcyon in Alpharetta has to be one of my all time favorite places. It’s the perfect little one stop shop. They have different shopping places, so many different kinds of food, ice cream, and coffee. I am half Mexican, and we eat good in our house, so I’m a foodie. Tiny Bubbles Tea Bar in Woodstock has become one of my favorite places to go. It’s so cute and has all these cool drinks and treats. I personally love the orange creamsicle bubble tea. SkyView in Atlanta is always a fun spot to go to for the Ferris wheel. Krog Tunnel in Atlanta is also a super cool spot. There’s all the wall art and murals to look at, and it’s a fun spot to take pictures. Hard Rock Cafe is super fun. The food is amazing and its just such a cool place, you can’t really go wrong. There’s still so many cool spots in the Atlanta area, but those are a few of my favorite spots! Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family has always been my biggest supporters. They deserve so much credit for everything they have and continue to do for me on my journey. My parents noticed when I was young that I could match pitch pretty well, so they put me in vocal lessons at the age of eight. That’s where it all began. I fell in love with the art of singing, and was just constantly practicing, and wanting to learn more. My mom was always hustling to find me opportunities to perform and learn more about my craft. She is a very special woman, she works so hard. We call her the momager. My mom would always stay up late with me to practice songs or memorize lyrics, she would sit and help me film my covers for Youtube when I was little. She has always done all she can to help encourage me, and get me further in my career, and she’s always done it out of love. My dad and my brother have always been my number one cheerleaders. They’ve encouraged me since I was young. My dad took me to one of my first ever big auditions and my brother is the best roadie. He always sits through my three hour gigs and helps me set up, and break down my equipment. I can be pretty hard on myself and my brother is always there to lift me up. My family keeps me very grounded, and always encourages me when I feel like giving up, or when I feel like I’m not good enough. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for my family and all they’ve done and sacrificed for me.

Website: https://www.sashahurtadomusic.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/sasahurtadomusic

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sashahurtadomusic

Youtube: http://youtube.com/sashahurtadomusic

Image Credits
80.and.hill Photography Aimee Hurtado His Creations Photography