HUTCH INTERVIEW: VIPER PRESENTS [FEATURE] BOLD ENGAGING INTERVIEW 2026

For 24-year-old singer, songwriter, and pianist Hutch, music isn’t just a career—it is a method of survival and a medium for clarity. Hailing from the suburbs of Brighton, his journey to this moment has been defined by what he describes as “obsessions, healthy and unhealthy.” While jazz piano—specifically the legendary Oscar Peterson—was his first love, the turbulence of addiction during his adolescence threatened to derail his path.

A pivotal move to Crawley at age 21 provided the clean slate he desperately needed. In that space between the rush of the city and the stillness of the countryside, Hutch began to dismantle his past and rebuild it through song. His debut single, ‘Never Like The First Time’ (Deep End Recordings), introduced a voice that is as technically precise as it is emotionally raw.

Now, Hutch is stepping into his most significant year yet. On 26th February, he drops his new single ‘Coasting’, accompanied by a visual masterclass directed by Edem Wornoo (the creative mind behind visuals for Dave and Stormzy). To cap off a landmark week, he takes to the stage at The Lower Third for his first London headline show as part of the BBC Introducing Ones To Watch 2026 series.

Drawing influence from the vulnerability of RAYE and the rhythmic flow of artists like Little Simz and Loyle Carner, Hutch creates a sound that is “mental, soulful, and reflective.” We caught up with the rising star to discuss the therapeutic power of songwriting, crowd-surfing at seventeen, and why sometimes the best tracks start in the kitchen.

What five words describe your sound?

Vulnerable, soulful, mental, energy, reflection.

Tell me something unique about your creative process?

Sometimes I write songs to just drums – I come up with stuff while cooking, record a voicenote of it and then take it to keyboard or drums and jam it until it makes sense – doesn’t always have to make sense if it feels right.

Which song of yours would you like people to hear first?

‘Hard Healing’ from my first EP is probably my favourite of the bunch at the minute – ever changing. The production and intensity in it does something nice to my brain. I wanted to make it feel like there were different characters and versions of me going back and forth with each other. There’s a lot going on, in the right way I think. The intro sounds like some sort of ring walk too which excites me.

What inspired you to make that song?

I went to the studio to meet the producer Grades for the first time. We spoke for a while, he played me a drum pattern, I played the keys which we also played on bass, and then I just started writing bits down. I had the “hard healing, chatting to myself & call it a staff meeting” written in my notes, made me laugh and I just ran with it. Me and Dan (Grades) didn’t really say much to each other while making it – we both just understood the assignment and occasionally signalled to each other that we were onto something.

What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself when writing / making?

This is usually when I write about things I struggle sitting with, or things that I don’t know how to communicate in a day to day chat. I’ve often written about traumatic experiences and the thing with trauma is it can take on a different shape and meaning, similarly to how grief doesn’t go away with time; it just sits in your pocket and will surprise you by popping out every now and again. I don’t think I can truly understand or reframe trauma without writing it down or talking about it with someone – writing songs is a mixture of both of these things I guess. It all falls under the same umbrella for me. There’s stuff that I’ve been through that I’ve gone to therapy for, that I struggle to make sense of on a daily basis, but making music always makes me feel clearer about it. I’ve also written songs that have come about from an argument or uncomfortable chat, maybe someone close to me has had with someone else, and I can see both sides of the story and write about how it can make you, or them feel.

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This interview is part of our Viper Presents long-form series, now hosted exclusively on our Substack. To read the full conversation with Hutch and gain access to our archive of deep-dives into the architects of Hip Hop and global culture, head over to the Viper Substack.

[READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE]

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