PROFILE
Hill Kourkoutis
By Andrew King
H
ill Kourkoutis knew what she
wanted to do with her life at a
relatively young age, and dedi-
cated an impressive amount of
time and effort to making her
dreams a reality even before hitting her teens.
Now one of Canada’s busiest and most
sought-after creative professionals, Kourk-
outis’s list of job titles is a long one: musician,
songwriter, composer, remixer, producer,
engineer, and video director – and that’s just
professionally speaking.
Kourkoutis grew up in the GTA hamlet of
Greenwood, about an hour’s drive northeast
of her current home of Toronto, in what she
calls a “typical Greek household.” In addition
to the usual childhood pursuits – explor-
ing the forest in her back yard, collecting
sticks and rocks, and daydreaming about
other worlds – she was writing songs, play-
ing instruments, and pledging to travel the
world and perform in front of millions of
adoring fans.
“I initially became involved in recording
and production out of necessity,” she tells
Professional Sound. “I would hear all these
sounds and arrangements in my head for my
own projects but didn’t have the budgets to
hire a producer or pay for studio time.”
And so, she began teaching herself how
to record demos, first in her bedroom with
Cool Edit Pro and eventually in her own studio
space with a Pro Tools rig. That’s when other
artists started calling about production work.
Outside of her burgeoning studio and
solo careers, Kourkoutis was a musician for
hire, performing with the likes of Serena Ry-
der and The Weeknd. Then, she went to film
school and started directing music videos
for Sass Jordan, Mother Mother, and others.
There were songwriting sessions with art-
ists like Meghan Patrick and Martha and the
Muffins, remixes for Jill Barber and The Good
Lovelies, and compositions for film, TV, and
ad clients like Cadillac and the CBC. Needless
to say, her dance card was pretty full.
“Three years ago, I decided to take a
hiatus from touring and directing to put
all of my focus into producing and writing,”
she says, “but all of my experiences in these
fields of the industry and the many perspec-
tives I’ve stood from have only enriched my
experiences in the studio.”
Sometimes, her extensive CV can feel as
much like a curse as a blessing, as she’s had
to overcome people’s confusion about what
it is she actually does. “And it can also dilute my
attention span,” she adds, “so I’ve learned to not
spread myself too thin.”
Still, even her professional challenges are
treated like opportunities. “Some are of the
day-to-day variety and have to do with figuring
out how to execute something for a project.
These are the challenges I enjoy as they force
you to think outside of the box or to trust your
intuition, as sometimes, they result in those
‘magic moments’” – the kind she’s been chasing
since her childhood.
“My favourite part of producing is the
journey you embark on with the artist you’re
working with,” she continues. “There is a very
special bond that occurs with the perfect
artist/producer relationship, and my favourite
approach to making records is of the holistic
variety. Listening and taking the time to un-
derstand an artist’s intention and vision is the
most important thing.”
With overcoming challenges being one
of the more rewarding aspects of her work, it’s
unsurprising she wishes for the same with her
clients. “The greatest thrill is seeing an artist
overcome a challenge that stands before them,
or discover a new dimension of their artistry,”
she says. “The energy in the room changes; it
brings them to the next level. I live for those
moments when an artist can listen back to
what they’ve created and be moved or in awe
of what they’ve done and love being a part of
facilitating that.”
Even when she’s not in the studio, creativ-
ity remains key to her enjoyment of life. “I’ve
learned that work/life balance is integral to
sustainability, creativity, and overall quality of life
and mental health,” she says. “I’ve also realized
the importance of finding and expressing your
creativity in everyday life, and experiencing
that creativity without expectations attached
to the end result.”
As such, she enjoys cooking, gardening,
fermenting, knitting, and journaling. “I also love
to hang with family and friends, experience
amazing food, read books, binge on Netflix,
learn new skills, and contemplate the universe,”
she adds. “I recently started boxing as well, and
that’s been super fun to counter the sedentary
lifestyle that comes with being in the studio.”
She currently has a myriad of musical
projects on the go – albums, singles, remixes,
and writing sessions in addition to some
compositions for film and TV. Some recent
highlights include co-producing Madison
Violet’s latest album with the revered Daniel
Ledwell, as well as a pair of upcoming albums
from SATE and Leela Gilday that bear her
producer’s credit.
Those are just a few examples of the kind
of work she has underway at any given time
– the kind of work she dreamed about doing
as a youngster with big aspirations, plenty of
talent, and pure determination.
Andrew King is the Editor-in-Chief of Professional Sound.
PROFESSIONAL SOUND 19