Brandon Hutcheson Shares Playlist of Artists Who Have Inspired Him

Rising Toronto-based sensation Brandon Hutcheson is ready to take over the charts with his infectious blend of pop and R&B and unapologetic storytelling.

With a passion for music first ignited at the tender age of 9, the young artist now carries his classical training, along with influence from pop’s biggest stars such as Khalid and Justin Bieber, with him while writing his captivating original songs.

In 2020, the promising singer, songwriter, and self-taught guitarist is formally launching his career in the music biz, having recently released his debut single “Don’t Say.” Glowing yet dynamic, the song is an honest exploration of heartbreak filtered through an iridescent R&B-flecked pop lens.

Hutcheson curated a playlist of songs from artists that have inspired him exclusively for Musical Notes Global. Check it out below!

“I Was Here”-Beyoncé

The first time I heard this song was when Beyoncé performed it at the United Nations Humanitarian Day conference. Beyoncé has always been such an inspiration to me, from her out-of-this-world success and dedication to always empower people. This song portrays her love by saying that she is present in
issues that have shaken our world and that she wants to leave her mark on this earth in a positive way. It shows us that we have an obligation to just be present and be heard to make a change on this planet.

“Earth Song”-Michael Jackson

This song is so powerful. When I first watched and listened to the music video for this song, I was almost in tears. I have always had a strong opinion on the way humans treat our planet and animals that live side-by-side with us. This video portrays the hurt that earth and animals feel when we take advantage of them for our own gain. It’s a pretty hard video to watch but it shows the cruelty that we have allowed to happen.

“American Teen”-Khalid

This song always gives me flashbacks to the summer after my grade 12 year. My friends and I wanted to make it the best summer yet because we were all moving to different universities. I’ve always had the ‘American dream’ and this song helped make this summer kind of feel like it. It reminds me of cottages, beaches,
patios, and anything you can think an amazing summer consists of. The song is lighthearted and fun, and portrays no worries in the world, which is what I was feeling. Even though I’m Canadian, I still felt “high off my American dream.”

“Lose Somebody”-Kygo ft. One Republic

If you get to know me, you’ll discover I LOVE tropical house music. There’s a music festival in Toronto called Electric Island that plays a lot of this music and it is the best time ever. I love to dance (with the help
of some wine of course) and I find it so easy to vibe to these types of songs. This song is definitely on repeat right now.

“When You Love Someone”-James TW

Now bring in heartbroken Brandon haha. I had my first real love at the end of grade 9 and it was everything you could expect from a first love. At the time, this feeling was so new to me, I could have never expected how much of a toll it would put on me if it ended. When it did end, I was not myself at all, but with the help of my friends I was able to get through it stronger than ever. There were definitely a lot of tears shed to this song at 2am. It’s about a kid's parents getting a divorce and the message is that sometimes people just fall out of love, and you’ll only learn that lesson when you love someone.

“Somebody Else”-The 1975

The 1975 is a type of music that you’d never really expect me to be listening to if you knew me. I like my pop, Top 40 type music so when my buddy showed me this song I was pleasantly surprised. If I’m ever driving late at night on country road or in the city, this is the song I blast in the car. The production is incredible, the synths give a vintage vibe, and the melodies are perfect. If I love a song, I usually find it’s too short so I have to put it on repeat to get my fix. But with this song being at 7 minutes long, it is the perfect length too.

“What Goes Around.../...Comes Around”-Justin Timberlake

I was first introduced to Justin Timberlake’s music after listening to his 20/20 album in the car with my mom
all the time. For my birthday, my mom bought me tickets for his 20/20 world tour, which at the time was my first concert experience. I was in awe of his stage presence and the production of such a polished show. He is definitely a big inspiration for what I strive for as a performer.

“Don’t Say”-Brandon Hutcheson

My single “Don’t Say” was written about a past relationship I was in that turned toxic really fast. There’s a point in a relationship where you just have to say enough is enough, and that is the point I was at when I wrote it. Listening back to the song now, it shows me how far I’ve come as a person, especially when it comes to relationships.