She’s focused, determined and tackling the music industry at full speed. She spends her days rigorously writing, recording, and performing with a world class team of industry professionals and spent several months rehearsing and performing with a live band.
Sixteen-year-old rising singer, Sarah Hackett, will stop at nothing.
From an early age, Hackett has been devoted to music. Since sports were never her thing, she began playing the violin when she was in the first grade and later pursued other instruments such as piano and guitar as well as vocal lessons. Eventually she decided to stop playing violin after ten years to focus on singing.
“I have always been doing the whole music thing,” says Hackett. “It has always been part of my life.”
Her dream to become a recording artist sparked at a summer music camp in Burbank, CA where she met 10x multiplatinum and Billboard Award winning music producer, Andrew Lane. Although skeptical about the camp at first, she decided to go for it.
“I saw the music camp in a magazine and I called the number and I was like oh my god this is going to be one of those sketchy things and it’s just not going to happen” admits Hackett.
However, it turned out to be the real deal and Hackett got the opportunity to write and record with Lane who saw something in her.
“I was like I want to finish the record with you and I want to work very hard and prove people wrong and I can do this,” says Hackett. “I think he appreciated the drive that I had.”
Since Hackett was living in Canada, her passion for music brought her back regularly to LA. In the summer of 2012, she made the ultimate decision to relocate to LA in order to chase her goals.
“LA is very different. I love it here. I love the pace,” says Hackett. “Just working in the studio every day and getting to write and record and go to events and meet people that I would have never imagined in a million years meeting. It’s really cool!”
Hackett may be living the dream right now but it hasn’t always been easy. She struggles to balance online school and work where finding the time is the toughest part.
“Some days I’ll be coming home from work and I’ll be like yeah school is just not happening at 10 at night, it’s just not” says Hackett.
However, leaving high school and loved ones back in Canada may be the hardest part of her journey.
“It’s never the same talking to people over text message or Skype. It does make home very special to me and I don’t take advantage of that. I can’t picture myself doing anything else and my friends and family understand that,” confesses Hackett. “That’s probably the hardest part, leaving everything behind.”
When she does visit home, Hackett makes sure she gives herself time to relax. She visits friends, watches movies and eats junk food.
“I’m easy to please. I don’t go partying or anything,” says Hackett. “I just like hanging out with my friends and family. I like quiet because I’m so everywhere most of the time.”
Hackett plans on being everywhere in the new year as she hopes to be touring as well as releasing an album. With a talent for songwriting, Hackett has been co-writing most of her songs and her video “You Got Me Open”, which was released Aug 2012, has reached over a million views on YouTube.
“The only thing I want in life is just to inspire people and music is the only way I know how to do that,” says Hackett. “It’s the best way to get a message across and help people feel like they’re not alone.”
