Hill Kourkoutis
Hill Kourkoutis | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Hillary Kourkoutis |
| Born | January 23, 1988 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Rock, pop, alternative, Roots |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, producer, songwriter, mixer, engineer, director, actor |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, bass, keys, drums |
| Years active | 2000-present |
| Website | hillkourkoutis |
Hill Kourkoutis (born 23 January 1988[1]) is a Canadian songwriter, producer, mixer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, director and actress.
Biography
[edit]Early life
[edit]Hill was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is of Greek descent.
Career
[edit]Music
[edit]Hill Kourkoutis is a producer and songwriter whose work spans multiple genres. She has produced albums and/or singles for artists such as Aysanabee, Digging Roots, Amanda Rheaume, Cassie Dasilva, SATE, Leela Gilday, Madison Violet, Jules, The Cliks and Martha and The Muffins. She has also remixed for artists July Talk, Adam Cohen, Dear Rouge, Jill Barber and Good Lovelies. As a songwriter, she has written songs for artists such as Royal Wood, Meghan Patrick, POESY, Jules and Martha and the Muffins. She primarily works out of her studio, The Lair. Kourkoutis was a part of many bands including alternative pop/rock duo "Drowning Girl" with David Paoli before starting Hill & The Sky Heroes - her collaborative solo project. As a session musician and a live side player, Hill has played and/or toured with Serena Ryder, The Weeknd, Martha and the Muffins, Danny Michel, SATE, The Cliks and Tara Slone.
Hill has also composed music for Dino Ranch, Remy & Boo and Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.[2]
In 2018, she appeared on the CTV Series The Launch (created by Scott Borchetta) playing guitar in the show's house band for two seasons.
In 2021 'North Star Calling', the album she produced and mixed for Leela Gilday, won the Juno Award for Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year and was nominated for the Juno Award for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year. The album was also nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards including Single of the Year for "K'eintah Natse Ju".
In March 2022, Kourkoutis became the first woman to receive a Juno Award nomination for Recording Engineer of the Year.[3] She was nominated for her work on SATE's "Howler" and Tania Joy's "The Drought". She won the award, becoming the first-ever female winner in the category.[4] SATE's album, 'The Fool', that Kourkoutis produced, engineered, mixed and wrote on was also nominated for Alternative Album of the Year. 'The Fool' was also on the 2022 Polaris Music Prize Long List.
In 2023 the albums she produced, engineered, mixed and co-wrote on for Digging Roots ('Zhawenim') and Aysanabee ('Watin') were nominated in the Juno Award for Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year category.[5] Digging Roots' 'Zhawenim' won in that category. 'Watin' by Aysanabee was also on the 2023 Polaris Prize Short List. "Nomads", a song she produced and mixed for Aysanabee, also hit #1 on the Canadian Alternative Rock charts.
In 2024 she was nominated for a Juno for Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award.
Film
[edit]At the age of 16, Hill was cast in a reoccurring role on the hit television series Radio Free Roscoe[6] (Noggin/The Family Channel) as the strong but silent drummer Megan. This led her to her studies at Ryerson University where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours in Film Studies. She has directed music videos for Serena Ryder, Mother Mother, Sass Jordan and Alex Cuba.
Discography
[edit]Select Discography
[edit]| Year | Artist | Title | Album | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Emi Jeen | Over You | Over You - Single | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician |
| Sebastian Gaskin | Ghost | Ghost - Single | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Emi Jeen | Should We | Should We - Single | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| 2023 | Tafari Anthony | ”5:20am (Just Text Me Back)“ | When I Met Your Girlfriend | Co-Producer, Engineer, Musician |
| ”Whiskey Bar“ | Co-Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| 2022 | Aysanabee | ”Seeseepano” | Watin | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician |
| ”Bringing The Fire“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Long Gone“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”War Cry“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Here I Am“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Bones“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”River“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”We Were Here“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Ego Death“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| "Nomads" | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| Digging Roots | ”She Calls Me” | Zhawenim | Co-Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| ”Tall Grass“ | Co-Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”The Healer“ | Co-Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”SKODEN“ | Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Light Me Up“ | Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Cut My Hair“ | Co-Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”No Breaking“ | Co-Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”AK47“ | Co-Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Sweetwater“ | Co-Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| Amanda Rheaume | ”Supposed To Be” | The Spaces in Between | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| ”Interlude 1“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”100 Years“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Death Of The American Dream“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Interlude 2“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Do About Her“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Maybe You Do“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”This Love“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Interlude 3“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Right By Your Side“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Supposed To Be“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Interlude 4“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”All Sides Of Me“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| Magnolia | ”Donna” | Confluencer | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| ”Interstate“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Short Fall“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Have You Always“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Orchard“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| 2021 | Amanda Rheaume | ”100 Years” | 100 Years - Single | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician |
| Martha and the Muffins | ”Act Like A Woman“ | Marthology: In and Outtakes | Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Engineer, Musician | |
| ”Big Day“ | Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Musician | |||
| ”Echo Beach 30th Anniversary Version“ | Co-Producer, Musician | |||
| SATE | ”0: Loofeht“ | The Fool | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| ”Dirty Little Lie“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Howler“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”I: Call.Her“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Nobody“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”II: Guardian Angel (feat. Salome Bey)“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Famous“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”III: dreamstream“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Weight On Me“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”The World“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”IV: #sfc (feat. Ursula Rucker)“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”The Fool“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| Andrea Ramolo | ”Free feat. Kinnie Starr” | Quarantine Dream | Co-Writer | |
| Anna Cyzon | ”Losing You” | Losing You - Single | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Digging Roots | ”Cut My Hair” | Cut My Hair - Single | Co-Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Tania Joy | All Songs | I Will Stand | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Saint Idiot | All Songs | Alternate Utopias from a Nostalgic Future | Additional Production, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Digging Roots | ”The Healer” | The Healer - Single | Co-Producer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Cassie Dasilva | ”Unsolicited Contact“ | Enough | Co-Writer, Producer, Engineer, Musician | |
| ”I Don’t Trust Anyone Anymore“ | Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Darkside“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| Royal Wood | ”Say You Will” | Say You Will - Single | Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Rachel Beck | ”Dizzy” | Dizzy - Single | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Andee | ”Your Last Kiss (feat. Stacey Kay)“ | One Plus One Equals Us | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| ”Les idées immenses“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Bigger Dreams (Les idées immenses)“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| 2020 | Leela Gilday | ”Giants” | Giants - Single | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician |
| Sandra Bouza | ”Almost Love” | Falling Away From Me | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| ”Stone Junction“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Not Like Me“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Turn It Up“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Losing You“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Human Connection“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”East Side Woman“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Wrong Songs“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| 2019 | LeRiche | ”Connected” | Connected - Single | Co-Writer, Producer, Engineer, Musician |
| POESY | ”Strange Little Girl” | Glass Box Confessional | Co-Writer | |
| Loviet | ”Symbol Of Love” | Symbol Of Love - Single | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Leela Gilday | All Songs | North Star Calling | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Pavlo | ”Crazy For You Love” | Together | Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Madison Violet | All Songs | Everything’s Shifting | Co-Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| SATE | ”Dirty Little Lie” | Dirty Little Lie - Single | Co-Writer, Producer, Engineer, Musician | |
| 2018 | Jules | ”Fools Gold (Alternate Version” | People Watching | Additional Production, mixer, engineer, Musician |
| ”Before You Picked Her“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Prey“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Dessert First” | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Dakota“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Girl Feel Right“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Where Does That Leave Me“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Sirens“ | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| Derek Spill | ”Melancholy (feat. Hayden Scott)” | Melancholy feat. Hayden Scott - Single | Co-Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Sandra Bouza | All Songs | Three Years | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Dave McEathron | ”The Other Side” | Abandoned Companions & The Abandoned Companions Companion Piece | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Background Vocalist | |
| ”Luck” | Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Background Vocalist | |||
| Serena Ryder | ”Christmas Kisses” | Christmas Kisses | Vocal Arranger, Background Vocals | |
| ”Blue Christmas” | Vocal Arranger, Background Vocals | |||
| ”I’ll Be Home For Christmas” | Vocal Arranger, Background Vocals | |||
| ”Jingle Bell Rock” | Vocal Arranger, Background Vocals | |||
| Stacey Kay | ”I’m Not Adele” | 11 O’Clock Number | Co-Writer, Producer, Engineer, Musician | |
| 2017 | Shawnee | ”Warrior Heart | Warrior Heart - Single | Co-Producer, Engineer, Musician |
| Elle De Luna | ”Gaslight" | Gaslight - Single | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| 2016 | SATE | ”Know My Name” | RedBlack&Blue | Co-Writer |
| Meghan Patrick | ”Nothing’ But A Song” | Grace & Grit | Co-Writer | |
| Graph | ”Bad Behaviour” | Lipstick Graphiti | Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Engineer, Musician | |
| ”Animal” | Co-Writer, Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Father Father” | Co-Writer, Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Eyes Are Like Windows” | Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| 2015 | Hill & The Sky Heroes | All Songs | Electric Matter | Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician |
| Hill & The Sky Heroes | ”The Flame (Radio Version)” | The Flame (Radio Version) - Single | Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Hill & The Sky Heroes | All Songs | Dark Days | Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| 2013 | Martha Johnson (singer) | ”No Man’s Land” | Solo.One | Co-Writer |
| ”My Reverie | Background Vocals | |||
| The Cliks | ”Savanna” | Black Tie Elevator | Co-Writer, Producer, Engineer, Musician | |
| ”Stop Drinking My Wine” | Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Dark Passenger” | Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Sleeping Alone” | Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Still” | Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”1000 Violins” | Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”4 Letter Words” | Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Cerise” | Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”No Good Do’er” | Co-Writer, Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”She Was The One” | Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Gone” | Co-Writer, Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| ”Walking In A Graveyard” | Producer, Engineer, Musician | |||
| 2012 | Hunter Valentine | ”The Pulse” | Collide & Conquer | Co-Writer, Background Vocals |
| Andrea England | ”Hothouse Flower” | Hope & Other Sins | Co-Writer | |
| Hill & The Sky Heroes | All Songs | 11:11 | Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Engineer, Musician | |
| 2011 | Saidah Baba Talibah | ”Revolution” | Revolution - Single | Co-Producer, Engineer, Musician |
| Hill & The Sky Heroes | All Songs | 11EP | Co-Writer, Co-Producer, Engineer, Musician | |
| 2010 | Mookie & The Loyalists | ”Took Me By Surprise” | Mookie & The Loyalists | Co-Writer, Background Vocals |
Remixes
[edit]| Year | Artist | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Rachel Beck | ”Hearts On Fire (Hill Kourkoutis Remix)” |
| 2018 | Jill Barber | ”Girl’s Gotta Do (Hill Kourkoutis Remix)” |
| Good Lovelies | ”I See Gold - Radio Remix” | |
| 2017 | Madison Violet | ”We Are Famous (When We’re Breaking) [Remix]” |
| 2015 | Hill & The Sky Heroes | ”Who Am I (feat. Tree)” |
| SATE | ”Warrior (The Sky Heroes Remix)” | |
| Graph | ”The Light’s Out (The Sky Heroes Remix)” | |
| July Talk | ”Paper Girl (The Sky Heroes Remix)” | |
| Dear Rouge | ”Black To Gold (The Sky Heroes Remix)” | |
| Adam Cohen | ”We Go Home (The Sky Heroes Remix)” |
Composing
[edit]| Year | Project | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go - Season 3 | ”Worth Doing Right“ (Ep. 01 - What's The Buzz) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician |
| Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go - Season 3 | ”Make Things Right“ (Ep. 6 - Cake It Easy) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| 2023 | Armadillo Avalanche | ”I Got You“ | Songwriter, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician |
| Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go: The Mystery of Lookout Mountain | ”Warning: Biggest Adventure Ahead“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go - Season 2 | ”What I Can Do and What I Can't“ (Ep. 23 - Bring It On Beresford) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| 2022 | Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go - Season 2 | ”This Was Unexpected“ (Ep. 8 - Hot Air Percy) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician |
| Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go - Season 1 | ”The Number One Engine“ (Ep. 33 - A Light Delivery) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| ”Between You and Me“ (Ep. 29 - Thomas and Percy’s Eggsellent Adventure) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | ||
| ”A Partner On The Rails“ (Ep. 11 - A Wide Delivery) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | ||
| 2021 | Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go: Race For The Sodor Cup | ”Look It’s Us“ | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician |
| Dino Ranch | Theme Song | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| 2020 | Remy & Boo | ”Better With You“ (Theme Song) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician |
| ”Heartbeat“ (End Credits Song) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | ||
| 2018 | Blowback (Film) | Score | Composer, producer, mixer, engineer, Musician |
| Gasha Go (Online Game) | Theme Song | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| 2017 | Paper Girls | Theme Song | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician |
| The Adventures of Napkin Man! - Season 3 | ”Find The Fun“ (Episode: Go With The Flow) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | |
| ”A Whole Lotta Love“ (Episode: Familysaurus) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | ||
| ”Share One Thing At A Time“ (Episode: New Classmate Pt. 1) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | ||
| ”Join In“ (Episode: To Paint Or Not To Paint) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | ||
| ”You Can Do It“ (Episode: Carnival King) | Co-Writer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Musician | ||
| 2016 | Cadillac (Commercial) | Song | Composer, producer, mixer, engineer, Musician |
| 2012 | Grimey (Short Film) | Score | Composer, producer, mixer, engineer, Musician |
| ACTRA: Get Women Working PSA (Short Film) | Score | Composer, producer, mixer, engineer, Musician |
Filmography
[edit]Music videos (as director)
[edit]- Hill & The Sky Heroes - “Doctor, Doctor” (2012)
- Serena Ryder & The Beauties - “Ramblin’ Man” (2010)
- Serena Ryder & The Beauties - “No Air” (2010)
- Serena Ryder & The Beauties - “The Funeral” (2010)
- Serena Ryder & The Beauties - “Ramblin’ Man” (2010)
- Modern Superstitions - “Visions Of You” (2010)
- San Sebastian - “Young Youth” (2010)
- Diego Gomes - “My Best Friend’s Girl” - YTV/The Next Star (2010)
- Madi Amyotte - “Front Row” - YTV/The Next Star (2010)
- Delhi2Dublin - “Tommy” (2010)
- KAY - “M.A.J.O.R” (2010)
- Michou - “Eavesdropping” (2010)
- San Sebastian - “Wake Up” (2010)
- You Say Party! - “There is XXXX (Within My Heart)” (2010)
- Alex Cuba - “If You Give Me Love” (2009)
- Crystal Shawanda - “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” (2009)
- Sass Jordan - “Why Did You?” (2009)
- Mother Mother - “Hayloft” (2009)
- Theo Tams - “Lazy Lovers” (2009)
- Serena Ryder - “All For Love” (2009)
- Drowning Girl - “Tragic Romantic” (2008)
- Tara Slone - “My Little Secret” (2006)
Shorts/PSA’s
[edit]- ACTRA: TAWC Toolkit PSA (2012)…Director
- Electric Red (2010)…Director
- The Flock (2010)…Director, Writer
- …And The Planets Conspire (2008)…Director, Writer
- Star Maker Machinery (2008)…Director, Writer
- Go Pomo! (2008)…Director, Writer
- Thousand Pound Eyelids (2006)…Director, Writer
Television
[edit]- 2018-2019 - The Launch - Herself, 14 episodes, House Band (Guitarist)
- 2014 - The 43rd Annual Juno Awards - Herself, Musician for Serena Ryder, “What I Wouldn’t Do/“, “For You”
- 2013 - 2013 Much Music Video Awards - Herself, Musician for Serena Ryder, “Stompa/What I Wouldn’t Do”
- 2013 - The 42nd Annual Juno Awards - Herself, Musician for Serena Ryder, “Stompa”
- 2013 - The Tonight Show With Jay Leno - Herself, Episode #21.182 (Musician for Serena Ryder, “Stompa”)
- 2011 - Serena Ryder Set List - Herself, Musician for Serena Ryder, “The Funeral”
- 2010 - The Next Star - Herself, 1 Episode, Director
- 2004-2015 - Radio Free Roscoe - Megan, 10 episodes
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Official Site".
- ^ "IMDB Credits".
- ^ Grein, Paul (March 8, 2022). "Hill Kourkoutis Becomes First Woman to Receive a Juno Awards Nomination for Recording Engineer of the Year". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
- ^ Holly Gordon, "Here are all the 2022 Juno Award winners". CBC Music, May 14, 2022.
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/music/junos/news/here-are-all-the-2023-juno-nominees-1.6724343
- ^ "Radio Free Roscoe".