Meet Rachel Hardy | Composer & Vocalist
We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachel Hardy and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Rachel, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I have a very simple answer to this: I find a lot of fulfillment in creating. Being in a creative career can be a bit of a rollercoaster; sometimes the process itself is very exciting and rewarding, but it can also be emotionally and mentally exhausting. In the end though, it always feels good to finish something that came from your mind, whether the process went smoothly or not. I find that pursuing a creative career path stretches me as a person, encourages mental growth, and challenges me creatively. I love that every day is different, and working with other creative people is one of my life’s greatest joys. I’m honestly not sure what else I’d be doing!
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a Canadian composer and vocalist working primarily in video games at the moment. I got my start on YouTube when I was in high school, creating and posting covers of my favourite songs from film, TV, and games. Over the last 10 years, my channel has amassed nearly 300k subscribers and over 43 million views. Running my YouTube channel was a great way for me to financially support myself while trying to get more experience as a composer, and it was also a fantastic way for me to practice my arranging, recording, production, and mixing skills.
I now work full-time as a music supervisor and composer for a AAA video game company, although I still post YouTube videos occasionally and compose / sing for a few small projects on the side. My journey so far has been full of unexpected twists and turns, but I’m thankful it’s all lead to where I am now!
It’s difficult to pursue a creative career, especially in the early years. When I was starting out (and even still!) so many people offered me advice and opportunities that have all been important stepping stones for me. This has made me realize that kindness goes a long way, and I hope I can structure my own career around the desire to give back to this community. I also have a deep love for collaboration!
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Although I currently live in Seattle, I’ve only been here around a year. I am originally from Calgary, Alberta; my favourite spots are Inglewood, especially the Blackfoot Diner (sometimes I just go for their crinkle cut fries), Hexagon board game cafe in Kensington (I hope it’s still around!) and Denny’s (only at 1am though). I also always love a good campfire with friends.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am where I am in my career because of so many people. To the people who sat down with me for coffee when I was a student, let me sit in at their studios to learn, and offered advice in my early years; to my friends and colleagues who have collaborated with me, encouraged me to keep going, and offered to listen to my mixes; to my mentors who have given me so many opportunities, oodles of advice, and the push to keep learning, growing and improving: thank you!
Website: https://www.rachelhardymusic.com
Instagram: @RachelHardyMusic
Twitter: @RachelHardy306
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RachelHardy
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
