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Why Music Saved Me 🎶❤️

TL;DR

Life wasn’t always kind, but music gave me a way to survive, grow, and find my voice. While a DJ intro, it’s also an intro to people I coach to increase trust.

The First Beat 🎧

Like most DJs, I have an overwhelming love for music. But for me, it’s more than just a passion; it’s been my salvation. I taught myself to DJ in 1997, and within a month, I played at small house parties and bar setups. It was all about the fun of sharing music with friends.

Over time, I met incredible DJs—some so talented they made me question myself. Imposter syndrome hit hard. I pulled away from the music, convinced I didn’t measure up. Now, I know that was a mistake. Music isn’t just about how good you are; it’s about connecting with people, sharing joy, and creating moments. It’s not just art—it’s service.

A Rough Start 🎤

My childhood was far from easy. I was orphaned at five, and I still vividly remember screaming and crying as social workers took me to foster care. That day, I lost my voice in more ways than one, as no one listened to me.

I was moved around homes until I ended up in a long-term placement. On paper, it was stability. In reality, my foster parents were semi-literate, racist, and didn’t really like each other. They reminded me daily that I was stupid, slapped me if I said “think” (you were not allowed to think for yourself) and ridiculed me about my future, telling me I’d never get a job and laughing about it. For them, I was destined to fail.

The worst part was the physical pain. My teeth decayed over the years because they refused to let me see a dentist. The nerves were exposed, and even breathing hurt. I lost confidence, avoided speaking, and hid behind a wall of silence.

My Refuge in Music 🎶

Then, music came along. A Sony Walkman and a small collection of tapes and a record collection and the recordshop became my lifeline. I listened to the radio endlessly, letting sappy love songs and upbeat tracks drown out the negativity at home. While others might’ve turned to angry or dark music, I sought non-commercial, upbeat tracks that felt like a protective shield.

Music gave me a way to escape. It reminded me there was a world out there beyond my foster home. It gave me hope.

Tech, Talent, and Imposter Syndrome 🖥️

At eight, my blood brother gave me a computer, opening up the world of coding. I taught myself to program and became so good at it that I did projects for friends. But when I submitted my own work in school, teachers refused to believe it was mine. My friends got A’s using my code; I got an “unclassified.” because I wrote a system to teach others how to code. They’d never seen anything like this

At 16, I left school with no qualifications, decayed teeth, and no confidence. Even small tasks, like asking someone to move on the bus, felt impossible. I’d ride to the end of the line and walk back rather than speak up.

Small Wins, Big Changes 🌟

Things slowly turned around. At 18, I walked into a dentist’s office, desperate to fix my teeth. Over three months, he operated multiple times a week, restoring my mouth. To top it off, he backdated my treatment to before my 18th birthday so it would be free.

Around the same time, a man at Ford gave me a job in tech—a graduate-level position, even though I didn’t have the qualifications. Years later, I found out he’d broken the rules to hire me, and I cried when I realised the faith he’d had in me.

Life opened up due to my brother Trev, Dr Shah, the Dentist and Reg, the Director at Ford. Boy, am I thankful!

Finding My Voice in Music 🎛️

Music had always been there, quietly waiting for me. After settling into my career, I bought turntables and started DJing. I played house parties, connected with colleagues who were also DJs and even ran small events at bars. These experiences taught me startup skills I’d later use to build my business.

But imposter syndrome crept back in. I started a Logic production course and met DJs with larger-than-life personalities, yachts, and big gigs in amazing clubs. I felt small and played small, letting them take the spotlight. I turned the volume down on my own music and drifted away. Not their fault, mine – for sure!

The Comeback 🎵

In 2019, I realised I couldn’t keep ignoring music. Slowly, I began to rebuild. I joined the London Sound Academy in 2024, and within an hour, they solved a self-taught mistake I’d been making for years.

Since then, I’ve attended the LSA production course, switched from Logic to Ableton, and built a growing network of collaborators. My first track is being mixed and mastered. I work part-time in my business now, freeing up one day a week to spend in the studio. This year, I aim to increase that to two days and create a solid portfolio of tracks to share with the world.

Full Circle: Music and Writing 🎥✍️

Screenwriting has also made a comeback. Later in life, I gained a BA and MA in screenwriting and wrote 5 complete film scripts, but the imposter syndrome/self-worth issues kicked in. I had them edited in Hollywood – but never networked them into other people’s hands.

This is an essential lesson for music production and any creative art. It’s not enough to make things. If you want them out there, you need the courage to meet people and present your work to them.

I’m working on a script I’d already developed. It involves three friends, 90s club culture and a spiritual motorbike road trip across India (I did that trip for research in 2009, riding a motorbike for the very first time, an Enfield, across India solo—I am so proud of that).

Music and storytelling were always my true creative outlets, and I’m thrilled to have them back in my life.

Lessons Learned 🌱

Looking back, I see how music saved me in more ways than one. It gave me an escape when I needed it most, taught me the power of connection, and showed me how to find my voice.

I’ve come to realise that a lot of my struggles—jumping between ideas were partly my upbringing but also to ADHD-type tendencies and that listening to music constantly regulates my speed. I am not diagnosed, and I firmly believe having a ‘fast brain’ is not a negative.

This isn’t a deficiency but a superpower that allows me to jump between tech, music and writing, as I learned I get bored with just one.

It is also, I believe, a lesson between self-worth and self-confidence. You can make it outwardly as a musician or DJ, but you must do the inside work to feel comfortable and authentic.

Music keeps my mind focused, energy steady, and creativity flowing. I had no idea how much of a difference it made until I started to listen again, and I saw the positive results in my business. It’s like having a rhythm that anchors me, helping me find balance in the chaos. 🎶

To my foster parents, thank you for the shelter, but I’m not stupid, and I got a job. Looking back, I appreciate your situation now and have no hard feelings about those 13 years.

And to be clear, I wouldn’t change anything – yes, of course, I still miss my parents, but I’d never have got the funny and amazing kids and beautiful and creative wife I have today without this path.

The Future

Whilst I am focused on music, ultimately, I’d also like to be a coach for artists, I am a qualified coach, having worked for >500 people 1-2-1, but that’s in the corporate world. I want to transfer the skill to my real tribe, artists. I see so many amazing artists with great paintings, videos, music etc. stuck at home. And I have a gut feeling it has something to do with that destructive imposter, a theory I will learn more about over time as I begin to work with artists.

To everyone else: find what lights you up. For me, it was music and writing. What’s yours?

Big Love 💌

Music truly has the power to heal, inspire, and transform.

Big love, Hutton ❤️

What role has music played in your life? Let’s share stories in the comments! 🎧