Beauty School Dropout is a Los Angeles-based “Renegade-Pop” outfit that has been building their catalog and getting ready to unleash hell. They’ve been slowly leaking gems out of their vault to let people know what kind of sauce they’re working with. They just let loose their second infectious single “Die For You.” The track comes with some quarantine-style visuals that will have you vibing out in your room telling you everything’s going to be ok.
Launching in 2020, and forming only about a year ago, Beauty School Dropout has already made the necessary preparations to drop steady hits. The five-piece began working together when the vocalist, Cole Hutzler, drummer, Mike Rose, and bassist, Brent Burdett, formerly had an alt-rock group, Strangefaces. In the wake of Strangefaces dissolving, Hutzler was already forming his solo project, which would then evolve into Beauty School Dropout (BSD.) By teaming up with his former bandmates, Hutzler and co began laying the groundwork for BSD.
With all members of the band having experience in the music industry as professional songwriters and/or producers, they were able to find the ultimate squad. By meeting guitarist Diego Ferrera, former Capitol Studios audio engineer, and producer and rhythm guitarist, Bardo, the line-up became complete.
Following BSD’s complete form, the band went into full grind mode and began recording like madmen. We had a chance to catch up with Cole and his crew of undeniable musical hustlers to find out what plans they have for BSD, as well as the significance of their “Die For You” song and video release.
Sessions & Stockpiling Music
When forming the band, Cole said that “it was in the works for about a year. I knew I wanted my solo project. Then I realized it was a band.” It was around last July that Cole and Bardo met. At this time they began working on a bunch of sessions. Bardo said, “We just started writing stuff and then I went to Europe.”
Then he said that during his stay he was listening to the sessions. It was at this point he saw “there’s something special here.” When he flew back, he and Cole got back to work. They even lived seven minutes away from each other in LA during this time. They attribute a lot of the quickness of their workflow to this convenience.
Cole and Bardo would take any idea and bring it to the “band and they can add their sauce to it,” Bardo said. This eventually led to them creating songs as a cohesive unit. They even did a weeklong retreat at Bardo’s old warehouse space in San Luis Obispo. They said they “slept on bean bags for a week and didn’t shower. We just wrote and submitted to the whole band thing.” After this retreat and countless other sessions, they told me they don’t really need to make music for “basically three years.” This is a very pop-star approach to forming a band, building your catalog first, and gigging later. Cole and Bardo said, “we’ve written enough music for a sonic revolution.”
“Last Time”
BSD’s debut single is a gritty pop anthem called “Last Time.” The arrangement reflects the collective’s familiarity with creating the perfect formula for a pop-rock hit. The lyrics detail the ending of a troubled relationship over crunchy driving guitar riffs, gang vocals ringing almost throughout.
Starting off with a bang, “Last Time” was an apt introduction to the five-piece “Renegade-Pop” outfit. It properly showcases their seamless mixture of pop, rock, punk, and hip-hop. Watch their debut music video for “Last Time” below.
Pwrhaus Production
Many of the members live together at a live/workspace near the Downtown LA-area. Bardo said they call it the “Pwrhaus.” This is basically where the band has been creating a platform not only for themselves but for other artists as well. They said, “the media, the music, the art, the production is all done in-house with us.” They said they’ve done so many sessions at their studio/home that they’re now producing other bands out of their space.
The new music video for “Die For You” was even shot and edited by their roommate Mikey (a killer director,) who acts as their content director. Cole said “we’ve been filming new videos independently during the whole quarantine.” He highlighted that “because we’re so self-sustaining, we’re able to do things bigger.” Bardo said the goal with the Pwrhaus is to be able to “apply the same sauce we add into the BSD stuff and create this media house that’s able to create, incubate, and nurture everything we do.”
“Die For You” And Future Releases
The band came together separately in their own homes to create the music video for “Die For You.” You see each member rocking out in their house with ample energy. The edits by Mikey create a grainy, kind of washed-out look with different filters and wide-angle lenses that add to the breezy track.
They charge up the pop hit with bombastic drums from Mike Rose. Amidst the vibes, you catch attention-grabbing guitar dalliances by Diego Ferrera. The driving bass riffs from Brent Burdett tie it all together seamlessly as Cole croons dulcet baritone and tenor melodies. See for yourself below.
Beauty School Dropout – “Die For You”
The band’s prowess at songwriting is apparent. Not only by the two releases they presently have but by the aggressive approach they’ve taken to building their catalog and media house. You get the sense that there is no alternative plan for them—this is what they’re meant to do. Cole jokingly said, “we’ve all dropped out of something.”
They’re putting all their cards on the table. Cole said they plan to keep releasing “pretty steady singles. Then rinse and repeat until it does well and then put out an EP first.” You can tell that every member of Beauty School Dropout is busting their asses not only for their own music but to produce others’ music and breathe life back into bands and the communal spirit of music production.
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