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Behind the Scenes of ‘Standing Room Only’: An Interview with HattenandOrliss

We are proud to announce our interview with the duo Hatten and Orliss. The collective duo is known as HattenandOrliss. 

They are creating a buzz in the music industry for their unique and distinct sound.  This interview discusses their outstanding partnership and their new single “Standing Room Only”.  Their new single is about a band who repeatedly gets turned down by A&R but then dig deep and make it on their own.  It’s a success story for all musicians to keep following their dreams and never give up. 

Can you introduce yourselves to our readers and tell us about the creative process behind “Standing Room Only”?

Orliss: I’ve always been sensitive to sound. I met Hatten 30 years ago and immediately knew his sound was different from anything I had heard before. My ears perked up every time he played. I had never heard anyone play chords the way he does. We both feel our songwriting process is actually quite simple. We start with a BPM, and I then play very simply. Hatten will then call out a key, and I settle into a groove that complements what Hatten is playing, and vice versa. We literally feed off of each other’s sound. Our goal in every songwriting session is to create something that sounds like a finished record, but also sounds like no other record we have done before.

Hatten:  I started writing original music when I was five years old. I would get on my bicycle and create an entire original Top-40 radio show. My show would include commercials, guest appearances and writing original songs as I peddled. I have wanted to be a songwriter my entire life.  

Hatten started making music at a very young age, even creating on-the-fly top-40 songs as a child. How have those early experiences shaped your approach to songwriting today?

Hatten: I was strongly influenced by the music of the 50’s and 60’s. I always found something interesting in every record whether I liked it or not.  Meaning, I learned what to do and what not to do.  I have an unwritten rule that every record we make will feature a solo, a vocal adlib or some sort of instrumental lead line.

Orliss brings rhythm and drums into the mix. How do you think your drumming influences the overall sound and vibe of HattenandOrliss’s music?

Hatten quickly answers this question. Hatten strongly stated that without Orliss there would be no records. Orliss knows how to play the songs. She is incredibly creative and has a signature sound, groove, style and feel.  She simply knows instinctively what to play and importantly when not to play.  

You’ve both expressed a desire to create original, self-expressive music. What do you hope listeners take away from “Standing Room Only”?

HattenandOrliss: We pride ourselves for not sounding like anybody else.  Therefore, we aspire our listeners to feel they had a unique and melodic experience.  We also want our listeners to feel hopeful about the song “Standing Room Only” and that it is possible to make it on your own. It’s a song about redemption and determination.

What can fans expect next from HattenandOrliss in 2025?

HattenandOrliss: We hope our audience will like our future songs even more than the first, better than the second, third and so on.  

We really appreciate your time and thank you so much for the interview.