Award-Winning Hill Kourkoutis Receives 2025 JUNO Nomination for Recording Engineer of the Year Award
Meet Hill Kourkoutis, an award-winning, multi-talented force in music, recently nominated for Recording Engineer of the Year at the JUNOs for her work on Sebastian Gaskin’s “Ghost” and Emi Jeen’s “Should We”. A producer, songwriter, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, and director, Hill made history in 2022 as the first woman awarded the JUNO for Recording Engineer of the Year. She also earned a 2024 Jack Richardson Producer of the Year nomination.
With contributions to albums by Aysanabee, Leela Gilday, Digging Roots, and more, Hill’s work spans across TV, film, and high-profile syncs for Cadillac, Virgin Mobile, and Tim Horton’s, along with popular shows like Kim’s Convenience and Station 19. She’s also directed music videos for artists like Mother Mother and Alex Cuba.
Hill continues to redefine the industry with her versatile talents and boundary-pushing projects.
First off, what have you been up to since we last chatted?
It’s been a busy year of producing, songwriting, engineering and mixing! There has been an abundance of music-making in my Lair!
Congratulations on your JUNO Award nomination for Recording Engineer of the Year! How did it feel to receive this recognition for your work?
Thank-you! The JUNO nomination means a lot to me because it is a nomination that is voted on by your peers. I work in a basement studio most of the time so it’s always a surprise to receive a nomination like this. You’re never really expecting it but when it comes it’s lovely. It’s nice to know the music you’re making is resonating with people.
You made history in 2022 as the first woman to win this category. What impact do you think that milestone has had on the industry?
I like to think it put a highlight on the very important conversation surrounding the gender gap that exists in the technical fields within the music industry. I think it had a positive impact in the sense that visibility is important and the amplification of the amazing work being done by women producers and engineers occurred through these conversations. It was also an opportunity to discuss constructive ways towards achieving parity and bring them to the forefront.
In 2024, you received a nomination for Jack Richardson Producer of the Year. How does this recognition differ for you, and what does it mean in your journey as a producer?
Again, it’s always an honour to be recognized by your peers. For me, a lot of my world overlaps between being a producer and an engineer because the majority of the projects I work on, I hold the roles of producer, recording engineer, and mixer. It’s hard to distinguish between them sometimes because they are all aspects of my work and they feed each other but it was nice to be recognized on the production end because while engineering concerns itself with the technical merit, production focuses on the creative direction and execution. At the end of the day, the thing that drives my passion as a producer and engineer is the creative journey. It was nice to be seen for my creative contributions to those projects.
Can you take us into your creative process when engineering a track? What elements do you focus on to bring a song to life?
Before I begin any project, I get to know the artist I am working with. In these conversations leading up to beginning a project I not only learn about their creative and personal aspirations but about the sonic aesthetics that inspire them. We break down the songs, the storytelling, and the journey we want to take with the creative process. We also build a lot of trust. I can then take what I’ve learned from these conversations and figure out the technical aspects of the execution of the project. What mics and outboard gear do I want to use? How do I want to treat the sounds? What kinds of effects will I use? How will I record the instruments to achieve the sound that will support the emotional arc of the storytelling on the song or record. Finding the symbiosis between the technical and creative is key for me because engineering is also a very creative form of expression. I like to explore unique or untraditional ways of creating sounds. Breaking the rules is the exciting part for me. Not getting too comfortable in the process by doing the same thing from album to album but how do we make each album unique on its own? How do we curate a project so that it best supports the artist and their storytelling not only creatively but technically? Those are the puzzles that excite me!
What advice would you give to aspiring producers and engineers, especially women looking to break into the field?
Starting can be daunting. Just dive in, take your time, and enjoy the process of learning and finding the things that will make you unique as a producer and/or engineer. Your first projects likely won’t sound the way you imagine them, but don’t let that frighten you. Use it as an opportunity to grow and evolve. I say this a lot but this industry and life is a marathon. Pace yourself, work hard, create longevity, and always work on the things that ignite your passion and creativity.
What’s next for you? Any exciting projects coming up that you can share?
I have been working with a lot of different artists including Aysanabee, Emi Jeen, and Miesha and the Spanks who will have releases in the next year. I also recently produced the Toronto Sonic ID for the FIFA World Cup 26™ which was a dream project for me!
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