We are Dad Hat, an indie pop duo based in Los Angeles, CA. We are Steven Gudino and Maddie Barrett, graduate music students at USC and UCLA respectively, and long-time friends and music collaborators. Dad Hat’s name comes from a love for the music that has influenced our sound from our beginning: indie pop/rock. Our favorite artists of this genre can often be seen wearing one, and after months of describing our genre as “Dad Hat”, we decided to take on the name for our band. Dad Hats are laid-back, fun, and timeless, and our music aims to be just that! 

      After meeting in 2016 as music composition students at Chapman University in Orange, CA, we quickly became close friends and started creating music together, from classical composition, film scoring, arranging, and playing jazz gigs. Dad Hat was officially born in late 2018, our passion-project outside of school, and as a vehicle for Steven’s songwriting efforts. With the energy and dynamic of great indie duos, like Beach House, The Marías, and Damien Rice/Lisa Hannigan, our music stands out as a fusion of sonic landscapes, merging our pop sound with our classical and jazz sensibilities. Our sound has been continually evolving as we grow, and our goal is to never cease blending new genres and styles into our music. 

      Today, we are continuing to write and record new music, as well as expand out from the Orange County scene we started in, into our new Los Angeles roots! Dad Hat looks forward to releasing new singles in the coming months and to playing live gigs in the LA area as soon as possible. Please check out our music page to hear our tunes and subscribe to our mailing list to stay up to date on our current news and music releases. We can’t wait to hear from you!