Carla Hassett

Carla Rigolin Hassett (AKA Carla Hassett) is a Los Angeles based session singer, guitarist, songwriter, recording artist, producer, and music educator. A native of São Paulo Brazil and schooled in the recording studios of Chicago, Carla has appeared with Billy Idol, Sergio Mendes, Flora Purim and Airto Moreira, Mike Patton, the late soul legend Solmon Burke, REO Speedwagon, Christopher Cross, Christan Castro, and actor/musician Gary Sinise. Carla sang in the 2012 Latin Grammy Person of the Year Show honoring treasured Brazilian composer Caetano Veloso. During that show, she backed up Veloso, Natalie Cole, Nelly Furtado, Seu Jorge, Lila Downs among other Latin music superstars. Carla has recorded with Gino Vannelli, Enrique Bunbury, Michael Bublé, Mike Patton, and appeared on 7th Heaven, The Tonight Show, The Grammy Awards, and as the voice of Peggy Lee on Pee Wee’s Playhouse. Carla was the featured soloist in the 2017 Sonorama project for Pacific Standard Time LA/LA, The 2018 LA Tribute To Luiz Melodia show, and the 2018 Film Composer Collective concert at the Theatricum Botanicum.

Carla sang on several feature films, including the Oscar nominated (for best original song) “RIO” for composers Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown, and John Powell, and RIO 2 with Janelle Monae and her band. Carla sang and contracted vocal sessions for numerous Disney recordings in Portuguese and Spanish, and on countless commercial jingles. More recently, Carla sang on the pilot for the Amazon original Mozart In The Jungle, and on the 2018 Netflix film, Like Father.

In Brazil, Carla’s song Teu Olhar became the theme song for the telenovela Amor e Ódio and soon after she released her first EP, appropriately titled First, which received support from Radio Eldorado in São Paulo and KPFK in Los Angeles. Her second album, Quero Saber, features a duet with Mike Patton. Produced by Carla, the track was nominated for a 10th annual Independent music Award. Carla dug deep into her Brazilian roots and released the critically acclaimed album Circulo in 2010, which included guest participant and legendary drummer, James Gadson.

Inspired by her work with Caetano Veloso, Carla explored tropicália and jazz for her fourth album, +Blue (whose title, “More Blue” was inspired by Veloso’s song “A Little More Blue”). On +Blue, Carla explored the meaning of “home” and the complexities of growing up between two countries and cultures: her birthplace, Brazil, and her adopted country, the U.S. NPR featured +Blue and interviewed Carla on Weekend Edition with Linda Wertheimer. In 2018, Carla produced and hosted The Mic podcast, featuring informal discussions with studio and touring singers.

Carla graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Music Production from Berklee College of Music and is currently on faculty in the Commercial Music department at California State University LA. She continues to perform live, record, produce, and teach in Los Angeles.