Beauty School Dropout: Loud, Raw, and Real

Beauty School Dropout: Finding Themselves, Staying Fearless, and Learning to Breathe

When we caught up with Cole “Colie” Hutzler, lead vocalist of Beauty School Dropout, he was on the move—quite literally. Taking our call from the back seat of a car somewhere between tour stops, Colie still managed to make the Zoom feel like a hangout. The energy was light, fun, and spontaneous, but his words carried a weight that reflected just how deeply he feels about his work.

Even on the go, Colie’s passion was unmistakable. He spoke with a mix of humility and confidence that made it clear that Beauty School Dropout’s rapid rise has not made him lose touch with the reason he started in the first place. “I just don’t know how to be anything else,” he said in the interview, and it hit us. That kind of authenticity is not something you can fake.

With their debut album Where Did All The Butterflies Go? now out in the world and only a few tour stops left, we talked with Colie about BSD’s creative process, growth, and the chaos that fuels their sound.

You’ve been so busy releasing singles, working with Blink-182 and Machine Gun Kelly, and headlining your own tour. How are you feeling right now?

It’s a work in progress honestly, it’s hard. You have to force yourself to stop and actually enjoy the moment. We get so hungry that it’s easy to just jump into the next thing. But celebrating gives you those moments to breathe. Coming home helps you reflect and process what’s happened. You look around like, “Wow, we really did this.” Then it’s back to, “Okay, how do we kill it next time?” We just want to win as a band.

You’ve played in Austin a few times now. How does it feel coming back?

Austin’s got so much history. We’ve played a lot of shows here, it’s one of our favorite cities. We’ve got friends and family here now, so it honestly feels like a second home.

Still based in California?

Yeah, we’re LA-based, but we’ve all got our own spaces now. When we lived together, it was chaos, we were locked in, creating every single day in the studio. It was a crazy time, but that’s where BSD was born.

Your debut album Where Did All The Butterflies Go? came out in September. How did you know it was time to take that leap from singles to a full project?

Honestly, it’s just what you do. It’s not a matter of “knowing.” If you wait until you feel ready, nothing ever happens. Every artist hits that wall—and yeah, it’s scary because you’re spilling all your emotions into something that’s going to live forever. But that’s the job, to express endlessly. It’s like painting, sometimes it’s messy, but that’s part of the beauty.

Do you have a favorite song off the album?

“City Never Sleeps.” I hope other people have stories that connect to it. Our music is really about a constant search for who I am and how to be the best version of that. If someone else can see themselves in that process, that’s the biggest win.

What originally inspired you to start making music?

I grew up on punk, rock, and metal, that’s always been my safe space to be real. From Alice in Chains to Bauhaus, to even the old pro skaters who just had this cool confidence, I’ve always been drawn to people who are fearless. That’s what I wanted to embody in music.

How would you describe Beauty School Dropout to someone who’s never heard your music?

It’s chaos with purpose. We’re raw, honest, fun, and always evolving. It’s high energy but introspective. We want you to feel something, whether that’s rage, relief, or release.

BSD blends so many genres — punk, pop, rock, even a little metal. Is that intentional or does it happen naturally?

It’s definitely organic. We all write and produce, even outside the band, and that keeps things fresh. We come from different places musically, so BSD ends up being a blend of all of us.

As far as what’s easier to express, it depends on the day. Some of the upbeat songs come from anger or healing, but they’re still fun. There’s vulnerability in all of it. One minute you’re on top of the world, and the next something wild happens. We just try to capture that honesty.

As the lead vocalist, does it come naturally to take charge?

I guess so? It’s weird, as the project grows, the meaning of being a “leader” keeps shifting. I don’t know if it comes naturally, but I wake up and do the best I can. It’s a dance, for sure. There are struggles, but I try to handle it with as much grace as possible.

BSD has gained a ton of traction recently. Has that success sunk in yet?

Not really. There are moments where we’re like, “Holy shit, we did this,” but we’re still hungry. We’ve got new goals, new dreams, new heights to hit. We’ll always have that chip on our shoulder to keep giving more to the audience.

Fashion is clearly a huge part of BSD’s identity. What role does clothing play when you’re performing?

When you look good, you feel good and that translates into energy on stage. Fashion is a form of expression. It shows people where we come from, who we are, and who we want to be. When we look our best, we perform our best.

What do you hope your visuals and style communicate to the audience?

That we’re fearless. It’s about owning your identity and being unapologetic. Our visuals are just another extension of that.

How do you maintain authenticity while constantly evolving?

I wish I had a deeper answer, but I just don’t know how to be anything else. I don’t know anything else. It’s a weird privilege to say we get to do this, and we don’t take it for granted.

Where do you see Beauty School Dropout in the next few years?

We’re paving the groundwork right now, touring nonstop, building connections. In five years, I’d love for us to be headlining arenas or amphitheaters. That’s the goal.

Finally, after everything BSD has accomplished, how do you stay grounded?

I think it comes back to that weird time in 2020. It was a blessing in disguise, it gave us the space to find ourselves and explore creatively. If that year hadn’t happened, I don’t think we’d be who we are now. It’s been a long road, but we’re still just getting started.

Even through a screen, Cole’s sincerity is magnetic. His words carry a sense of gratitude that feels rare in a world moving at an incredible speed. He’s proud but never complacent. Beauty School Dropout is a band with ambition, honesty, courage, and heart, and if Colie’s words are any indication, this is just the beginning of something much bigger.