I’m Phil Dutra, a singer-songwriter based in Austin, Texas, crafting melodic, emotionally driven songs with a retro-pop heart and a modern twist. My music blends heartfelt lyrics, catchy melodies, and chord progressions that aren’t afraid to go somewhere unexpected. I want every song to either lift you up or hold you steady—especially if life’s thrown you a curveball.

I first got into music singing in an A-Cappella group at NYU. That group sparked my passion for songwriting—suddenly, I wasn’t just singing; I was telling stories. Over the years, that grew into something much deeper. I’ve dealt with anxiety most of my life, and music became a way to process it. Meditation and spirituality have helped me stay grounded, and those themes often find their way into my writing, whether I’m singing about heartbreak or healing.

Some of the moments that shaped me: singing in Washington Square Park for the first time, performing for thousands at Penn State’s Festival of the Arts, and collaborating with incredible talents like Scott Patton (of Sugarland), who produced and performed on my debut CD See The World. I also won the National Michael Lloyd Song Contest at the TAXI Road Rally in Hollywood, and one of my songs, “Right Behind The Rain,” was placed in the Warner Bros. romantic comedy Something Borrowed.

If you're just getting to know my music, start with “Lucky.” It’s a song about the surprising freedom that comes after a breakup—and it’s as hopeful as it is catchy. Other tracks like “Feel This Way” and “Sycamore Street” dive deeper into my spiritual outlook and emotional storytelling.

People often compare my sound to R.E.M., Barenaked Ladies, and bands from the '90s alt-pop world like Toad the Wet Sprocket, Green Day, and Oasis. I’m inspired by those artists, sure—but also by people who overcome hard things, by the books that crack something open in your soul, and by those quiet, honest moments that remind us who we really are.

More than anything, I want my songs to feel like a companion—whether your heart’s breaking or breaking free. If a lyric or melody of mine helps someone get through something, that’s all the success I need.

Reviews

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Our loss is Hollywood’s gain…Dutra’s sunny, shimmering melodic brand of pop and witty wordplay remains intact, even surrounded by earthquakes and ’round the clock traffic jams.”

-Gorgeous Magazine

“Phil Dutra has released his latest CD “Right Behind The Rain”-and it’s GOOD. Really Good!!…A great addition to your CD library”

-The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Phil Dutra- “Talented singer-songwriter Dutra’s sparkling pop-rock is showcased on his recent CD, “See the World,” a beautifully produced collection that displays an impressive range of influences from soul to Beatles-inflected pop.”

-ETC Magazine

"Phil Dutra- One of Atlanta’s best singer/songwriters"

-Radio Stonewall

Phil Dutra -flawlessly produced, very radio-friendly hooks, top-notch vocals that range in style from soul, rock, blues and spiritual-pop, “Faithless” is Dutra’s musical prayer. He not only invokes every living, breathing spirit with his music, he gives it wings. This music definitely flies, and should fly right to the top of the charts.

-Creative Loafing

Phil Dutra- A CD release party for Dutra’s debut solo album, See The World. Formerly a part of the acoustic duo The Singles, who made the rounds back in the early 90s, Dutra proves a capable as lone frontman on his new 11 song set. He overcomes the tendency to slick up the mix with a middle-of-the-road professionalism by offering passionate performances of some truly catchy songs.