Clayton Hawkins

Clayton Hawkins is the lead singer of the alternative rock band, Carlotta. He is openly gay and often referred to as just Clayton. He has acted in numerous T.V. shows and plays, but is most known for his work in Carlotta, where he writes and sings. He is a first tenor/second alto and his 4 octave range is one of his trademarks. He is often compared to Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson.

Early Years (1988 - 1999)

Richard Clayton DeRouen-Hawkins was born June 30, 1988 in Los Angeles California. The youngest of four children, Clayton began performing at an early age. He made his television debut at age three on the CBS sitcom Major Dad. He continued his T.V. work on shows like Days of our Lives, Sister Sister, and The George Lopez Show. At eight years old, he began his singing career. Playing the title character in the opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Clayton was a first soprano as a child. He soon began singing theme songs and doing voice over work for many international kids shows.

The Solo Years (2000 - 2004)

By twelve, Clayton had performed in over 50 musicals. At thirteen, he gained admittance into one of L.A.'s most illustrious and prestigious private schools, Harvard Westlake. While attending Harvard Westlake, Clayton performed in school choir ensembles and received many solos and featured roles in school plays and musicals, including the lead role of the Emcee in Cabaret. During his time at Harvard-Westlake, Clayton also began writing and performing his own songs. At fifteen, he recorded his first demo CD with the touring band of one of his idols; David Bowie. The demo included such songs as City of Angels and Just Stay Away. Just Stay Away would eventually become the Carlotta song, Break Up.

In 2005, he performed in The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where he received strong reviews and his first comparisons to Freddie Mercury in the play Mac Daddy and Lady Beth. The show as a whole received fairly positive reviews.

Carlotta (2005 to present)

Clayton met Andrew Smith during the Fringe Festival and the two hit it off immediately. Clayton joined Smith's band, Carlotta when they returned to Los Angeles that Fall. They began to record, tour, and gain a small but devoted following. Carlotta released their first album, Out of Love in January 2008 and have since toured America to promote it. The album was independently produced and is a mix of modern pop and rock. They have opened for such bands as Filter, Saving Abel, Endeverafter, Meriwether, and Blake Lewis of American Idol. Out of Love was released independently but went on to sell over 10,000 units and get airplay on such notable stations as L.A.'s KROQ. Clayton's big voice and brazen onstage energy have helped make Carlotta one of the most popular independent rock pop bands around. Their theatrical stage show has wowed audiences all over America and gotten rave reviews