 Hatfield acquired a love of rock music during the 1970s, having been introduced by a babysitter to the music of the Los Angeles punk rock band X, which proved a life-changing experience.She was also attracted to the music of more mainstream artists like Olivia Newton-John and The Police.While still at Berklee College of Music in 1986, she formed the band Blake Babies with John Strohm and Freda Love.