Former Aston Villa defender Kortney Hause is launching a music career under the name Korts following his release from the club in June 2025. The 30-year-old former Premier League player is working on an R&B album after severe injuries halted his football career.
Hause began his senior career 14 years ago as a teenager at Wycombe Wanderers before earning a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Following a loan spell at Gillingham that was cut short so he could join the first team, he established himself as a regular in the Wolves Championship defence.
When Wolves gained promotion to the Premier League in 2018, Hause joined Championship club Aston Villa on loan. He helped Villa secure promotion to the top flight, prompting the club to sign him on a permanent deal.
Back in December 2018, Hause survived a violent attack after being left out of the Wolves squad for a Boxing Day match at Fulham. He travelled to Essex to spend the Christmas holidays with his family and visited Oxford Circus in London with a friend.
Criminals watched him in London and followed his car on a 40-minute drive home before ambushing him at his front door. Five men jumped out of a vehicle with tinted windows to attack him.
"I've walked to my front door, my boy has pulled off and a car... all tinted, pulled up and then stopped," Hause said. "All the doors opened apart from the driver's door and like five guys hopped out of the car and I'm thinking, 'what's this, some prank?' I remember there was a tall guy and the other guys were like average height, but the tall guy was like, 'grab him, grab him, grab him'."
Hause tried to escape, but the tall man struck him on the head with a glass bottle, leaving a scar. "He pulls his arm back, I think he is going to punch me but that's when he like... it must have been a bottle because it smashed, it must have been the end of a bottle and that is where I got that scar," Hause said. "I got that scar from him literally whacking my head with a bottle."
Hause escaped again and ran toward a nearby hospital while the gang pursued him by car. The attackers confronted him outside the entrance to Accident and Emergency, where Hause feared they had a gun. The sound of an approaching ambulance scared the men away, allowing Hause to ask a paramedic for help. The paramedic refused assistance, but Hause ran inside the A&E department and received treatment after 15 minutes. There has been no information on whether the gang was ever found or arrested.
Career at Aston Villa and Old Trafford winner
Hause made 18 Premier League appearances in his debut season with Aston Villa. As Villa added new players, Hause struggled for playing time while suffering groin, ankle, and hip injuries.
Despite his reduced role, Hause scored a career highlight against Manchester United in September 2021. He rose highest two minutes from time to head past David De Gea, securing a 1-0 victory that marked Villa's first win at Old Trafford since 2009.
Injury struggles and contract cancellation
At the start of the 2022-23 season, Hause joined Championship club Watford on loan to regain form. Recurring knee injuries restricted his availability, leading Watford to attempt to terminate the loan in January.
Aston Villa rejected the termination request, leaving Hause with Watford for the remainder of the season without making a single Championship appearance. Upon returning to Villa, he underwent multiple knee surgeries, but his physical problems persisted.
Hause briefly trained with Villa's Under-21 squad, but he did not make an appearance during the entire 2023-24 season. In December 2024, Villa sought to cancel his contract, which ran through the end of the season. Hause publicly agreed to the cancellation, stating it was best for all parties.
He remained at the club until April 2025, when he returned to action for the U21 side in the Birmingham Senior Cup after two years without playing competitive football. Villa officially released him two months later in June 2025.
R&B music career as Korts
After leaving professional football, Hause turned his focus to R&B music under the artist name Korts. He had previously explored music during his playing career, releasing a debut single titled "Worth it" in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic in collaboration with producer Deontay (KG).
Hause donated all proceeds from the song to the NHS.
Eight weeks ago, Hause updated his Instagram profile to a dedicated music page with the caption "Occupation: music artist." He has shared song snippets recorded in his car, living room, and on the street, including the line, "I know, girl, you're a part of my life for a reason," ahead of an upcoming album launch.
Family musical background
Hause explained his passion for music in a 2020 interview with The Sun newspaper. "I come from a family of seven boys and we were brought up in a musical background," Hause told The Sun. "My older brothers used to listen to the likes of Michael Jackson, Usher and Chris Brown."
"We would join forces and sing together at family parties and stuff," he added. "We used to literally think we were the Jackson Five growing up, and I used to believe I was Michael Jackson. I love all types of music, whether it is rap or R&B, classical, indie or rock. I appreciate every genre of music, as long as it sounds good to me and has a vibe to it."
Hause chose R&B because he felt it best suited the tone of his voice. He noted that he was the first in his family to release a single, while his 20-year-old younger brother Rio plans to release music soon.
Fashion brand launch
Alongside his music, Hause is launching a clothing brand named Blinded Minds. He recently travelled to China on a business trip ahead of the brand's release.
"I was in China a few weeks ago on a business trip," Hause announced on Instagram. "The clothing brand will be ready just in time for the summer."
As Aston Villa prepare to compete in a European final, Hause is focusing on his new ventures in music and fashion without further injury or contract concerns.