TRENDING

Is your fave playlist full of sassy, sparkling pop bops? Are you searching for an artist whose discography is perfect for those days spent dancing around with your besties *and* those nights spent overthinking in your room? Meet your latest music obsession: Hayes Warner. Hayes is taking the music world by storm with her fab, free-spirited sound and super relatable lyrics. She ended 2022 on a high note with the release of her latest single "SHUT UP," and her star is only continuing to rise! From the ins and outs of her songwriting process to *all* the must-have deets on her upcoming projects, Hayes is here to give us the inside scoop on everything.

Girls' Life: Tell us a little about your background and how you got your start in music.

Hayes Warner: I grew up in New York City, so I was always surrounded by really amazing performances and performers. But from when I was young, I would force my family to watch me put on little shows in the living room—I've always just loved performing. When I was 12 and 13 years old, I started getting into musical theater, going to auditions and open calls, which led me to start loving songwriting, too. I went through middle school, high school and now just graduated from college, recording music, writing music, meeting and networking with new people.

GL: And what's your songwriting process like? How has it changed over time?

Hayes: When I was younger, I didn't have as many experiences to pull from, so I think that the more life experience I've had, the better I've gotten at songwriting. I love playing piano, so I'll play some chords on the piano and find a melody I like. Or, in my Notes app, I'll write up some ideas that I think could be a good song: things I've gone through—or my friends have gone through. And when it comes time to write a song, I'll pull from there.

@hayeswarner

ALL ABOUT HAYES

Musical influences: FLETCHER, P!nk, Ke$ha, Gwen Stefani

Fave hobby: All things fashion—shopping, thrifting and sewing

Dream travel destination: Japan or South Korea

Current fave fashion trend: Layering clothes

GL: Going into the new year, what's a goal you have or just something you're excited to do?

Hayes: I love performing live—I'm going to South by Southwest in March, and I'll be opening for Lewis Capaldi in October. My EP is also coming out in a few months, so once that happens, I just want to keep being on tour and traveling and performing live as much as I can. 

GL: That'll be so amazing! Anything you can tell us about the new music you're releasing?

Hayes: I'm finally going to be releasing my next single "Airport," which I've been teasing on TikTok for like 6 months now. So I'm really excited for that! I think it's my favorite song I've ever written.

GL: We can't wait to listen. What's one piece of advice you would give to girls who are reading this interview? 

Hayes: If you have a passion for anything, run with it, and don't let people tell you that it's just a hobby. I feel like I was definitely let down doing this a lot—at first, I didn't know anyone else that was just trying to be a singer-songwriter—but it's totally possible if you just keep at it. If you're working hard, you'll meet people along the way who will believe in you and help show you the path. So don't let people tell you that it can just be a hobby, because you can make it into something. 

Follow Hayes on Instagram and TikTok @hayeswarner, and stream her new single "Airport" rn here!

Slider image: @hayeswarner
Header image: @hayeswarner
Parts of this interview were edited or condensed for clarity.

by Samara Smukler | 3/29/2023