Kat Harlton
Haunting. Powerful. Uplifting. These are three words that describe Elise Hayes’ music. Combining infectious pop and R&B melodies with heartfelt and meaningful subject matter, Elise’s songs live in a unique space in the palate of today’s popular music.
No stranger to the stage, Elise Hayes has performed since the age of 12. She attended the esteemed Berklee College of Music as a vocal major, and soon after graduating, relocated to Nashville to pursue a career as an artist and songwriter. Elise Hayes has written songs that have been featured on numerous TV shows, such as ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy”, Freeform’s “The Bold Type”, MTV’s “Siesta Key,” and many more. The talented singer/songwriter has further written songs for other prominent artists (Lucie Silvas “E.G.O”, Jill Andrews “Rust or Gold”), and most recently, toured the country as a background singer and keyboard player for country star, Carly Pearce, opening national tours for Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, and Thomas Rhett.
The songstress is on a mission to create music that is candid, heartfelt and relatable. Having garnered critical acclaim for her previous single ‘Float’, Elise Hayes is ready for the next chapter of her music career with ‘Giving Up’.
We had the opportunity to chat with Elise and talk music, new single “Giving Up” and what’s next.
Kat: Can you talk about the inspiration behind your new single “Giving Up”?
Elise: I wrote “Giving Up” after watching a few friends go through bad breakups. I wanted to write something fun and light that reminded them of their worth..sometimes when someone “gives up” on you, you get your whole future back — and I wanted an upbeat way to remind them of that :)
Kat: Can you talk about your songwriting process?
Elise: My songwriting process can vary — but for this particular song my co-writer and co-producer Jonny Mo brought in a drum loop. We started layering some quirky elements over the top and he added the acoustic guitar part, and after that…the melodies and lyric fell into place quickly!
Kat: For those unfamiliar, can you talk about the process of getting your songs featured on numerous TV shows, and what the experience is like hearing your songs on those shows?
Elise: Yes! Songs are placed on television shows by music supervisors — every show has a specific supervisor that handles music placement. In my case, songs have been pitched first from publishers, to the music supervisor, and then have ended up on the shows. It’s an incredible thing to hear your song on TV! It never gets old — I love to see how my music can enhance a scene. It’s a super cool thing.
Kat: You’ve had the opportunity of being a backing singer for some of today’s largest acts including Carly Pearce on the Blake Shelton tour. What have you learned from these experiences, do you have any advice for emerging artists?
Elise: Yes! I think that experience taught me how hard you really have to work. You have to believe in yourself so much. It’s a hard industry and the struggle to stay relevant, get people to listen to you, and keep pushing really doesn’t end, even at the highest level. You have to believe in your art and what you are trying to say. So, I think for emerging artists, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that you have to keep pushing even when it feels like you should give up. Those are the moments that really count.
Kat: What’s next?
Elise: I’ll be playing some shows this summer but mainly focusing on recording more music. I’ll be releasing more late summer :)
For more on Elise Hayes, please see:
www.elisehayes.com
www.instagram.com/elisehayes
www.facebook.com/elisehayesmusic
www.twitter.com/elisehayes