If we aren’t making sure your new music rotation has Hayes Warner in it, we’re doing you and everyone you know a massive disservice. This icon is not just taking the scene by storm, but our hearts as well! Her latest hit ‘Worst Time Of Year’ details all the reasons why the holidays just aren’t really her thing. Hayes is relatable and honest in her songwriting, pair that with the grit and captivating instrumentals she always brings to her music and you’ve got a match made in heaven! And we had the opportunity to chat with Hayes about her songwriting process, inspirations, and so much more! Now that’s enough ‘Breadcrumbs,’ let’s buzz right in!
Before we get started we really love to just give you the stage to introduce yourself and tell our readers what you’re all about!
Hey! My name is Hayes Warner and I’m a singer-songwriter from NYC. I’m not really a confrontational person in my real life, so I make my music an outlet to let out some much-needed sass. My favorite artists of all time are definitely Gwen Stefani (her No Doubt era is iconic), Joan Jette, and Blondie. For me, the best part about being an artist is getting to perform my music live, and I’m super excited to tour in 2024. Some other random tidbits – I have 3 younger siblings, and I’m allergic to dairy and probably gluten haha.
We love the artists that you’ve been vibing with and pulling inspiration from throughout your career like FLETCHER, UPSAHL, P!NK, etc. Were there any artists that inspired the sound or vibe of ‘Worst Time Of Year?’
I’ve been a massive Paramore fan forever, and I hope people hear the chorus of ‘Worst Time of Year’ echoing the vibes of Paramore’s belty-anthems like ‘All I Wanted’ and ‘Only Exception.’ The lyrics of a lot of my songs are shaped by Fletcher’s writing style. Fletcher’s straightforward style, you know, where she’s just calling out her ex’s new girlfriend and owning up to jealousy, really inspires the honesty in my own songwriting. The overall feel of ‘Worst Time of Year’ takes a page from her book because I wanted to keep it real and be upfront about Holiday sentiments, even if it’s a bit messy and not the popular take. Confessing my hatred for the Holidays in this song was vulnerable but freeing.
Speaking of ‘Worst Time of Year,’ we’re obsessed with the pen game in this one. The lyrics are the perfect mesh of the holiday season and heartbreak angst. What’s your favorite part of the track?
I love how the ‘Worst Time of Year‘ track mixes Holiday-inspired sounds with some rock elements in the ‘Worst Time of Year’ track. Those jingle bells sneak in here and there, giving it that festive feel without shouting, “Hey, it’s a holiday song!” I also love that ‘Worst Time a Year’ is an anti-holiday song – the holidays can be really hard for people who struggle with difficult family situations, and ‘Worst Time of Year’ explores what that looks like for me. I also think around the Holidays, people are forced to fake perfect, which adds to the pressure of spending time with family. Overall, I’m really proud of this song and listen to it year round!
Speaking of the holidays, you’re from the one and only Big Apple! What is your favorite part of the holidays in New York? Or is that maybe part of the reason why you aren’t always the biggest fan of the holidays?
I actually love the holidays in New York. This year, I’m planning to really milk it and go to every holiday-themed NYC event, street fair, and ice skating rink for the next few weeks.
Your prior releases are also lyrical masterpieces of their own. And honestly the story behind ‘Breadcrumbs’ is one we had to physically pick our jaw off the floor after reading about. We love the girl power in this one, especially given the circumstances. What was that writing process like originally and then when adding Loren Gray into the mix?
Thank you! I’m so glad you love it – I’m really proud of how it turned out. The whole ‘Breadcrumbs‘ journey kicked off when I started connecting the dots that my boyfriend was cheating on me. It was like playing detective, stumbling upon a hair ribbon and earrings in his car that definitely weren’t mine. I called these accidental clues “breadcrumbs” leading me straight to the truth, and I tried to infuse that discovery process vibe into the song.
One of the coolest things about Breadcrumbs is that the other girl, who my ex was cheating with, had no clue about me either. She was on her own breadcrumb trail that eventually led her to me. When I found out it was Loren Gray, I was blown away. She’s this amazing businesswoman and a super-talented singer-songwriter. We’ve actually become super close friends and decided to release a version of ‘Breadcrumbs’ together.
We also love the energy of you collaborating as well. We’re already scheming a list of our dream Hayes Warner x collabs, but what are some of your dream collabs for your career as of right now?
I have been obsessed with Chappell Roan’s newest album, The Rise and Fall of A Midwest Princess. I would LOVE to collaborate with her. It’d also be a dream to collaborate with Hayley Williams from Paramore.
You take a beautiful diaristic approach to your songwriting. What is it like processing the experiences you write about as you’re going through that creation process?
Thank you! Songs, to me, act like these time capsules capturing different emotional stages I’ve been through. When I’m in the writing zone, I’m all about keeping it real with my emotions and experiences, even if it doesn’t necessarily cast me in the best light. My feelings sometimes get messy, but the more brutally honest I am, the better chance someone out there listening is going to relate to the rawness of it all.
It’s wild—topics from a song I wrote a year ago seem so distant now. I can’t quite connect with those feelings in the context of the exact experience I was writing about, but usually, when I revisit it, I find a connection to something new happening in my life. That’s the essence I hope people catch when they listen to my lyrics—slip them into the context of their own experiences.
In ‘Dead To Me’ you talk a lot about how relying on your therapist and your resources helped you through that process as well. What would you say to any other person out there who is struggling with their own mental health or life struggles?
Through my own experiences, I’ve found there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to bettering mental health. It used to overwhelm me when things that worked wonders for my friends just didn’t click for me. For a self-care guru on social media, it might be all about hitting the gym at the crack of dawn, but for me, it could just mean laying in bed watching TV or going to therapy. I think my best advice would be it’s great to take advice from trusted people, but at the end of the day, listen to your body, try different stuff, and don’t let it get you down if what worked for someone else isn’t your magic potion!
You’ve mentioned before that there’s an EP we can get our hopes up for next year! What are you most excited about when it comes to the release of your debut EP?
I can’t wait to share a whole body of work that I think really represents who I am on a larger level than just one single at a time. I think each song kind of dives into different sides of my personality. When I release them in a certain order, it paints a legit picture of me as a whole.
I’ve been in the studio so much lately that creating my EP is going to be more about the editing process of which songs I should include. I love energetic music and the EP is definitely going to be filled with high-octane songs that capture my sarcastic humor, sprinkled in with some light-hearted sassiness and fun. But overall, there’s a balance of sassy uptempo songs and vulnerability that I’m really proud of with this next EP!
Also, we have to talk about your musical theater roots! If you could star in any current Broadway Musical what would it be and why?
I was obsessed with Dear Evan Hansen the moment I saw it. Dream role would be Zoe Murphy. I think the entire show really captures the awkwardness of High School and doesn’t even really feel like I’m watching a musical.
We like to end things on a fun note here, so even though this might be the ‘Worth Time of Year’ we want to know, if we left snacks out for you like kids do for Santa, what snacks would we be leaving by that fireplace?
Okay if I were Santa, I would want Takis and a bowl of white rice with soy sauce. I would also go for Swedish Fish.
Those treats under the tree are a sign of one thing and one thing alone – absolute taste! Thank you again to Hayes Warner for taking the time to chat with us! It’s safe to say it was our absolute honor and pleasure! And if you haven’t already, go put ‘Worst Time Of Year’ on repeat because Hayes is right – it is a year-round banger! Make sure to let us know your favorite song from Hayes in the comments below! Or let us know on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook!
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