Hailey Orion releases latest single “You Win”, Talks new EP & what’s next!
Singer/Songwriter, Hailey Orion, releases her latest single “You Win”. We caught up with Hailey and discussed her latest single, her new EP, and more! Watch the Official Lyric Video for “You Win” here and Download/stream “You Win” here. Read our full Interview below.
Featured Interview:
TELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR EP
This EP was inspired by a life of living in silence. Of being too afraid to speak up about the things I’ve been through. Of being told I was crazy if I did. But most importantly it was inspired by all of the women before me who have felt the same way. No more. This EP is my way of saying “I’m never shutting up again”, and if you’ve ever been silenced before please join me in my “rampage”. It’s fun over here.
HOW HAS GROWING UP IN TEXAS INFLUENCED YOUR SOUND?
To be honest, I’m not a “sound” person, I’m a “word” person. And when it comes to words, growing up in a stifling, small, country town fueled my passion for writing. That town influenced me, by showing me what not to do. I didn’t want to be like them. It was a very small-minded and judgemental place. Feeling misunderstood led me to burrow my face in my notebook for hours during school classes, or on bus rides to games, writing song after song. Without that phase of life, I don’t think my writing skills would be what they are today.
WHAT LYRIC FROM YOUR NEW SINGLE “You Win” hits the closest to home?
“…if that’s what makes you happy if that’s what makes me “crazy”, then I surrender. You win, I lose.”
It just sums up the entire feeling of the song in one sentence. People are going to do and say whatever they want about you. The only reason it’s hurtful is because we are deciding to let it affect us at a deeper level. The moment we stop caring, the moment we surrender, their negative words lose all power. Let them “win”.
WHAT IS YOUR RECORDING PROCESS?
My goodness, I love the process. It always starts with noises or words just randomly coming to me. And that probably sounds so silly…but in all actuality I think I work the way that I do because I’ve fully surrendered to the PROCESS. I’ve been writing songs since I was a child. When you spend hours on end every day for let’s say 16 years writing every single thought and emotion down on paper, there comes a day where you don’t have to force yourself to sit down and write the song. The song will come to you. I am in intentional and consistent communion with my soul every day. Therapy, reading, writing, meditating, and constantly curious about how my mind works. Because of the deliberate input I give myself, my brain is always outputting. I’ve just had to learn to respect and welcome the creative flow. The random noises and words come, I write them down, I crawl into my little closet and lay down the vocal and production ideas, and then I work with my production team so we can finish the story together. Voila!
WHO ARE YOUR SHEROES?
My grandmother for sure. She’s been through so much. Oftentimes when we think of heroes we think of these valiant, grandiose people who make the big changes… but where I come from, the real heroes are the people who are brave enough to take those small steps towards change. The superpower of ENDURANCE is overlooked. I used to be so sad wondering why the women in my family didn’t stand up to their abusers and didn’t be their own heroes. Until I realized that, that is a privilege. The words that I speak, the things that I wear, and the way that I carry myself in this world is a privilege. Without my grandmother’s (and the women before her’s) strength and sacrifice I wouldn’t be here doing what I’m doing right now. She is absolutely my sheroe.
GROWING UP WHAT SONG MADE YOU FEEL THE MOST LOVED DURING HARD TIMES?
I am a Taylor Swift fanatic. Her song “Change” was always one that I really resonated with during hard times. It tells this beautiful story of having all the odds stacked against you but still choosing to try anyway and ultimately overcoming it all. I’ve always loved the idea of being in control of your own happiness. Self-love. It was 2008 when that song dropped, so on a hard day, I would put the CD into our DVD player and blast it through the TV while ferociously playing air guitar to it. It always made me feel unstoppable.
HOW ARE YOU PROTECTING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH?
“Protection” kind of innately means we are in a state of needing to defend ourselves against some opposing thing. After these past couple of years (breakups suck), I definitely felt that way for a while. I was defensive as fuck because I was really scared of…everything. But now it’s been beautiful to watch myself approach “protection” in a softer way. To understand there is no need to defend myself. While I honor the part of me that needed to put up walls and get away from the world for a while, I am proud of this new woman I’ve become. I love who I am, and if I’m not hurting anyone else then it doesn’t really matter what people say or think about me. So as of right now my version of protecting my mental health is accepting myself in all forms and allowing her to roam freely. To take up space where I’m wanted and to leave the places that I’m not, without passing judgment on either. I’ve never gotten to do that before. I’m really excited.
HOW IS YOUR CREATIVITY DISRUPTING THE CULTURE OF POP MUSIC?
I’m a lover girl! I don’t want to disrupt, I just want to make more and more room for everyone to feel welcome. I think my creativity brings a level of authenticity that a lot of people have been looking for in music. The songs are one thing, but I’ve been having a lot of fun using my socials to dive deeper into my journey and into the world around the songs that I release. For example, for my latest song “You Win”, I did weeks of research on the history of the word crazy and how it was used against women for centuries. I make posts about those topics, and about the actual women who were called crazy as well. I talk about my own experiences, and I ask you about yours too. It’s not just about the cool pop song on the radio for me, it’s about community! Music can be so healing, and I want to share that with as many people as possible. My message is: there’s room for you here, be yourself, and let’s grow together.
HOW HAS LIVING IN LA HELPED YOU GROW AS A PERSON AND ARTIST?
To put it bluntly, I was forced to grow the fuck up. Like I said I come from a small town, I’m not a city girl. I’ve had dreams of making music my whole life, but they were just distant dreams that didn’t seem possible… until I got to LA. Here is where shit happens, and if you don’t take that opportunity it might not come around again. I learned it’s pretty easy to say you’re going to do something big whenever that big thing is far away, but who are you when it’s right in front of your face? I couldn’t be scared any longer. I threw myself into the mix of it here and it’s really paid off. I have an amazing team (I’m looking at you Lydia) I’ve made some great new friends, and I’ve branched out in a way I never knew I could. My music has definitely lacked confidence in the past, but not anymore. LA taught me I can make my dreams come true, and I have every right to continue doing so. Watch out world 🙂
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR 16-YEAR-OLD SELF?
Keep being you. Stop trying to straighten your hair. In fact, do not change a single thing about yourself. You’re not the weird one, I promise. Your “weaknesses” are actually you’re superpowers. One day all of the things that made you feel weird and alone will become the things that connect you to so many other people. You’re meant to be exactly as you are. I love you, keep going!
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT NEXT FROM YOU IN 2024?
I’m dying to know as well. This is the first time I’ve ever been in a position like this before. I have a beautiful 4 song EP that we are going to release throughout the first half of this year. I’m already working on the next two EP’s as we speak. I would love to perform live and maybe open for some people on tour. A music video would be cool. Some casual world domination on these music charts sounds nice as well. But I guess we will see in due time. That’s what’s fun about the way I make music, we are on this journey together. So let’s watch it unfold.
