Interview: Harry Hayes – Love, Creativity, and Global Stage

by the partae

Your latest single, ‘Baby,’ has generated a lot of buzz. Can you share the inspiration behind the track and what it means to you personally?

‘Baby’ was originally a set of chords that I loved, but struggled to flesh a full idea out of. I knew it had a lot of potential even though I couldn’t get it right. Sometimes when I’m in the beginning stages of writing, I’ll just write a bunch of different ideas and sections in sequence to each other. I kept doing exactly that for this track, and found when I listened to each idea beside each other, that it sort of formed the final arrangement of the track and gave me the inspiration to have the song build and build for three minutes. So funnily enough, the final version you hear kind of came about through a series of mistakes. 

This track feels special because it’s the first time I feel I really pushed myself creatively and the first time I feel as if I have completely captured the emotion I was trying to convey through the music, which is love in this case.

‘Baby’ has been supported by Caribou during his world tour, which is a huge deal. How does it feel knowing your music is being played on such a global stage?

I feel like I haven’t properly processed it at all, but all I feel is immense gratitude. Seeing videos of ‘Baby’ played at his shows, which have been sent to me by Caribou himself, as well as complete strangers, really helps me comprehend the madness of it all. 

You’ve described ‘Baby’ as a love song that captures the full range of emotions in a relationship. How did you go about translating those feelings into the music?

I think this is something that actually can’t be described. When I’m writing songs like ‘Baby’ I am acting on total instinct, and the emotions can often present themselves effortlessly. I think these emotions easily seep into my music based on the different forms of love I experience in my life. 

With the upcoming Australian tour supporting Caribou, what are you most excited about for those shows? Any particular venue or city you’re looking forward to playing in?

I think for all artists, performing in your home city, and in such an iconic venue like the Enmore theatre, is such a dream come true. The idea of my friends and family being a part of this makes me so excited, and equally nervous. Also, Caribou has always been a musical idol of mine, and to say I am supporting him on this tour feels absolutely beyond surreal. 

Your music blends pop melodies with club-ready beats. How do you approach balancing these elements to create tracks that work both on the dancefloor and for personal listening?

There is such a hidden and underappreciated beauty and emotion in pop song writing. Those types of chords and melodies inspire me the most and I often find myself naturally drawing inspiration from this in my song writing. On the other hand, I am equally just as inspired by club beats, especially the drums, rhythms, and tempos that drive these tracks. I am constantly finding ways to incorporate a balance between both, because that’s where I feel I exist musically. 

You’ve had great success with your previous singles and now ‘Baby.’ How do you keep pushing yourself creatively with each new release?

‘Baby’ has certainly become a benchmark for me. I feel as if this is a song that I’ve been trying to create for ages, and it feels like it has the pinnacle elements of the music I want to create. So now it feels like I have a permanent reference track moving forward, something to look to when trying to push myself creatively. 

The single launch for ‘Baby’ is coming up at LOVE CLVB. What can fans expect from that show, and how are you preparing for it?

I think this will be an exciting opportunity to showcase both my own music as well as songs I am currently obsessed with, in a space that feels safe and on board. I am always preparing, because I find a lot of joy in curating and finding music to showcase my tastes. Fans can expect some staples in my sets, current favourites and maybe even some new unreleased music. 

You’ve already worked on some notable remixes, including Caribou’s ‘Broke My Heart.’ How does remixing differ from creating your own music, and do you have any more remixes in the works?

Yes I do have a remix in the works as of quite recently! I love remixes, I often like to work from a ‘source’ to begin with, whether that be a sample, a drum beat, vocals etc. so remixing feels quite natural to me as you have a bunch of stems to help start an idea. I really love recontextualising things harmonically which you can do right away when remixing something. 

With your growing recognition, especially on platforms like triple j, how has the support from tastemakers and fans impacted your career so far?

I think the support from tastemakers and fans has made me realise that there might be an audience for my music out there, which was a big worry of mine when I first started making and releasing music. So far, the support from tastemakers in particular has given me a tight solid group of people who are always supporting me and my music. A solid group of names who I see pop up all the time, which is amazing. 

Looking ahead, what can we expect from your upcoming projects after ‘Baby’? Are there any new collaborations or releases we should keep an ear out for?

The stuff I’ve been writing lately has been weird and different, I feel like I always want to push my sound and release music that crosses all types of sounds, feels and genres even. So maybe some of those tunes could see the light of day soon! Other than that, my release schedule is looking pretty healthy leading into the new year. I do have a collaboration coming out soon with a fellow producer. They might also have some ties to Caribou as well..

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