Q&A: HAYLA Is Bringing New Single “FADED” with Nelly Furtado To Fall Tour
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KATELYN BERBERICH ☆
HAYLA IS GEARING UP FOR HER FALL TOUR, WITH HER FIRST EVER SAN DIEGO SHOW ON NOVEMBER 14TH — and she’s bringing more than just her powerful vocals. With a brand-new single featuring none other than Nelly Furtado, the singer-songwriter is embracing this moment in her career. Since the release of her debut solo album, HAYLA has courageously traversed the EDM scene, while staying true to her emotional depth within dance-floor anthems. Collaborations with John Summit, deadmau5 and MEDUZA have strengthened her reach within different EDM communities.
Kicking off her tour in San Diego, HAYLA will give fans the first-ever live performance of “FADED” — her exciting new track with Nelly Furtado that’s bound to get everyone out of their heads and onto their feet.
In our exclusive interview, HAYLA opens up about life on the road, her evolving creative independence and the small rituals that keep her grounded amid the chaos of tour life.
LUNA: To start off, how are you feeling heading into tour season? What emotions are coming up as you get ready to hit the road again?
HAYLA: I’m really looking forward to getting out on the road again! I absolutely love touring and I can’t wait to visit some new places this time around. I always feel really excited before shows, but when I’m on stage I feel a huge sense of calm. I can’t wait to sing and dance with everyone.
LUNA: Touring can be intense both physically and mentally. What are your favorite ways to take care of yourself while on the road—and which herbal tea will be joining you this time?
HAYLA: I absolutely love herbal tea. This time around I’ll have my trusty Throat Coat and one of my favorite Pukka Teas - Peppermint and Liquorice. Apart from having my tea comforts I try to get as much rest as I can in between shows, which can be hard because of all the adrenaline still lingering after performing. I do try and implement some sort of exercise, mainly yoga or Pilates. I also try to keep on top of meditating (when I remember). Apart from that I stay hydrated and stay in contact with friends and family.
LUNA: You’ve toured before, but every new chapter brings something fresh. What feels different about this tour compared to your past experiences?
HAYLA: I think every time I tour and perform, I learn more about myself. I think I feel like I know myself more than I ever have— although I’m still learning more as I go. This tour will showcase some new tracks which I can’t wait to share with the audience. Writing and singing used to just be for me but now I get to share it. I think there’s always something quite exposing about sharing new material but I hope it helps audiences discover more about me and feel connected and connection.
LUNA: Do you set intentions before going on tour? If you do, we would love to hear a bit about them.
HAYLA: I haven’t ever really set an intention but each show I always imagine enveloping the whole room in sound. I imagine a protective little bubble that I drape over the room where everybody can be, be safe, be themselves, be free, feel less alone and feel loved.
LUNA: The first stop of your tour is in San Diego—was there a special reason behind that choice? I imagine the San Diegans are thrilled to be the first to hear your new single live!
HAYLA: Ahhh I’ve always wanted to visit San Diego! It’s been years and years that I’ve been meaning to go and unfortunately, it’s never happened. So, it felt right to begin there. I am also so excited to share "FADED" for the very first time on that stage!
LUNA: Your new single “FADED,” with Nelly Furtado, drops the same day your tour begins. Can you tell us a bit about the song and how the collaboration came to be?
HAYLA: There was a video circulating online of Nelly covering one of my collaborations. My manager reached out to see if there may be anything that Nelly would like to do together and to my surprise she said yes! We forwarded over the track and the rest is history.
LUNA: What was the creative process like for “FADED”? Did you and Nelly approach the songwriting or production in any unexpected ways?
HAYLA: The "FADED" top line was written in 2020 by me and my good friend Lizzie Jennings. I always loved the track but didn’t know when to release it. I always felt it was special ,so we held it back for many years. When we sent the track over to Nelly, we thought duetting it would work extremely well! We both recorded our parts separately, but worked really close together on harmonies and vocal adlibs to get the right blend. The production was edited and worked by the incredible “Punctual,” who I think really balanced the song’s structure and style perfectly between both mine and Nelly’s artist project sound, style and genre.
LUNA: During the process of creating “FADED,” what did you learn about yourself—either as an artist or on a personal level? Were there any challenges that shaped how the track came together?
HAYLA: Honestly this whole project has been amazing. There weren’t any challenges that I can really think of. Making sure mine and Nelly’s voices were blended in the best possible way with the correct amount of harmony and balancing has been so fun. I’m so honored to work with such an icon.
LUNA: Looking back, what do you think your younger self would be most surprised—or proud—to see about where you are now?
HAYLA: I think I wouldn’t have believed you. If you had told me even two years ago that this is what my life and job would be and look like! I’m incredibly grateful. I used to be extremely shy and I found it really difficult to sing in front of anyone, so the fact that this is what I do now is yea— it’s not lost on me.
LUNA: You’ve spoken before about wanting to be more self-sufficient in your work while still valuing collaboration. How have you been balancing those two sides of your artistry lately?
HAYLA: Good question. I absolutely love collaborating with others. The co-writers and producers I have worked with over the years are incredible. However, when it comes to my own writing behind the scenes, I have been working on my production skills and hope to one day be able to confidently produce a larger percentage of the musical aspects of my own songs. The self-titled track on my album DUSK was completely written, recorded and produced by me. It’s a slow process but feeling the fear and doing it anyway on my last album made me feel proud that I’d pushed myself.
LUNA: Who is the first person you usually share good news or a new milestone with?
HAYLA: Ah my dad. He has been to a few gigs here and there but hopefully as I tour more, I’ll be able to bring him along to more shows.
LUNA: You’ve mentioned a few times that you’re an ‘overthinker’. How have you turned that tendency into a strength in your creative process rather than a setback?
HAYLA: I’m a huge overthinker. I think over the years I have learned to try and get out of my own way. As I’ve been writing more for myself, I have been feeling like I know myself more. I overthink how I am perceived and how my songs will be perceived, but something I say to myself and to others is that there’s only one of us living our own unique lives and having our own unique experiences, so sharing our authentic selves is important. You never know who might find a connection.
LUNA: As you look ahead to this new chapter— with a fresh single and a fall tour— what’s inspiring you most right now?
HAYLA: I’m really focused on what’s ahead. I’m really looking forward to having more moments with audiences and writing more music. I’m really excited to build my world and create more immersive experiences within my shows and share what’s to come next.
