Catching Up With Grace Hayes
Screenshot courtesy of YouTube.
Comedic songwriter and viral content creator Grace Hayes hasn’t been slowing down during the pandemic. She’s been riding lots of momentum — ever since she released ‘The Reno Anthem,’ in 2017 and made it onto American Idol the following year — it looks like there’s plenty more in store for her. Amid her newest release ‘Strawberry’ in August, she says it’s the first serious song she’s released in about seven years.
“I wanted to relate to my audience which is mostly young girls,” Hayes said, “Maybe they met their first ‘mean’ dude and wanted to feel better.”
Hayes has been involved in lots of different projects since her debut on American Idol. From modeling to Tik Tok videos and more recently, Yelp reviews set to music, she’s known for her wholesome, lighthearted comedy. While her content is always refreshing, ‘Strawberry’ gives us a look into a different side of Hayes, one that’s down-to-earth, forthright and sweet.
The song has her signature knee-slapping air about it, as she sings into a hair pick with smiley face balloons tied to her head. As she strolls alongside a mural to a cheerful EDM melody, the lyrics tell us not to sell ourselves short and not to be anyone’s chocolate to nibble on whenever is convenient. Although the track is more somber than Hayes’ previous work, she stays true to her cheery style, cracking a smile as she talks about breaking her own heart in Los Angeles. In a summery, nostalgic way, Hayes illustrates the strength that can arise out of a painful experience — with Grace.
“I want to switch this up and make it a more empowering breakup song,” Hayes said, “It kind of evolved.”
With over 1,500 views on YouTube since its release last month, Hayes says she plans on making more songs after ‘Strawberry.’ She certainly has the following for it: she’s been releasing videos on Tik Tok for two years and has accumulated over 170,000 followers. Hayes says with controversies surrounding the app possibly getting banned and the types of attitudes circling social media, it’s a difficult but useful hustle for content creators.
“It’s an enigma, it’s also great though because something can blow up overnight,” Hayes said, “It connects you to stuff you maybe wouldn’t find before.”
She said the platform has enabled her to reach audiences worldwide, but she’s conscious of the power the app has on younger generations.
“I try to put out kid-friendly content, silly stuff,” Hayes said. “It holds me accountable.”
Moving forward through the pandemic, she says losing the ability to perform at live shows hasn’t put a damper on her outlook. Making videos online is more controlled and Hayes says she’s not stressed about her art getting out there. She’s interested in behind the scenes gigs, writing more and possibly acting. While the Reno community has been a wonderful asset for Hayes, she says she’s excited for more opportunities.
“There’s a weird dynamic because Reno is so small… it’s so close and everybody knows each other,” Hayes said, “Tik Tok opened my eyes to what hands [content] can get into.”
Just like her sunny disposition in ‘Strawberry,’ Hayes is trucking along despite the quarantine.
“I haven’t been making as much, but maybe that’ll change, I’m pacing it,” Hayes said.
To listen to Grace Hayes, visit her Spotify profile here.
