Born and raised in Los Angeles, Haylee Joe is a rising pop artist who recently unveiled a flirty new tune just in time for the holiday season. ‘Santa, did you get my letter?’ is the joyous track in question, and it showcases Haylee’s passion for fusing holiday nostalgia with danceable beats.
Keen to get to know the musician better, I was over the moon when Haylee agreed to an interview! Chatting with us about the art of weaving her songs together, her adoration for Taylor Swift, and why music, to her, is an escape from reality, please give a warm welcome to our new friend Haylee Joe!
Hi Haylee, thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us! I’m super excited to introduce you to our ever-expanding audience! What first drew you to music, and how did you discover your passion for it?
Hi! Thank you so much! Music has always been at the forefront of my life! I have been singing since I could talk and I don’t have one memory of not loving music. I grew up in a music family. My dad worked at KIIS FM for a large part of my childhood so whether we were listening to songs that were soon to be released or the greatest hits at that time we were always involved in music!!
Your latest release, ‘Santa, did you get my letter?’ is such a joyous and cheerful little number – I just can’t stop listening to it! I know it actually serves as something of a follow-up to a tune you penned four years ago…please tell us more!
Yes!! I love connecting previous songs to current projects so my discovery feels like a story! In 2020 I wrote a song called ‘Dear Santa’ which was the first Christmas song I ever wrote and that became the lead single to my Christmas EP ‘Before Christmas’ which followed my first EP ‘Nightmare’…Nightmare Before Christmas!!
I really can’t help myself with connecting projects haha. With this current song ‘Santa, did you get my letter?’ I thought it would be a fun concept and one I hadn’t heard recently. It can be challenging to come up with fresh holiday concepts! This one felt very on-brand and true to me, so I ran with it. It may be one of the most favourite songs I’ve ever released!!
Your track ‘Lady,’ released in September of this year, is fast approaching 34,000 plays on Spotify. How does it feel to know that so many people are listening to and resonating with your music?
It feels so exciting and inspiring!! I’m always so grateful to see people connecting with my music or knowing it’s on someone’s playlist. That’s such a crazy thought. One time I was told by a friend they heard one of my songs in a Walmart – which was wild haha! Knowing my music is reaching people all over the world is really all you can hope for as an independent artist!
Who would you put down as some of your biggest musical influences, and who would you ultimately credit for helping shape and mould your overall sound?
Oh wow….how much time do you have?? I adore so many artists!
Taylor Swift is without a doubt the reason I dreamt of singing and writing my own songs one day! I’d watch her ‘Journey to Fearless’ movie probably once a week as a child. Her story and her talent are the biggest inspiration to me. So, if it wasn’t obvious, Taylor Swift is number 1 on my list. She doesn’t even know who I am but she’s changed my life. Her ability to story tell and express her emotions through words and melodies is unmatched. She’s a living legend and I get inspiration from everything she does, no one does it better than her!
What, to you, is music’s role in society?
Music’s role to me is 100% escapism. Music can take you anywhere. It can help you feel, heal, dream, laugh, cry, be happy, be angry, make you dance. It can really do it all. To me, it is ultimately an escape from reality.
Take us through a non-music day in the life of Haylee Joe. What keeps you busy? What do you enjoy doing? What other interests or pursuits help you recharge and inspire creativity?
Hmm, good question! Well, I always start my day with Pilates and breakfast! I always need some sense of routine and those 2 things keep me grounded. I have 7 animals so I love spending time at home with my little fur family. They make me so happy and at peace.
I also love makeup. Makeup is like therapy to me and a huge hobby that’s become a part of my actual career which I’m really grateful for! I also LOVE Halloween so my schedule during Halloween time is going to Halloween Horror Nights almost every night or some kind of spooky event haha.
If you were allowed to collaborate with any musician or band, who would you choose and why?
Taylor Swift is number 1…of course! But, I’d also LOSE MY MIND if I ever got the chance to collaborate with Bruno Mars, Mariah Carey, Troye Sivan, Ariana Grande, or Sabrina Carpenter! Too many to name but those artists are at the top of my list without a doubt!
Haylee, it’s been a pleasure having you here! Thanks again for taking the time! Before we say farewell, what comes next for you musically and, I guess in a broader sense, what do you hope your musical future has in store?
Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me!! 🙂
I hope my music continues to reach a greater audience and continues to resonate with people. I’d love to perform more…maybe go on tour one day (that’s my biggest dream)! But till then I’ll be writing away and working on my next project!
