Hayla is a powerhouse vocalist, producer, DJ and fashion icon who attended her first Miami Music Week in style. Taking home multiple awards from her 2023 projects and collaborations, Hayla, real name Hayley Williams, is proving that 2023 was just the beginning.
While she has been creating art as Hayla for over six years, 2023 seemed to be the breakout year for her. Traveling all over the world and even performing at sold-out stadium shows, it was the year of Hayla.
We got to sit down with Hayla during Miami Music Week and discuss her future projects, her high fashion choices, and her artistic direction.
EDM Maniac: Welcome to Miami! How does it feel to be at your first Miami Music Week?
Hayla: You know what. I’ve never been here before to be honest. I’ve done ADE and IMS, but never Miami Music Week.
So yeah, I’m really looking forward to everything here. It’s only a four-hour time difference than the UK, so I’m feeling pretty good this morning.
EDM Maniac: Since we last talked you have visited America a few more times, performing at the sold out BMO stadium and even visiting LA to create more music and now you’re in Miami. What has been your favorite memory visiting the US so far?
Hayla: The BMO show [with John Summit] was incredible. I mean it took me back to the Kx5 show in the Coliseum. I love LA and hope to visit again soon.
EDM Maniac: After the world wide success of “Where You Are,” you’ve worked with John Summit once again and released another monster collaboration, “Shiver.” How was the song creation process different this time around?
Hayla: So when John was over in London it was great, because we all got together and actually created. And I think it’s nice when you’ve got that actual electricity in the room, being able to bounce off each other.
I think it was just nice to be able to have that in person creation process more. It’s more organic.
EDM Maniac: We just celebrated women’s history month. How does it feel to be a powerful woman who is helping to inspire women (in music) around the world?
Hayla: Oh, it’s really nice to be considered potentially for doing something like that. I think back to when I was younger, there’s so many women that have inspired me in my life.
I mean, I think that it’s just incredible. Having the lyrics and melodies of the songs I’ve created with other people, obviously hearing people sing those back and then hearing people’s stories about how it’s connected with them is amazing.
EDM Maniac: You’ve really started to express your high-fashion style into your looks whether its in live performances or on social media. Where do you get your inspiration from?
Hayla: Well, you know what, I’ve been really fortunate to work with such an amazing stylist called Beau, who’s actually from London, UK. I did a lot of shopping around. You have to find somebody who’s akin to the style that you like already, and I think I was always missing out on that tiny bit of elevation that I like.
Am I brave enough to kind of go for this sort of higher fashion? I’ve always enjoyed fashion, but I’ve never kind of thought that it was going to be okay for me to do that.
So I’m trying to push myself, push the boundaries a little bit from what my own self image is. He’s [Beau] allowed me to, and give myself permission to go for it and just try new things.
EDM Maniac: Your new album is slated to come out in October. You have been involved with many different genres (Drum & Bass, house, pop and more). What can fans expect to hear on the new album?
Hayla: It’s a bit of a journey. Really, I think there’s going to be quite a lot of musical styles in there that maybe people wouldn’t expect. We’re trying to make it so that it’s actually like a bit of an open, rounded kind of idea of what I like listening to and also creating. No Drum & Bass on this album.
I’ve never had an album out on my own before. This is my very first body of work that I’ve ever put out. It’s something that I’ve already been looking forward to.
I know, it sounds really weird, when you’re a kid, and you see that your mum’s got a handbag and you’re like, what do they put in that bag like? What do they need? And what does that look like? You kind of think, oh, maybe I’ll put this in there. Maybe I’ll put this in there and then when you get there, you’re like, Oh, my gosh!
So I’m hoping that when I’ve got it all, the bag is full and complete.
EDM Maniac: Fans are eager to see a solo tour/show from you. When can we expect that to take place?
Hayla: I’ll be touring potentially at the end of this year. I can’t really go into it any more than that, but it is in the works. After touring with Example, which was absolutely amazing to be a part of, it sort of gave me an idea of touring.
When you’ve got a good amount of music, it’s all a matter of which ones you play, which ones you kind of keep back and how are you gonna make it all flow nicely.
I’m in the stages of getting a bigger show together. Yeah, so it’s something that’s on the horizon in a very real sense.
EDM Maniac: What’s next on the radar for Hayla?
Hayla: So there are actually going to be some more collaborations that are going to be coming out this year. I can’t announce who yet but it’s people I’ve really wanted to work with for quite some time. So I’m personally extremely excited about them!
Apart from that, I got the album hopefully at the end of this year. I do want to press some vinyl, definitely going to do that.
