Join British dance music vocalist and songwriter HAYLA on Sound Advice, the weekly SoundCloud series diving deep into the creative process, platform features and career growth strategies.
Welcome to Sound Advice, the series spotlighting artists’ creative process and their SoundCloud journey. We’ll get the inside knowledge straight from the source on how musicians, producers and creatives are leaning into everything SoundCloud offers to elevate their sound, get heard and catapult their careers. Sound Advice is now available in audio format on the SoundCloud Stories profile.
If you’ve listened to electronic dance music (EDM) in the last couple of years, especially on SoundCloud, you’ve likely encountered HAYLA’s soaring vocals. Her distinctive voice and emotional lyrics are the focal point of some of electronic’s biggest tracks: “Shiver” with John Summit, “I Found You” with Sub Focus, “Without You” with Kygo and “Escape” the 2022 hit by deadmau5 and Kaskade that landed her a Grammy nomination.
We caught up with the British singer-songwriter recently to talk about her journey in the music industry so far, her experience from moving to rock bands to toplining, and collaborating with dance music’s top producers. HAYLA also delves into the creative process of writing, recording, promoting and touring her 2024 debut solo album, ‘DUSK.’
Before the release of the deluxe edition of ‘DUSK,’ which arrives on March 21, HAYLA shares some great advice for up-and-coming singer-songwriters, and talks about building her own fanbase on SoundCloud; using track previews, private links and social features to create a buzz.
LISTEN TO THE AUDIO EPISODE OF SOUND ADVICE FEATURING HAYLA
LISTEN TO ‘DUSK’ BY HAYLA
LISTEN TO HAYLA’S VOICE NOTES
Things We Talked About In This Episode of Sound Advice
How HAYLA Began Collaborating with EDM DJs/Producers and Wrote Her Debut Solo Album, ‘DUSK’
- We begin the conversation by hearing how HAYLA broke into the music industry by writing and singing on tracks for DJs and producers. She talks about getting her start topline writing and “ghost singing,” and how she grew her confidence to branch out from her early days of performing in rock bands to being a dance music singer-songwriter.
- HAYLA gives advice to fellow artists who are curious about breaking into the industry through the same channels — that it’s all about having the confidence to try new things, step outside your comfort zone when it comes to genre, and say yes to offers of collaboration more than no. That can-do attitude and willingness to experiment will take you far, even if it takes you years to find the right groove for you.
- The same sentiment can be said for her debut solo album, ‘DUSK,’ which was released on Restless Minds Music in late 2024. With its blend of heartfelt songwriting and electronic production, ‘DUSK’ showcases HAYLA’s evolution from featured EDM vocalist to full-fledged solo artist.
- HAYLA dives into the process of writing and recording the album, and how through years of cathartic lyric-writing and building her confidence through collaboration, she was able to tap into deeper subject matters and approach her lyricism in a poetic way that felt right for her artistic path. HAYLA also details a first for her: writing, producing and recording the album’s lead single, and how she overcame nerves to create a track that marks a new chapter in her career. You can also listen to HAYLA’s episode of Voice Notes, where she details the making of ‘DUSK.’
Making the Deluxe Piano Version of ‘DUSK’ and Advice For Growing Confidence Onstage
- Next up for HAYLA is the release of the deluxe version of ‘DUSK,’ which focuses on stripped back, piano-led versions of the original songs on ‘DUSK.’ We hear about the origins of the album’s tracks, the creative process of shaping the deluxe tracks, and the special significance of showcasing her vocals in this style.
- HAYLA traces her musical journey from writing and performing with rock bands to collaborating with dance music producers and DJs, and what she’s taken from these group settings into her solo work. For HAYLA, it’s also about trusting in and rewarding her audience with original work that showcases her abilities: going from the dancefloor maximalism of electronic dance music to the therapeutic tenderness of the deluxe piano tracks.
- We also hear about how HAYLA has grown her confidence as a vocalist and live performer. Having played on major festival stages worldwide with her collaborators like John Summit, deadmau5, Kaskade and Kygo, HAYLA has years of experience to her name now. She offers advice on how vocalists can approach a stage performance, and how she gets into the zone of connecting with the audience and feeling creatively empowered by the live experience.
How HAYLA Uses SoundCloud’s Private Tracks and DMs For Fan Exclusives, Pitching and Sync Opportunities
- From the very early days of her career, HAYLA has used SoundCloud to connect with her audience and collaborators, organize her music and hear feedback from her fans. We hear how HAYLA recently leveraged SoundCloud’s private tracks and direct messages to offer exclusive early access to the deluxe edition of ‘DUSK’ for subscribers. She discusses the importance of engaging and rewarding her early listeners with exclusives.
- One feature that HAYLA has used consistently for the several years she’s been on SoundCloud is private tracks. She goes into more detail about how she personally uses private tracks to interact with fans, friends and fellow artists, and how her team uses playlists to catalog her songwriting and vocal progress, pitch her music across the industry and work to get her sync deals. For HAYLA, SoundCloud’s features have been instrumental in allowing her to organize her music, feel closer to her listeners and gain new connections and opportunities within the music industry.
Studio and Online Production: Tips From HAYLA on Collaboration and Songwriting Across Genres
- Having worked on in-person studio sessions with vocalists, producers and DJs, and worked alone in her bedroom studio, HAYLA has years of experience in how to build a personal connection with collaborators in order to achieve the best results. Here, HAYLA shares practical advice on maximizing studio time, harnessing home recording technology and refining songwriting approaches — ensuring each artist’s vision is heard and the final mix resonates with festival crowds or more intimate settings alike.
- When it comes to lyrics, HAYLA knows how to craft a memory line, a soaring harmony or a catchy melody. She gives advice on how to write lyrics that are memorable and bring people into the world of the track, while making sure that the songwriting suits the intended genre. From the cavernous club dancefloors and major electronic festivals to the more intimate sounds of her solo tracks on ‘DUSK’ and its forthcoming deluxe version, HAYLA reflects on what works best as a lyricist across these spaces and styles, and what she’s learned from working on tracks with dance producers and more.
Links and Extras
Follow HAYLA’s journey on SoundCloud.
Press play on HAYLA’s 2024 debut solo album, ‘DUSK.’
Hit play on a HAYLA and John Summit collaborative track, “Shiver.”
Listen to HAYLA’s track with Sub Focus, “I Found You.”
Go back to where it all began with HAYLA’s first-ever track, “Naked.”
Press play on HAYLA’s episode of Voice Notes.
Listen to “Escape,” HAYLA’s Grammy-nominated 2022 collaborative track with deadmau5 and Kaskade.
Check out HAYLA’s 2024 collaboration with Kygo, “Without You.”
Follow Camden Cox, a collaborator of HAYLA, and listen to her own episode of Sound Advice.
Explore some of HAYLA’s wide-ranging influences, including Sia, Björk, Radiohead and Bonobo, to name a few.
Listen to the Buzzing: Electronic playlist on SoundCloud.
Never miss an episode and follow the official Sound Advice playlist on SoundCloud.
Getting The Most Out of SoundCloud
Learn more about using DMs to connect with fellow artists and potential collaborators.
Learn more about how to make a custom playlist on SoundCloud.
Learn more about unlimited uploads, available with an Artist Pro subscription.
Learn more unlocking access to unlimited distribution, available with Artist Pro.
Learn more about getting heard with SoundCloud’s updated algorithm, available to Artist and Artist Pro subscribers.
To discover additional features a SoundCloud Artist or Artist Pro subscription offers, visit here. To catch up on past installments of Sound Advice and make sure you don’t miss out on future episodes, visit here.
CREDITS Host: Vivian Host, Executive Producer: Mike Spinella, Producer: KC Orcutt, Audio Engineer:, David “DibS” Shackney, Coordinator: Trevor McGee, Editorial Associate: Lauren Martin
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