John Delaney of MusicTourReviews spoke to country-music superstar, Hunter Hayes about touring, what’s to come, and all the success he has had at such a young age. Read how the interview went below:
John Delaney: Alright so here I am with with one of the youngest performers in the industry, Hunter Hayes, thanks for chatting with us!
Hunter Hayes: Absolutely, thanks for taking the time!
John Delaney: I’m going to start with the big new we all received this past week, Hunter you were nominated for not one, not two, but three grammy awards for this years upcoming award ceremony, which were Best New Artist, Best Country Album, and Best Country Solo Performance… tell me about how it felt receiving that news….
Hunter Hayes: It feels like I’m on top of the world, it feels fantastic, I mean it’s unbelievable. I spent a lot of time writing this record, I spent a lot of time preparing this record, putting all the shows together to tour with it. We’re really just getting started you know, and to have that recognition for all the hard work and all of this, it’s so fantastic I do all of this, and it’s not anything I expected. You should have seen my face when I found out. It’s just a huge honor from the industry in that way. Especially in the new artist category, with all the genres and all the options, to be thrown into that list of all those super talented music makers is awesome man, I’m stoked.
John Delaney: Was a Grammy something you’d always dream to achieve?
Hunter Hayes: Absolutely, It’s been a long time dream of mine. Just to be nominated, just to be on the list.
John Delaney: Now for Best Country Solo Performance award, one of the artists you’re up against is Carrie Underwood, and you’ve spent the nearly the last four months on tour with her, and about to spend a whole lot more; have you two joked at all who is going to win it?
Hunter Hayes: (Laughs) Honestly we really haven’t had the chance to or talk about it after the show, I’m loving the tour so far, we’re actually here backstage at the moment. It’s going great, it’s going really good, we’re loving it, it’s a blast. Every show has been a fun show obviously, that goes without saying. This is most tuned in show I’ve ever done. Because of the fact that we’re doing whatever it is, 90 or 95 dates on this tour as an opening act, I wanted to make sure we had a really tight show. We brought in production for my first time, we now have lights and stuff like that! I spend a lot of time kind of designing the show, and just when I get comfortable with it we change it again, because that’s just what I do! The cool thing is as an opening act is we feel like part of the team that way, and everyone is showing up early for our show, you know people are in their seats and their ready for it, their into it, their singing along with the songs. Like half of the show is for us, it’s a really big deal for me. It makes me feel really welcome
John Delaney: And what is your favorite past of the tour life?
Hunter Hayes: Well yeah, just the change of scenery! I’m such a big fan of things that change, I feel like it’s one of those things that are beautiful to me, and there are some things in life that don’t need change, but they have to; good or bad. I’m just a big fan that I can go to bed every night, wake up every morning in a different city and a different place. I get to play to a whole new crowd, I love the constant evolution of it. The cycle for me is after my show I come to the back of my bus, I’ll try to write a couple of tunes, work on some demos, and then wake up the next morning and start the whole tour routine all over again. The fact that I get to keep doing it, I love it, I love everything about touring. I miss my home, I miss my family, but as far as the job goes, it’s pretty sweet!
John Delaney: Were there any stops or shows that stood out from one another?
Hunter Hayes: Well I got to tell you I’m really looking forward to one. It’s not for a while but I get to go back to my hometown in Louisiana. Well near my home town in Lafayette in Louisianna, we get to play the Cajundome which is the only place I saw shows growing up. I saw everybody from Brooks & Dunn, to Rascal Flatts, and I actually saw Carrie with Brad Paisley on one of their tours and just getting to go back to your home town and play the biggest room there, it’s pretty sweet. We’re going back with the Blown Away tour there, and I’m really stoked. Actually, I’m also doing my first big arena show, I’ll be headlining my first arena show in a couple of days so I’m stoked about that! Lot’s of fun stuff happening!
John Delaney: So let’s briefly talk about all your success, specifically all within the past year: You’ve topped charts, gone platinum, been nominated and won multiple awards, shared the stage with musical legends and it’s all just the beginning; what has been the highlight of your career so far?
Hunter Hayes: Man, having gone to number one for not one but two weeks was pretty awesome. Again that’s such a great validation for me. People are singing along to the songs more and more,more people know it, more people showing up to shows. You see that on the road, it’s so hard to get a measurement on how things are going, and how people are connecting with the records. But anyways, that was a big deal for me, having those number one’s. As a songwriter it means the world.