When I first met Hayley, I admired her for how Zen and soft-spoken she is. I promise you I am neither of the two. Even if I switched to decaf coffee it would not make a difference!
I always look forward to interacting with Hayley! She invites me into her world with the great stories that are shared. I can assure you Hayley is a very dynamic, diverse, brilliant, beautiful, and talented artist.
Hayley’s music is genuine and authentic as well. Her sound is not comprised which makes it refreshing and enjoyable. Her collaboration with Josh Carns, The Hayley & Josh Album, is a mixture of soul, jazz, pop, and indie music.
1) Hayley, tell us about yourself (you are so dynamic and diverse)!
If I were to describe myself to someone that didn’t know me. I’d say I’m out-going, friendly, musical, and motivated. I always strive to better myself and those around me. I live to inspire and help others. Whither it be through natural medicine, yoga, music, song, dance, art, or food.
I have accumulated a couple certifications over the years. I am a 300-hour RYT Yoga Instructor, Certified Herbalist, Certified in Reiki healing- Level 1, Forest skills certification, Lifeguard Certified, Cosmetologist. At the beginning of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic I started teaching Yoga and playing music online through Zoom to create an income to support myself, and my family. After the lockdown I started working with my Dad to help him with the family furniture business, at Weiss Furniture in Latrobe PA. I was born in Latrobe PA, grew up in Israel and came back to the states to study art and music in college, and start a new life of my own.
I’ve been preforming since I was 10 years old. I started singing, dancing, and acting lessons at a young age. I always liked to make people happy through song and dance. When I was younger in middle school growing up, I always wanted to be on Broadway. So, I dabbled in some musicals and acting classes along with vocal lessons.
At the age of 13 I moved to Israel with my family, and started to learn the language Hebrew. I learned the language through music, movies, and reading. I would take a song in Hebrew and translate it to English. That was one of the best ways I’d say a person could learn a new language.
At the age of 15, my Dad bought me my first guitar after seeing the Foo Fighters live in concert in Pittsburgh. My older brother had bought me a ticket to see them, and I was so inspired after that moment that I decided to pursue music. At the age of 15 I lost my vision in my left eye, because of a rare autoimmune disease, called NMO, illness similar to MS. Which altered my life completely. From the age 15-19 I was in and out of the hospital for it. Singing and playing guitar was a huge therapy for me at that time, and music still is to this day.
After I picked up the guitar, I started writing songs, singing, and playing music in a local a-cappella group and song/dance group in high school in Israel. All throughout my life I played in several different bands in Israel and in America. The first real band I was in where we played out live, was a band called “The Native Eskimos” we were a Singer songwriter duo. It was me and the lead singer of Habatat (Ryan Woods). I had been studying liberal arts in college in PA, and thought it would be fun to make some music with friends.
In 2014, I decided to move to Asheville North Carolina, to study natural medicine and healing. There I made friends with lots of musicians, and I started a band called “Halo and the suns” I wrote a lot of the music and lyrics in that band, and we played all around the town. I formed that band while I was studying herbal medicine and learning natural healing, at a school called the “Appalacia School Of holistic healing” in Asheville North Carolina, where I got my first herbal medicine certification, and studied forest stills (how to survive off the land). I didn’t record any of the music from those bands, but I wish I had to have captured those moments.
2) What inspired you to be a vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter?
I was most inspired while living in Asheville, I saw multiple inspiring bands in concert including “Rising Appalachia”, “Michael Franti”, “leftover salmon”, “Nahko and medicine for the people”, “Moe.”, and many other local inspiring bands. They all inspired me deeply to pursue music as my career and dream. Living there I went to a lot of open mics, busked on the streets (played music for tips & fun), went to poetry gatherings, funk music parties, spiritual gatherings, and I met so many inspiring artists and healers! Was a great time in my life. I am grateful for those memories, experiences, and all the many cool inspiring people I have met along the way.
3) Define your musical background?
I’d say my musical background I get from being around so many different inspiring and wonderful musicians my whole life. I originally started playing the piano when I was 12 years old, then I picked up the guitar when I was 15, and basically taught myself and used YouTube to learn how to play guitar. My brother was always an inspiration to me for playing music, because he also played guitar. My whole family, my mother, and my father have always been big supporters of me and my music.
In middle school I loved singing in the choir and in musicals. In high school I performed in small holiday shows and in musicals, plus talent shows, and local music groups. I’ve auditioned for the voice of Israel twice. I auditioned for the voice in America once, and I also auditioned for American idol this past year. I always thought auditions were fun, and a good experience. They are a good way to meet new people, they can give you drive, ambition, and a cool way to meet different musicians & artists. I never got into any of the shows, but I’m happy I didn’t because then I would’ve never pursued my 2 albums and single.
My grandfather played the accordion, the guitar, the drums, and he sang. My mother always said that I get my musical ability from my grandfather. While living in Israel I went to a high school for music and art, I went to several music and art festivals that inspired me to preform my music and become vegetarian.
When I was about 19 to about 23, I started going to a lot of American music festivals to see bands like the Allman brothers, Twiddle, Nahko, Trever Hall, John Mayer, Slightly Stoopid, Soja, Susan Tedeschi, and the Tedeschi trucks band. Classic rock and roll always had a big hold on my heart, and inspired my drive for music. I love all types of music, and I feel that I’m not music prejudiced. John Mayer has also been a big inspiration for me throughout my life. I think I’ve seen him perform six times now. The first time I saw him perform was with the grateful dead - Dead and Company, and it changed my life. Last year I went to Woodstock with the Derek Woods Band. It was also really inspiring to be there. At that time, I was also going to college for art and music at WCCC in Youngwood, PA.
4) Tell us about Hayley & Josh? Where did you meet Josh? How did the collaboration happen?
Hayley & Josh - is a RnB, Soul, Jazz, POP, Singer songwriter music group. We started preforming our music together in 2018. In 2019 we created our first song together called “Valley of Diamonds by Hayley Dailey”. We released our new album “The Hayley & Josh Album” on 6.20.20 during the 2020 pandemic.
Josh and I met in 2012 at the Old main cafe in Latrobe PA, at a “Derek Woods Band” concert. We were friends for years, but never really hung out or played music together until I asked Josh to perform at my CD release party in 2017. Josh also helped format and play guitar on a lot of the songs on the album “Hummingbird by Hayley Dailey”. In 2017 after the release of my album Josh and I started hanging out all the time. We were inseparable. We started writing and preforming a lot of music together. After a couple months it just felt natural for us to be together.
5) You are spiritual and you have experienced a lot at a young age. If you were to give future women a piece of advice what would it be?
If I were to give future women a piece of advice, I would say to stop caring about people’s approval, and about what others think of you. I would tell them to always express themselves, and be themselves no matter what! Life is too short to get stuck on drama, stress, anxiety, and sadness. I feel like it’s important to live for the moment, but never forget your past and where you came from. To always spread love, light, and kindness to family, friends, and those around you. Substances like alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs are just handicaps on one’s natural abilities. They enable you from growing to your full potential as an artist, musician, or a person. And to always “Move forward! No looking back words”- quote from our new song- “Be Strong: by Hayley & Josh”.
6) You have a solo album called “Hummingbird” please tell us about it.
In 2017 I produced and released my first full length album with 9 Songs on it, called “Hummingbird by Hayley Dailey”. Josh played the guitar on most of the songs on that album. I preformed the guitar chords, sang and wrote all the lyrics for the songs, and melodies to the songs. I wrote the songs from 2015-2017 while travel from Asheville, NC to Pittsburgh PA. Traveling and finding love inspired me the most while creating that album. Dave Edward “Bongo Dave” recoded the last song on the album with me in 2015 called “MaMa Gaia”. It was the first song that inspired me to crest the album “Hummingbird”. I wrote the lyrics and Dave helped with the melody over time it evolved into two versions on the 2017“Hummingbird” album, when josh and I started preforming the song together. It’s a very spiritual song for me about protecting the earth, and how the earth is asking for our help, and it spur job to protect it against global warming. It has a lot of Native American influences in the song, with Native American flute music in it.
“Hummingbird” to me is an album about my self-exploration and letting go of past traumas. This was my first ever solo music project that I created on my own. Josh and Daniel Blake helped me mostly in the recording process to make the music beautiful. Josh also helped me make the songs into actual songs. I am grateful for everyone that helped me with that album and made it possible.
The artwork on the “Hummingbird-by Hayley Dailey” album was a collaboration between three different artists. The cover was a painting done by my Mexican friend I met in Israel, Aditi Magic, words and formatting by my good friend Jeff Donato, and the inside artwork was create led by an artist I met at Pyro De Mayo Festival at Nelsons Ledges in Ohio.
7) You and Josh just had an album drop called “The Hayley & Josh Album” please tell us about it. Where can we get it?
“The Hayley & Josh Album”
It is an 11-song full length album created and produced by Joshua Carns and myself Hayley Dunhoff (Hayley Dailey). Josh composed the album , played guitar, some digital drums, and bass on all of the songs, Chris Belin played the drums set on most of the songs, Joe Scheller played the saxophone, Daniel Blake played the keys/ mixed and mastered the album, and I sang the songs and wrote most of the lyrics. Josh and I wrote a lot of the lyrics together as well, and Daniel Blake also helped us with some of the writing process. Daniel Blake has truly inspired us and helped us tremendously throughout our musical journey. He also helped me mix/master/& record “Hummingbird” in 2017.
“The Hayley & Josh Album” to me is a combination of story’s and memories about life, love, struggle, strength, and standing up for what you believe in. It’s an album about belief, inspiration, and finding your own strength.
You can find our album on iTunes, Amazon music, Spotify, YouTube, and all platforms you can find music. Look up “Hayley Dailey Hummingbird”, “Valley of Diamonds Single by Hayley Dailey”, and check out our new 2020 album “The Hayley & Josh album”.
Photo credit: Nicky Angelo Photography
Natalie is the author of The Many Colors of Natalie, a book of poetry. She holds an associates degree in Specialized Technology Le Cordon Bleu Pastry Arts and in her spare time is an artist and percussionist.
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