Haley Mae Campbell
Feed the Band
Patrick L.
The talented
Haley Mae Campbell
Many people say you have to kiss a few frogs before you get to where you want to be. However, amazingly here at Southern Fellow that has never been the case. When I first started my dream was simple. I wanted to share a few recipes. Then I wanted to take a shot at doing an interview for a blog post. Like magic Thunder and Rain Band led me to this series we call Feed the Band. This was something I thought would not be possible for someone a long way from Nashville. Then with open arms the country music industry pulled me in. It was like a long embrace from a really good friend you have not seen in awhile. So instead of kissing a few frogs, I have had the opportunity to meet some truly amazing people. Our next artist on Feed the Band is one of those people.
"You oughta be with me!"
Haley Mae Campbell is one of the most unique artist I have interviewed for Feed the Band. In the beginning she was really building a amazing pop sound and then it began to warp into country with a pop twist. This lead to her latest record “Lovers Lottery”. This record carries amazing tracks such as “Lose My Number” and “Oughta be”. This record is another example of what makes Haley Mae Campbell unique. Her sound is distinctively hers, but it’s nature lends itself not to be directly country, pop, or rock. It is a hybrid of them all that is organic and free flowing. This is no easy feat. This is like sailing a ship on a rocky shoreline in the middle of a hurricane. Somehow, Haley Mae Campbell handles this task with a certain grace that you can find in very few artist.
We had the opportunity to talk with this hurricane taking country music by storm. You need to also stay tuned to the end of the interview. Will with be giving away an autographed copy of “Lovers Lottery”. Here are our questions answered by Haley Mae Campbell.
What gave you the courage to move to Nashville and advance your songwriting?
I began visiting Nashville at the age of 16. Over the course of about three years, I was able to build friendships, relationships, and have more consistent co-writers. After feeling confident that I had a solid foundation, I finally made the move to Nashville at age 19.
You have written quite a few songs and spent some time on the road. What advice would you give your past self?
I would have challenged myself to write even more, even if I didn’t feel like it, and even if the songs weren’t great. Because now, in Nashville, I am co-writing multiple times a week, and I wish I had exercised that songwriting muscle more on my own so that I would have been more prepared for writing with other people.
What is your go-to food while touring?
I have to say, I’m definitely a sucker for Taco Bell when we’re on the road. I used to eat it a lot more, but I’ve almost completely cut it out of my regular life, so I look forward to going out of town and having that fast food treat to look forward to.
What is your biggest fear?
I would say my biggest fear career-wise would be not being true to myself and who I am as an artist. I hope that I’m always able to create the kind of music that I dream up in my head, and that fans continue to gravitate towards what I’m doing.
Try this inspired recipe!
Sweet Potato Casserole
We are always developing recipes here at Southern Fellow. When writing music what recipe do you use?
Personally, I like to start with a title or a hook. I think that gives the songwriting process an anchor, and helps me stay on track and on topic.
If i gave you $5 to spend at a local Dollar Store, what would you buy?
Probably a pack of 5 Gum and a Twix bar!
What is your first fond memory of food?
As a kid, my parents would sometimes make baked sweet potato casserole with a layer of marshmallows on top. I would always try to eat the marshmallows off of the top without them seeing! Needless to say, it almost never went unnoticed.
If Southern Fellow could develop a recipe for you, what would it be?
I would love a great recipe for shrimp and grits. It’s definitely one of my favorite specialty dishes, but I’ve never made it!
If you wrote a song about food, what would it be about?
Funny enough, I recently took part in a competition to write a jingle for the new Nashville Hot Chicken Pringles. That was definitely a first for me, but very fun!
What does the next year look like for you?
Hopefully lots of touring and performing my own music. I would love to play some country music festivals during the summer!
You have a pretty big sound and your single “Oughta Be” is a great example of that. Tell us about that great track.
Thank you! “Oughta Be” is near and dear to my heart because it was actually the first song I ever co-wrote with someone in Nashville. Here’s a secret: it was originally written as a duet! After writing it, I loved the song so much that I decided to record it as a solo track, and release it on my EP “Lovers Lottery.” It’s always been one of my favorites to play live because of the great energy it has.
If you could not do music, what do you think you would be doing?
I was very interested in psychology as a teen, and almost went to college for Forensic Psychology!
Is there anything else you want your fans at Southern Fellow to know?
I’d definitely like to say a huge thank you to anyone who has listened to or shared my music. It means the world to me to have people’s support, and I hope to keep making music that people can enjoy and relate to!
It was a true pleasure to have Haley Mae Campbell on Feed the Band here at Southern Fellow. She is truly an amazing artist and we would like to welcome her to the Southern Fellow family. Welcome home Haley Mae Campbell. You know it is time to add some new music to your playlist. You can find Haley’s music everywhere including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Google Play and Amazon Music. So go ahead and update your playlist.
Thank you so much for tuning in here at Feed the Band. As a mentioned we are giving away an autographed copy of Haley Mae Campbell’s album. Click the link below to enter. Also you can check out all the artist we have featured on Feed the Band by clicking here.
