Hunter Hayes Searches For His Voice on New Record
“I went through a massive voice change that I didn't know I was going through in the past three years. So I was singing through it, along with chronic allergies and terrible acid reflux," the country star admitted.
Stepping back into the spotlight after taking a creative break to seek inspiration for his new music, Hunter Hayes found himself jumping over another unexpected hurdle: a huge voice change.
Known for his wicked guitar skills and ability to reach innumerable vocal ranges, Hayes won over fans for hits like “Wanted” and “I Want Crazy.” Taking on the role as country music’s suave sweetheart, the singer found himself wanting to challenge the boundaries when it came time to record and create his next record. But things took a minor detour as his voice didn’t match up to the standards Hayes once knew.
“I went through a massive voice change that I didn’t know I was going through in the past three years. So I was singing through it, along with chronic allergies and terrible acid reflux. And all kinds of things I didn’t know about that I’m still trying to treat and fight. One thing affects the other, and [in turn] affect your voice,” he told Rolling Stone Country recently.
Rather than let his worries subside within his singing, Hayes took the brave initiative to hire a coach to tweak how he handled his vocal range when it came to tougher melodies or new tunes. Hayes finally feels as if the confidence within his ability has restored itself as he brings out new tracks for fans.
“Working with a coach since last September [has helped me find] where my new voice sits, and how to use that and get rid of old habits. Not surprisingly, I’ve learned 75 percent of it is all mental for me. I was so tired of being frustrated by working so hard with warm-ups and dietary things and still getting on stage and feeling like it wasn’t what I wanted it to be. For me, if I get frustrated with a guitar solo, I can take the guitar off and go home and come back the next day. Or change the strings. I can fix that. When my voice isn’t doing what I want it to do, it’s crushing in the most heavy way possible. It flipped me upside down more times than I care to talk about, which is why it was that much more important for me to go ahead of it and say I refuse to go down without a fight. It’s been a huge weight lifted,” he said.
With his anticipated return on the horizon, Hayes is ready to take that next step no matter what former fears he once had.
“There’s a lot of scenarios I used to go in scared, and now, I’m still scared but not nearly as much as I used to be. I feel more comfortable with my voice now than I ever did. And I’m still getting there. I’m still in the process. All the work we put into it is really encouraging. I don’t know if I’ll ever be 100 percent comfortable, but to feel better about myself as a human because I can sing when I want to sing is a big step,” he admitted.
Hayes plans to release a new album, featuring songs like “Young Blood” and “Tell Me” within the year.
