Born and raised in southern California, Jake Hays is a singer, songwriter, music producer, actor, multi-instrumentalist, and director. He discovered a love for music at age thirteen and was professionally touring at the age of nineteen.
Writing songs with numerous icons in the music industry has led Jakes Hays to great feats such as signing with BMG/Vagrant Records in 2015. Taking his talents nationwide as he continues to put on shows, the solo career of Jake Hays has brought him to the film side of the entertainment industry where he is making strides as well.
Fresh off the release of his most recent single, “Tattoo” we get to appreciate Jake Hays and his musical capabilities as he douses us in an indie rock sound that’s sure to drape you in familiar hues of comfort. Introducing us to the record with buoyant percussion patterns that slap through your speakers, we’re caught up in the eclectic instrumentation that tours us through sustaining guitar riffs and a blend of elements that effortlessly sweep us through a range of well-balanced frequencies.
As soon as you incorporate Jake Hays’ smoldering timbres into the mix, there’s a psychedelic offering that protrudes in this sonic canvas as you fill your head with the mind-altering essence that lays before you. Bringing themes of moving on from a past relationship to life, Jake Hays visits the various stages that people tend to go through when they feel the need to break through their normalcy and try something new as they step into who they’re becoming.
As we hear the lyrical motif ‘Maybe I’ll get a tattoo, and I won’t think about you,’ making itself remarkably apparent through the alluring flow of the chorus, the type of relatability that comes pouring from us skyrockets to new-fangled heights. We’ve all been there, and we all know just how powerful it is to be left in discomfort as you flourish in life. What makes “Tattoo,” as sentimental as it is, is the way that Jake Hays conveys this message in a way that has us knowing we’re not the only ones out there.
Welcome to BuzzMuisc Jake Hays, and congratulations on the release of your single “Tattoo.” We love the theme that you chose to explore, and how your sound intensifies it that much more. Where did the inspiration for “Tattoo,” stem from?
You know that classic trope of “I’m so over it, I’m gonna do something wild!” and you do something impulsive while claiming that it’s for you when really it’s because of whatever it is you’re trying to get over?? Yeah, big mess. I feel like this story chronologize the levels of acceptance when going through a process like that. Verse 1 is like “oof, what a mess” to Verse 2 being like “apparently it sucks for you too, oh well” to the Bridge being like “yo, get it away from me.” I’m betting we’ve all had at least one of those emotionally charged messy experiences, and I felt that would be a cathartic yet hilarious thing to write about.
Could you please share a glimpse into what the creative process looked like when bringing this track to life?
This one came together so randomly! I was hanging with one of my best friends while putting a beat together just for exercise sake, and it ended up turning into this fun lil’ bouncy hip-hop track. Then I felt like playing around with adding a low-octave guitar riff and that guitar line just came out of nowhere and it immediately hit me that this was a fun sound I wanted to explore more.
Being so well-rounded in the entertainment industry must give you a vast amount of insight into the business you’re in. Do you happen to have a favorite part that you’ve gotten to explore? What has helped you step into your role as an artist in a more impactful manner?
I think for me, it’s been really realizing just how vital and important music actually is to me. I took over a year off of making music to focus on acting because it was another form of art I’ve always wanted to pursue, and up to that point I had started viewing my music as a bit of an enemy to me. Several interactions I had with a label A&R had made me begin to question my songwriting and it all just got too overwhelming for me. I’ve spoken of this plenty before but after I lost my house and music studio in the Woolsey Fire in 2018, music was the one thing that truly helped me get through it all, not only in the aftermath but in rebuilding myself (both psychologically and emotionally) and now I’m more confident than ever that it’s something I have to do for the rest of my life.
With some wonderful projects on the way, and some tremendous accomplishments already on your list of accolades, what happens to be your proudest moment throughout your career so far?
One of my favorite moments was opening for Cold War Kids with my previous project Maudlin Strangers at a packed Terminal 5 in New York, one of my absolute favorite venues. And secondly, it would be getting cast as one of the main characters in a thriller movie starring Chad Michael Murray called Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman. I got to do my first scene with horror-icon Lin Shaye, who was an absolute blast to work with. I also got to watch it on the big screen at the Universal Citywalk AMC for its theatrical release with family and friends, so that was definitely a fun moment.
What would you like new listeners to know about you and your music?
I’d have to say it would be that I genuinely appreciate anyone that actually takes the time to check out my music. The music experience is so subjective, and there is no clear path on how to make this career work. It’s a daily gamble with the odds always playing against you, and there’s always a little voice in the back of your head that fights with you to try and make you give up. Sadly, so many great and talented artists do. Not only will I never give in to that little voice (I mean, my house burnt down and I didn’t give up!! That’s gotta count for something, right?!), but every time someone listens, shares, or reaches out to me about my music, it really reminds me of why I do what I do, and I try my best to show that appreciation so they truly understand just how much that means to me.
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