From Melbourne to Brazil, the genre-bending artist and singer-songwriter Ana Clara Hayley gives a nod to the late 80s with her punchy pop-rock single, "Troubled Cells."
While her artistic career launched at the mere age of eight through dancing jazz/ballet and singing in national competitions, it wasn't until the age of nineteen where Ana Clara Hayley felt compelled to move to London. After moving to Brazil and feeling captivated by the country, Hayley felt inspired to hone in and concentrate on her solo career.
Now releasing her Empire Records-esque single, "Troubled Cells," Ana Clara Hayley pushes an incredibly dense instrumental atmosphere through her swinging and upbeat pop-rock melodies while leaving us inspired to take on new adventures and journeys. Not to mention Hayley's bright and radiant vocal delivery, she's truly carving a unique artistic path for herself to sprint through.
Expanding on the single, "Troubled Cells," the track opens with short electric guitar bursts, a textured bassline, and upbeat drum arrangements. While Ana Clara Hayley begins vocalizing her need to flee from certain emotionally draining situations, she quickly swoons listeners with her mesmerizing melisma and natural vibrato.
As the instrumentals continue pounding through our speakers with life and vitality, Ana Clara Hayley joins them at the hook to offer the utmost exhilarating aspects to keep us locked into the dynamic ride. We adore this song's ode to country-rock through Ana Clara Hayley's vocal delivery and the twangy instrumentals, as it makes for a highly memorable and unique listening experience.
Refresh yourself with the dynamic stylings of Ana Clara Hayley and her uplifting single, "Troubled Cells," and keep an eye out for her debut album 'Songbird Vol. 1,' slated to release later this year.
We appreciate the passion and heart you've delivered within your recent single, "Troubled Cells." What inspired the lyrical message behind this single?
The lyrics were inspired by a brush with câncer I had a few years ago, which led to me having surgery to remove a significant portion of my left breast. The lyrics go through the process which was actually a lot scarier than the removal itself. I am so fortunate that after a long period of trying to get a solid diagnosis as to whether the lump was malignant or beginning, it turned out to be, indeed, beginning. However, it was a long time getting there. There were so many waiting rooms doctors, exams, waiting and waiting each time for a conclusive diagnosis. The songs draws on those feelings, trying to read the faces of medical professionals as they read/conducted exams, calling clinic after clinic to try and get the soonest appointment, not realizing the value of good health until I faced having it taken away
That said, I actually wrote the song some years later when I was invited to participate in a benefit show to raise awareness and funds for breast câncer prosthetics that would be donated to women who had gone through a full mastectomy without the income to fund a replacement surgery. It was an absolutely beautiful experience to be part of something so close to home. We were rehearsing for the benefit and it just spilled out, about 1 week ahead of the show. I was slightly hesitant to play it because it’s highly emotive to me and, because it was so new we had barely rehearsed it let alone tested it on a live audience! But it worked out very well, both the song and the show.
What inspired you to create such dense country/pop-rock instrumentals for "Troubled Cells?" What led you down this unique and dynamic instrumental path?
I don’t really know how to answer this question. I write with my musicians, Almir Casiano who is a drummer but rehearsals are done with a Cajon, the Peruvian drum, and Bruno Amorim, who plays bass and guitar. The song felt like it needed grit so we took the gentle acoustic instruments and changed them out for some deeper tones on their traditional counterparts. I felt there was a really late 80s-early 90s almost Empire Records type feel to the song and wanted to get some long open strumming and a very present sound to the bass, without it sounding like the opening to Law and Order... I’d not thought of there being a country feel present but I hadn’t thought that of my first single, Brixton either, and that was a common comment, so that’s nice to hear again! I worked with a great producer here in Brasília who was really able to get the energy up and take what is in essence a sad song and make it feel victorious, which I really liked. I think it is the swing in the drumming that Almir created that opened a pathway to that energy.
Does "Troubled Cells" share any lyrical or instrumental similarities to your previous two singles? Or does each single bring something different to the table?
Both songs are storytellers and there are definitely instrumentational similarities in both Brixton and Troubled Cells however, the lyrics and melody are each of their own standings. Each single is about my life, they are moments I lived, as per many of my songs. It’s my aim that each song brings its own profile and characteristics to the ear.
Should we expect to hear "Troubled Cells" on your forthcoming debut album 'Songbird Vol. 1?' Or are you planning to exercise a different path with the album?
Troubled Cells will actually appear on the álbum SEVEN, which will follow Songbird Vol.1. SEVEN, will also include Brixton, my first single, and will consist of an instrumental continuity, so perhaps there will be an underlying country feel to the álbum? Let’s see. It has been very challenging to take forward the SEVEN albums during the pandemic so it will be so lovely to finally release it; that said, it still has a while to go. I’m not sure it will be out before December 2021. Songbird Vol.1 is a collection of songs that I wrote predominately during the pandemic with a couple of songs that I wrote in 2013 too. It is a mix bag of styles but there are a few key instruments that give the collection a connecting sonority, such as the Rhodes piano for example. The Rhodes has managed to act as a bridge between the breadth of style within the tiny 7 song album where there are a little bit of many sounds from country guitars to full gospel piano chords. It’s currently being produced in Melbourne, Australia and I am very excited to listen to it. All things going well, the album is due out mid-2021.
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