Durban’s Haylea is living the dream
Haylea Heyns's first Christmas song launched on all digital music platforms on 2 November, and she has signed a publishing deal with David Gresham Records.
DREAMS are coming true for Durban singer and songwriter, Haylea Heyns.
Haylea’s first Christmas song, arranged by local Durban producer, Evan Roberts, launched on all digital music platforms on 2 November, and she recently returned from Johannesburg after signing a publishing deal with David Gresham Records.
Having always nurtured a love for music and singing as a child, Haylea had no idea this would be the direction her life would take.
“I loved to dress up, play the fool and entertain my friends and family. My mother encouraged me to take singing lessons at high school so I took up piano and singing, and was pushed into light classical music which has been a good foundation for my musical theatre,” she said.
Initially graduating with a degree in media and marketing, Haylea made a career change to focus on her love for singing and went back to university to study music and drama performance.
“During my gap year, I did a lot of singing. I met my husband, Rogan, and he is one of the people who pushed me to follow my dream to study music. I took it seriously, took a student loan and graduated cum laude. I was passionate about it,” she said.
It has been a long road for Haylea professionally and she said she had to put in a lot of work and training.
Her commitment and determination has paid off. At the end of May this year, she came off a nine-month international tour of the West End production of the Sound of Music having performed in Asia, the Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka.
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When she returned to Durban, she was flown to Johannesburg to sing God Save the Queen at the opening of the first international rugby test match between South Africa and England, which she said was a highlight of her career.
God Save The Queen https://t.co/e6HTpiiR70 via @YouTube
— Haylea Heyns (@hayleaheyns) June 11, 2018
“I learnt so much on tour and I have come back a different person. It’s very special being back on South African soil though. The experience was stressful and challenging but I have grown as a performer,” she said.
Haylea’s ‘passion project’ is her new Christmas song, Feels Like Christmas, which she started working on before auditioning for the Sound of Music.
“I love Christmas and I wrote something before going on tour. I finally had the time to tackle the project when I got home and approached Evan Roberts who loved the song. He produced and arranged it for me. He has such an incredible musical mind and understood my vision for the song, he nailed it!” she said.
Haylea said Feels Like Christmas is an old-school Hollywood-style song with brass instruments which she performed in collaboration with Durban musicians, Tom Hare, Philani Ngidi and singers Rory Booth, Samantha Landers, Tory du Plessis and Sarah Matter, and which was recorded locally at Sonic Studios.
“I’m really excited about it. I have been able to express myself and I just want people to enjoy it!” she said.
The fact the song has lead to a publishing deal was something she never expected.
My song “Feels Like Christmas” now available on @iTunes @Spotify @GooglePlayMusic I hope it will be on your Christmas playlist this year 🎅🏾🎤🤩🎶 pic.twitter.com/bxT3EKtuiN
— Haylea Heyns (@hayleaheyns) November 2, 2018
“David Gresham will be publishing and producing my song and I have some other work lined up with them next year. I will also be doing a show at Rockwood Theatre at Sibaya called Feels Like Christmas as a soft launch on 5 December, where I will perform my song along with festive favourites and some traditional carols,” she said.
Feels Like Christmas is available across all digital music platforms including iTunes and Google Play Music.
Book for Haylea’s show on 5 December via 031 161 0000 or sibaya@rockwoodtheatre.co.za.
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