How you can show your support for Haylea

THE national lockdown has been tough on everyone, and our local performers are no exception. Durban songbird Haylea Heyns said she has been trying to stay motivated and use this time to write more music, and this has paid off. She has been nominated in the City Awards for Artist of the Year and her track Gaining Ground has also been nominated for Song of the Year.

Haylea was featured in Berea Mail last February, when she announced she had been signed by The David Gresham Record Company. She said although lockdown had been a really trying time, there had also been some big highlights in her career which have culminated in these nominations.

She released a new single at the end of 2020, and flew to Cape Town to perform it live on the Afternoon Express on SABC 3. She also collaborated with South Africa DJ and 2020 SAMA nominee, Mark Stent, and wrote and sang on a track for him which he released on his new album, Sugar.

“I had a brief reintroduction back to live performing in December when I was booked to perform in Dolphins by Starlight at uShaka Marine World. I went from sheer excitement from singing in front of a live audience again, and feeling like the pandemic was over, to sheer panic when I realised, just days after the show closed, that I had Covid! I was really ill over Christmas, completely exhausted, and at times was super stressed about my voice (and taste) ever returning! All was well, and in the end I did recover. It was a really emotional time for me, and I felt like giving up on my dreams,” she said.

This led to Haylea performing one of her original songs, Gaining Ground, live and filming it in her lounge. She said the video had great organic reach (over 43 000 views on Facebook in a week) and seemed to be a song that people really connected with.

ALSO READ:  Durban songbird releases debut EP

“Many people felt the same way I did – just like giving up! It really gave me courage knowing that I wasn’t alone in this, and that my song was starting to give others hope and courage,” she said.

Shortly after this, Haylea was contacted by City Awards notifying her that she had been nominated for Artist of the Year, and that Gaining Ground had been nominated for Song of the Year for the local Durban section, called 031 Awards.

“City Awards is South Africa’s largest chain of award shows, celebrating the achievements of individuals in the entertainment industry, and I am very excited that I have been nominated for these awards!” said Haylea.

Winners of the Artist of the Year category are chosen based on a 40 per cent judges’ vote and a 60 per cent public vote.
Song of the Year is based on popularity, quality, relevance, and originality.

The public is encouraged to vote for the Durban singer: SMS: 031 Haylea Heyns to 35029 (SMSs cost R3) and for the song: SMS: 031 Gaining Ground to 35029 (SMSs cost R3).
You can vote as many times as you like, and voting lines close at midnight on 5 June.

Visit: www.hayleaheyns.co.za.

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