aAh! Magazine catches up with Pop-Soul artist Mali Hayes ahead of her upcoming Art School Live premiere on Sunday 20th December
Photography: Evan Wilson
Manchester-based artist Mali Hayes has been cooking up a storm recently, with her signature sound, successfully fusing together RnB, jazz, and soul.
Her latest track ‘Save Ourselves’ is a wonderful introduction to her music, featuring her ethereal vocals and beautifully-penned lyrics – which are centred around the hot topic of environmental activism. Something which we can all relate to.
Her track has had radio play from the likes of Radio 1’s Huw Stephens on his BBC Introducing Segment, as well as BBC Radio 2’s Jamie Callum.
aAh! Magazine catches up with Mali Hayes ahead of her Art School Live performance to find out more about her involvement in the live-streaming project, how she staying creative during COVID, and her future goals.
Mali, when did you decide that you wanted to pursue a career in music?
“Music is a big part of my upbringing and runs through the family, so I knew music would be a huge influence in my life somehow whether it be singing, dancing, writing music, collecting music.”
Who/what are your inspirations?
“As beige as it sounds – life, in all aspects, is my main inspiration. I listen to a lot of Neo-Soul music (Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Dangelo) and I also love artists such as Nao, H.E.R, Jordan Rakei, Tom Misch, Snoh Aalegra and SiR.”
How did you get involved with Art School Live?
“Sam got in touch with me a couple of months back to try and plan a session – it’s been tricky with the current climate however it was lovely to finally meet the team and be able to perform after a long few months of not doing much live music.”
Which aspect of taking part in this performance, have you enjoyed the most?
“Being able to perform in general, as I haven’t done properly since back in January! I also really appreciated the aesthetics of the video – the crew made it look great!”
Which song of yours, in particular, should we look out for on Sunday?
“I would say, ‘Save Ourselves’, my most recent single. I believe everyone can relate in some way, as the song was so heavily influenced by the human race and how we treat the environment.”
How have you found staying creative during COVID and this new way of performing?
“I much prefer performing to a live audience – I really miss it. But it’s also been nice to sometimes do it from the comfort of my home.”
What message would you like others to take from your music?
“I hope it brings people a feeling of warmth, I hope they connect with my stories and interpret them in positive ways, I hope it heals, I hope it resonates.”
Finally, what are your future goals?
“To continue to release music and to be overall happy!”
Tune in to Mali Hayes’ Art School Live performance on Sunday 20th December, 6pm here.
Keep up with Mali Hayes:
Featured image: Molly Goble and Nicola Henry In the last five years, hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people have risen by 112%, underscoring the critical need for safe, inclusive spaces where queer individuals can find a sense of belonging. Amid this crisis, Queer Lit has emerged as a sanctuary in the form of a literary refuge…
By Evie-Iris Atkins and Megan Levick. Featured image: UNITOM. As part of our new series In Print: Celebrating Print Culture in Manchester, we speak to UNITOM head publishing buyer Tim Bell. “Celebrating the worlds of visual culture” is what Northern Quarter magazine and bookshop UNITOM does best, says head publishing buyer Tim Bell. With an…
Featured image: Ruby Sharp Good food has the power to bring people together, and in Manchester, this couldn’t be more true. We explore how family-run restaurants are going above and beyond for their community. Since opening in 2019, Fress, located in the Northern Quarter, has made a name for itself not just for its food,…
Featured image and gallery: Gracie Hall Gorilla gets its brains rocked out by Lambrini Girls. The Brighton-based punk duo who are touring their debut album, Who Let The Dogs Out, blend riot grrrl and neurodivergent humour to form a chaotic but inclusive evening. With Phoebe Lunny on vocals and guitar, Lilly Macieira-Boşgelmez on bass and…
Leave a reply