Exclusive Interview with 'HAYNZA'

A budding musician from Brisbane, Australia named Haynza is passionate about using music to spread light in what can sometimes be a dark world. Although it would be simple to categorize Haynza’s music as Pop, his distinctive and constantly changing sound echoes elements of Hip-Hop and Alternative music. Since he can remember, he has been singing, and since he was a young adolescent, he has been writing and producing his own music. His debut album, The Fall To Grace, a 10-track project that was released in early 2019, was inspired by a feeling of calling he experienced in 2018 to live more fully into his Christian faith. Since then, he has dropped numerous singles, the most recent of which is ROLLERCOASTER, which expresses his frustration with life’s frequent ups and downs. He intends to drop a few more singles before releasing an album toward the end of 2022. Haynza’s music explores the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of life with spirituality at its core in an effort to show listeners that they are not alone or without hope.

His frustration with life’s many ups and downs is expressed in the song “ROLLERCOASTER,” which is also the ideal addition to any chill/alternative/inspirational playlist for those lazy Sunday evenings, featuring artists like TAYA, Lecrae, Andy Mineo, Justin Bieber, Chandler Moore, Brooke Ligertwood, Dean Lewis, Montell Fish, and Sarah Juers. You should not skip this song. With over 27,000 streams on “Who You Are,” a song from his debut album from 2019, Haynza is quickly breaking into the industry and making a name for himself by enthralling many in his niche. Haynza is a verified Spotify artist. Haynza’s fanbase does not dissapoint, with over 75.6K likes on TikTok and 2.41K devoted subscribers on YouTube. They are just as excited as you are to hear his upcoming EP.

In order to show his listeners that they are not alone or without hope in their struggles, Haynza strives to create music that touches on the good, bad, and ugly aspects of life. Haynza places spirituality at the center of his artistic practice. Check out his latest single ‘ROLLERCOASTER’ and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

HAYNZA: I was born in Australia but grew up in the Solomon Islands (which is in the South Pacific) for the first 7 years of my life. That’s where I fell in love with singing and music because they just live and breathe that over there. I started taking writing and producing more seriously in my early teens and by the time I left High School, I was able to put out my first album ‘The Fall To Grace’ that I completely wrote and produced myself. Since then I’ve been working on my craft and I’m so excited to continue using the gift God gave me to bless others.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

HAYNZA: In terms of singing, it’s something that I just picked up as a kid because I was surrounded by it. I definitely think I found my voice well before any sort of formal training that I went on to do in High School. As for songwriting and producing, the only formal training I’ve ever received would be YouTube!

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘HAYNZA’?

HAYNZA: I was influenced by a lot of gospel from an early age as someone who grew up in the church. My family loved soul, and so Elvis was a voice that stood out to me, along with Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and other iconic vocalists within that genre. As I got older, R&B was hands down the strongest musical influence. Rihanna, JT, Usher… oh my goodness, the list goes on. The late 2000s were a blast – I have them to thank for the artist I am today.

The name ‘Haynza’ is honestly just a cool stage name I came up with that’s derived from my birthname ‘Haynes’. I wanted something unique but similar to my name and so when I saw that there were no musicians or famous people that had the name ‘Haynza’ I jumped at the opportunity.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

HAYNZA: The key element in my music would be my Christian faith. I went through what I can only describe as a ‘spiritual awakening’ when I turned 18, and so a lot of the music I’ve released has stemmed from that. That being said, I don’t think my music is limited to those that share the same convictions or worldview as me. Music is so universal, which is why I love it so much. There are also elements like love, heartache and hope in my music that, although are certainly a part of my faith, can be something I think everyone can relate to.

Personally I would describe my sound as a bit of a concoction of Alternative, Pop, Hip-Hop & Soul. I like experimenting with different sounds and I tend to drift towards more ‘moody’ melodies and instruments. I also enjoy making upbeat songs, so it really just depends on what I’m feeling.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as POP?
**HAYNZA**:
I remember writing my own lyrics over a Coldplay song before I ever started writing my own melodies. And looking back, doing stuff like that was such a key part of my development as an artist. Even before I started producing my own music, I would produce different instrumentals for songs I liked. Now I think of my teenage self as a sponge. I was just soaking up a lot of different types of music. What’s funny is that I still listen to a lot of music that isn’t necessarily the kind of music I’d make. But I get inspired by all of it. We’re all the product of our environment to an extent, while still being unique, and I think it’s the same with music. I never want to stay the same as an artist, and so while I always want to bring something fresh and unique to the table, I never want to be stagnant.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative and entertainment?

HAYNZA:

This is such an interesting question. I believe music plays a huge role politically, culturally, spiritually and socially, whether we like it or not. Life imitates art, after all. I feel like even the most personal or abstract expressions of music overlap with these themes eventually – even if it’s not in a direct or explicit way. But of course, there are artists who are intentional about avoiding all or some of these themes. As I mentioned earlier, faith is a huge part of my music and so while I’m super interested in music as an expression of technical artistry and personal narrative as a means to entertain, I’d say that I do ultimately see my music as a vehicle for spirituality.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

HAYNZA:

I’m truly grateful for the support I currently have for sure. I mean, to hear people say that they relate to something I’ve written and put out is so fulfilling. That being said, there’s a tension between me being content and not settling when it comes to my music. I’ve got a long way to go with my artistry and career, and there’s a lot more work to be done. So in a way yes I am expecting something more in the future. Not just with what music gives me back, but with what I put into my music.

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

HAYNZA:

My creative process varies with every song. Sometimes it’ll start with a lyric, sometimes it’s a beat, and other times it simply starts with a strong emotion. So yeah, it’s honestly different with every song, which I enjoy because I’d probably get bored if it was always the same. And I’m basically a one-man show at the moment. Nearly everything I’ve put out has been written by me. But I’m not anti-collaboration at all. In fact, I think collaborating is so important which is why I’ve recently decided to be more intentional about opening up my creative process to other creative individuals.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

HAYNZA:

The most difficult thing I’ve had to endure in my music career so far is facing the reality of not being where I would’ve liked to be this far in. This has also been a good thing in a lot of ways because it’s made me realise that no one’s just going to hand me a golden platter. I have to put in the work. You reap what you sow. Faith without works is dead. So yeah, that’s probably something difficult in my career that I’m enduring at the moment.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

HAYNZA: I think the proudest and most significant point in my career so far was releasing my debut album ‘The Fall To Grace’. It’s compiled of 10 tracks that I wrote off the back of my spiritual awakening and each song is quite testimonial in its own way. I’m sure God’s got more in store for my career, but that’s what comes to my mind at the moment. It’s the Genesis of the many albums I plan to make so it’ll always hold a special place in my heart.