Capitol Records recording artist Christian Hayes has poetically drawn on his life experiences growing up in the foothills of Appalachia since his grandfather gifted him his first journal at seven years old. While his debut EP Last I Love You, released in September, followed Hayes’ journey navigating heartbreak and growing up, he’s now offering an upbeat new song underscoring the beauty of finding love in imperfection with “Wildflower,” available now.
Self-written by Hayes, the concept for “Wildflower” was born from Hayes’ observation of seeing beauty found in imperfections and embracing uniqueness in love. Recalling how wildflowers are each unique and grow to their own accord, Hayes drew from this inspiration to celebrate the qualities that make them distinctly beautiful.
“I had family members who I watched struggle a lot with discontent growing up, always striving to find that perfect spouse, rather than being happy with the one they were with,” Hayes reflects. “This song was inspired by that inner conflict, but rather than always striving for perfection where it doesn’t exist, the ‘wildflower’ serves as a metaphor to finding a person who’s right for you, while embracing the beauty in their imperfections.”
The song comes on the heels of the September release of Last I Love You, which casts a wide net, fusing Americana and folk while bouncing between campfire ballads, cinematic soundscapes and raw, rowdy barn-burners. At the center of that sound is Hayes himself: a wise-beyond-his-years musician who knows he can't move forward without taking a look at his past.
Genuine and articulate, Hayes comes from a long line of storytellers that includes his Grandpa Jack – a poet by profession – who gave Christian his first journal. Born and raised in the foothills of Appalachia, Hayes began playing guitar at age eight. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserve and attended the University of Alabama.
Hayes recently signed with Capitol Records, as well as with William Morris Endeavor (WME) for booking, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) for publishing, Wildrose Projects for management and Flood Bumstead McCready & McCarthy (FBMM) for business management.
About Christian Hayes:
Raised in the Appalachian foothills of northern Georgia, Christian Hayes grew up surrounded by southern storytelling. His grandfather — a poet by profession — encouraged him to begin writing in a journal at 7 years old, sparking a habit that would eventually take Hayes to Nashville. A veteran of the US Navy Reserve, Hayes began applying the discipline of his military training to his work as a songwriter, amassing more than 900 original songs by his mid-twenties. Five of those songs appear on Last I Love You, his debut for Capitol Records available now. Produced by Lukas Bracewell and steeped in Hayes' unique version of American roots music, Last I Love You features the viral single "LILY" (which racked up more than 3 million streams before the EP's official release), the anthemic "Black Gold," and a mix of effortless melodies, cinematic folk and rowdy, barn-burning Americana.
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