We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Hayden Newland a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hayden, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Being a musician is a long journey of continually taking risks. Risk of judgement, people making fun, failure, going broke, and never actually getting where you want to go. I used to not show my face on camera because I was terrified of getting made fun of by even my best friends. A little over a year ago I moved to LA to take the next leap in my music career and it was terrifying. I’d never lived outside of my home state of Idaho. I left everything behind to go to a music school that I had gotten accepted into. I didn’t know a single person and was honestly terrified. Every decision that I’ve made like this in my career has been the best possible choice. Growth is on the other side of fear and risk, and if you don’t have the ability to chance it, this career is not for you. I’m sure this is not the first time you’ve heard some corny story like this, but truly this is what I believe. Do the think that your gut tells you to do no matter how terrifying it is and you will keep moving in the right direction.
Their comes a revelation in this journey that could be summed up by one question… “if you knew you would never make a dollar doing music, would you keep going”. That’s a hard question to swallow but once it was confident my answer was yes, it stopped being about logic and playing it save. Some things in life just feel like they must be done and it’s hard to explain or justify. I was crushing it in a professional career before music and making good money, but still felt empty. Now I’m struggling financially be feel alive.
The risks are worth it, and life’s not that serious. So I continue my musical journey.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My love of music was where I got started. I did covers of my favorite songs and slowly started singing and learning instruments. It was just something I always needed to be working on or practicing. From there it just continued to evolve.
I’ve always heard in business and otherwise you need to give to the world what you could’ve used help with 5 years ago, so that’s where the content of my music is derived from. I’ve struggled with self-worth, heartbreak, and general purpose a lot in my life, and even more 5 years ago. Now I can make music that speaks to that and hopefully helps listeners feel something and understand they’re not alone and that life goes on.
As far as what I’m proud of….In an industry of ripping off other people’s style and doing what it takes to fit in, I love making exactly what I want to make, which is a reflection of who I am. Not trying to be like anyone else but just releasing songs that are a reflection of who I am right now.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Learning more about the musical beast has been incredibly eye opening, realizing that artists don’t actually get paid and all the big corporations use all their hard work and get returns for themselves. That being said, there are so many talented artists that are avoiding the big labels now. The way society can help? Be a huge part of your favorite artists’ communities. Follow them, comment, share their posts, go to shows, buy merch, tell friends about them. Each individual listener could make such a big impact in the artists’ journey if they would apart of their ride or die community.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I think any artist would say that hearing they’ve made a difference is the ultimate reward. Being able to create from a personal and authentic place and knowing that it made a difference to someone else because they resonated is a feeling that is impossible to explain. With their being no real financial upside to making music, those types of stories that people share are the closest thing to success that an artist can experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/brundage/stovetop-cigarettes
• Instagram: @brundagemusic
• Youtube: Brundage Music
• Soundcloud: @brundagemusic