Darlington country artist Hayley McKay drops her brand new single, Sweet Surprise. The track, which was written in the French Alps earlier this year at a songwriting retreat, is an warm Americana offering complete with a soaring, melodious chorus, waltzing rhythms and atmospheric, deep-South guitar twangs.
Here, Hayley tries to encapsulate the sounds of her latest release using three other tracks…
Leanne Womack – I Hope You Dance
I actually met the songwriter, Tia Sillers in Nashville earlier this year and she invited me to her show at The Country Music Hall of Fame. This was amazing and surreal as I used to listen to the song with my Mum when I was in my teenage years as I delved into the world of country music.
I love the lyrics in this song which opens with “I hope you never lose your sense of wonder, you get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger”. The production is vocally led with a modern country production with strings, country electric guitar riffs and harmonies.
My new single, Sweet Surprise is vocally led with a simple production with some lovely harmonies from Canadian singer-songwriter Lesley Pike. Guitarist and singer-songwriter David Neil Crabtree recorded the electric and acoustic guitar with some slide parts. Sweet Surprise was recorded at The Forum Music Studios in Darlington by Chris Davison and has been beautifully mixed by Jez Larder.
It didn’t take too long to put together and sometimes simple is best with songs, certainly for this song.
Christine McVie – Songbird
I especially like the Eva Cassidy version. She has so much emotion and delivery in her voice.
Songbird is a beautiful love song, and I’ve always wanted to write a love song which would do my voice justice. I think writing love songs can be quite difficult as you don’t want to sound cheesy! Earlier this year I was invited onto a songwriting retreat in the French Alps with 8 other singer-songwriters led by The Dunwells. The Dunwells have toured with the likes of Elbow and Mumford and Sons, and I sometimes write and record with them. On the last night of the retreat, we did a performance for the local village. I wrote this song with Lesley Pike and Simon Walker and they accompanied me on the piano and guitar while I sang this surrounded by the beautiful French Alp Mountains. Whenever I sing Sweet Surprise it takes me back to that special place.
Mazzy Star – Fade Into You
I never tire of hearing this song and I play it quite a lot. “Fade Into You” rolls along with retro-sounding electric guitars echoing a sound of the 1990’s. It doesn’t really seem to have a middle 8 or big vocal but it keeps me listening. I hope that the listener to my new song, Sweet Surprise, never tires of the song and feels happy and relaxed when listening to it! I think Sweet Surprise would be a great wedding song! But it’s also up to the listener’s interpretation – it could be about a newborn baby being the sweet surprise or a great friendship which has blossomed over the years!
