BY: BEN PAGEORGE
The road to success has been long and winding for Walker Hayes. From his start in Nashville as a songwriter and his debut single “Pants”, to his breakout hit “You Broke Up With Me”, Walker Hayes has seen the ups and downs of the beast that is the music industry.
Success didn’t come easy to the singer from Mobile, Alabama and after a failed stint with Capitol Records, Hayes found himself working the graveyard shift at a Costco to make ends meet while allowing him to write music during the day.
His relentlessness and perseverance paired with his talent and experience allowed him to find success with “You Broke Up With Me”. Hayes says he is feeling famous with all of the positive reaction from the single and definitely overwhelmed but in the best possible way. Hearing his fans sing along with him at his concerts has been a surreal feeling for him.
His first album with Monument Records, “boom.” has seen commercial and critical success debuting at #6 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart while selling over 20,000 copies as of January. Before the album officially dropped, a handful of the tracks had been released as stripped down versions and Walker Hayes was very excited for his fans to hear the fully produced product that contribute to his distinct modern tone.
Walker Hayes is fresh off of opening for country megastar Thomas Rhett on his Home Team Tour, an experience he’s been extremely appreciative of. It taught him how to be an opening act and gave him exposure to a whole batch of potential new fans. Thomas Rhett treated him very well during the tour which made the whole experience of being away from his wife and seven children much easier.
Of the 10 songs off of “boom.”, “Shut Up Kenny” is a particularly special one (yes, it’s about country legend Kenny Chesney). While you may think Hayes is throwing shade at the icon, he actually idolizes him so much that he had to write a song about how hard Chesney’s music hits him, even when it isn’t convenient.
The idea for the song spawned during an argument with his wife, Laney. “Anything But Mine”, a song that him and Laney hold dear, came on the radio during their argument and Hayes couldn’t help but think “shut up Kenny.” He realized that some songs are going to remind you of what they remind you of no matter what happens and figured it would be a great song to write. Once Chesney had heard the song and gave his “stamp of approval”, Walker Hayes felt nothing but joy and excitement. The feeling that his hero had heard and enjoyed a song that he created was surreal.
“Halloween” is another song off of “boom.” with inspiration coming from Hayes’ wife. Featuring co-writer Nicolle Galyon, the track conveys a message of freeing yourself from the metaphorical masks we may wear and showing others who we are despite any of our insecurities. Being able to look in the mirror and accept your insecurities is something Walker Hayes believes plays an important role in finding yourself. With “Halloween”, Hayes wants to inspire his audience to be the person that allows others to be themselves in the way that his wife has been for him. There are so many personal details in the song and Hayes’ wrote it as a unique expression to his wife about how much she means to him. He hopes that he is that person for her; the person who makes you feel comfortable enough to be yourself.
Walker Hayes’ commitment and dedication have led him to this exciting point in his career and the future is definitely bright for the singer. Listen to “boom.” today and get acquainted with the man who can possibly be the next big star in country music.
Listen to “You Broke Up With Me” on the Top Country Songs Playlist on Spotify
