HAYES, Norwegian DJ and producer, has recently released his debut single and the star’s already well-established fanbase can’t seem to get enough of it. The track, titled ‘Where I Belong,’ features the iconic duo Nico & Vinz and has a powerful message about listeners belonging in the world in every way and aspect possible. HAYES originally captured an audience through his role in the drama series Skam and he has now shifted his focus towards music. In an exclusive interview with CelebMix, HAYES opens up about the new single, his fans and more.
What can you tell us about your brand-new single ‘Where I Belong’ and the inspiration behind it?
This is my first ever single, and for me, ‘Where I Belong’ is a song that was inspired by the need to feel like you belong to someone, somewhere or something. That sense of belonging is important to myself and everyone involved in creating the song, and I hope a lot of people can relate. The process of writing and producing music is still new to me, and I am incredibly proud for this to be my debut!
You collaborated with Nico & Vinz! What was that process like and how cool was it to collaborate with them?
The process was surprisingly smooth. I, or rather we, knew exactly what we wanted, and Nico & Vinz were top of our wish list for this song. Their sound is so distinctive, plus they could relate to the song in a way that means they contributed with more than just their voices. Added bonus [was that] they were incredibly easy and professional to work with. I’m a huge fan, since way back, so it’s obviously really cool to get to work with them.
What was it like to make the music video? Do you have any interesting or funny stories from that experience?
Hard work, but pretty sweet to be honest! It all went down in Denmark. The night shoot took place in Rømø which is a beach on an island bordering the North Sea. It’s so flat, and the beach is so huge, that we couldn’t even see the sea from where we were. It felt a bit alien, and as if it would just go on forever. Wonderful, but weird.
Near the end of the shoot, when we’re in a hospital, I was walking around after having my makeup done. I watched them set up a huge and heavy camera over a hospital gurney. I asked the guys “This is safe, right? It’s not going to fall on my head when the gurney is moving?” and “Of course not!” was the reply. And just seconds later, the camera crashes into the pillow. Seriously, I was scared when I got into that gurney to film a scene of me bloody and battered, on the verge of death. If that camera fell down again, there would be no need for any acting on my part…
You have so many dedicated fans! What do you love most about them?
Wow, yes! They are incredible! They actually help motivate me and make me keep pushing myself. I am so grateful for their support, and for their ability to focus on joy and love, that I want to give something back. So, what I love most is definitely their positivity towards each other as well as myself.
How has it been to see that they (your fans) have supported you crossing over from film to music? Was that process difficult or more natural for you?
It’s interesting how they’ve carried over. I’m not super active on social media, but I do pay attention. And from what I’ve seen it’s all love and no hate from them. I was expecting some negative response – aren’t there always haters? But my wonderful fans proved me wrong. I’ve always been interested in music and DJing, so for me the process of crossing over from film to music has been a natural and easy one. And I aim to do both, it’s just natural to focus on the music right now.
For fans who are interested in hearing more music, what can they look forward to in the near or distant future?
They’ll get what they want! I’ll be releasing more music. And hopefully be more active on my social media so they get more sneak peeks and info on release dates!
Be sure to follow HAYES on Instagram to keep up with his latest updates.
What’s your favorite lyric from ‘Where I Belong’ by HAYES? Tweet us using @CelebMix and let us know!