Meet Haley Graves | Musician & Social Media Influencer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Haley Graves and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Haley, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
The most important I’ve learned is to listen to my gut. If something is just not working out, stop pursing it, take a step back, give it space and time. Sometimes there are much better opportunities we’re unaware of around the corner.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Being a 22 year old Pop Punk Musician isn’t always the easiest when you’re starting out. When I was 18, I moved to Seattle, WA from a small town in Maine. I moved 6 months before the covid pandemic. While I was living on my own for the first time at 19 during the pandemic, I traveled all over Washington to get to know the state better. Around that same time, I met Philip Peterson. He believed in my credibility as a musician. He thought I’d be the perfect musician to help reach stardom. I turned him down initially because I didn’t believe his credentials were real at first. Months later, I researched Phil some more and reached back out to him around the time I turned 20. We had a meeting over the phone and a month later he helped me get “my foot in the door.” With lots of hard work and finishing my first EP with Amit M. Amram and Delwrick Nanthou and taking an online class about branding at Berklee College of Music that same year, I felt like I had good foundation underneath me. Expanding on that foundation was the next step with the help of many wonderful instructors. Now after playing nearly 100 shows in less than a year and a half’s time, I have learned so many lessons and made so many mistakes bur the best thing I did was be open to them and learn from them. I’m always going to make mistakes in life and teaching myself to talk about how those mistakes make/made me feel with people closest to me who have my best interest at heart, really have helped me stop internalizing my anxieties and insecurities.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I honestly believe Seattle Center and Alki Beach would be some of my favorite places to take friends. I took a friend over to what used to be Kurt Cobain’s House which is a Historic Landmark in Seattle, WA. I’ve gone there when I just needed to be away from the business of the city. MOPOP Museum is another great place to visit. I haven’t been since before the pandemic but it’s a great place to check out if you’re into contemporary pop culture.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to shout out to people that work with me constantly on helping me become a better musician and performer, which includes Miranda Longaker, Ty Lewis, Mira Kraft, Carrie Akre, Kristen Grace, Amit Amram, Andrew Duncan, Kai Strandskov, Marcelo Segura, Threaddy Lee and Phillip Peterson. Thank you for all for your continuous support and dedication to helping my career!

Website: www.imcalledhaleygraves.com

Instagram: haleygravesofficial

Twitter: haleygravesofc

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/imcalledhaleyg/

Youtube: HaleyGravesOfficial

Image Credits
Rachael Bennett Jesse Beecher