Hunter Baylee, the Virginia-born singer and songwriter gives you a taste of the realness of her passion, love, vulnerability, and life through her music. It’s the type of trueness and raw talent that allows her music to resonate and captivate the minds of all who listen.
While participating in numerous competitions and talent showcases nationwide, Hunter first gained noteworthy attention after opening up for Chris Brown, Boys II Men, and Fantasia Barrino. She continued her success as she appeared on BET’s 106 & Park’s Wild Out Wednesday, BET’s Blaze the Stage, and Bobby Jones Gospel Hour.
Her vocal prowess is undeniable and her debut EP, Proper, tells a story that distinctly belongs to her. Her debut single, “Ride” is an infectious anthem filled with sweeping hooks, effortless vocal runs, and the type of pulsating bass line that DJs, and listeners all across the world, will dial up to the max. The Mike Irish produced track is the perfect introduction to Hunter, and an incredible tease to what’s in-store for her debut EP, Proper.
Through her international travels and immeasurable talent, Hunter has beautifully fused Hip-Hop, Pop, and R&B to culminate a distinct sound, style, and image that will truly speak her truth and enthrall her audience.
Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?
Hunter : I heard about you guys through an invite on Twitter. My desire to sign up came with my desire to expose my musical endeavors.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Hunter: I grew up in Northern Suffolk, Virginia and I have always loved music. I have been singing my entire life and naturally I wanted to pursue music as my career because music is who I am.I grew up in the Hampton Roads area which is home to artists such as Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Pharrell, and Teddy Riley. Music was an integral part of my upbringing because these artists were heavily influential in my area and their music was played at all of the local events and concerts. I have been performing since I was a little girl and once I completed college I hit a crossroads because everyone around me was getting jobs. I decided at that moment that I wanted to step out on faith and pursue my passion. Being an artist has allowed me the ability to truly be myself and find my purpose in life.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Hunter: My name is Hunter Baylee and I decided on this name specifically because I wanted a name that was neutral and people wouldn’t know what they were getting. I think when people don’t have any expectations on an artist they are more willing to listen to their music and accept it for the body of work that it is. Plus, I love my name because I feel like it is a strong name that most women don’t have and shows that I am a different type of artist that is not afraid to step out of the status quo.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Hunter: I think online music sharing is a great thing if the artist gives out the music for free. I typically give out my music for free because I really want to get my music out there and let people get to know Hunter Baylee. I want people to feel connected to the music and discover it as a hidden gem so that when I do release music that will be sold they will feel a connection to me as the artist and feel that the music is worthy of purchasing.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Hunter: I would say to get out there and network with other artists, dancers, actors, and anyone in the entertainment industry. In order to become more well known, you have to really stay vigilant at getting your face and brand out there. I think it is a great thing to do open mic nights and small intimate shows where people can connect with you. The more you are out there promoting yourself, the more people will begin to take notice and begin to follow your movement. With that being said, I think it is equally as important to support other local artists because they will give you that some support in return.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Hunter: Of course, I think every artist makes mistakes during their performances, but I try to keep the show rolling so the audience does not see or feel any mistakes during the performance. I love to give my audience a great show, and unfortunately mistakes do happen, but I like to just keep going with the performance and make a note to not repeat the same mistake twice.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Hunter: Yes, currently I am a part of a local concert series know as the “Moment of Truth” tour held by a local artist. It’s a great opportunity because it brings 4 different artists together to perform at one venue. I think this tour has been so successful because it brings a hodgepodge of different people together to celebrate local talent. Some artists have live bands while others have videos and photos showing on the screen during their performance and I think this type of setting connects with the audience and creates an amazing atmosphere where people will be accepting and supportive of different types of artists.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Hunter: I gather my songwriting inspiration from my personal life as well as things occurring around me. Music allows me the opportunity to tell my truth and analyze things through a more creative lens and I channel that through all of my songs. I feel in order to be a well rounded artist you have to take in everything around you and develop it into an idea that everyone can feel. Typically when I write a new song, I will let my producer know what I’m feeling and then we will begin to create a beat that fits that particular mood and then I craft the lyrics around the beat. I love this songwriting process because I feel like I can really navigate my writing and emotion while building the beat from the ground up.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Hunter: I currently have my own website for exclusives regarding my music, videos, and photos, but I love to use other social media sites including Soundcloud, YouTube, Twitter, and Sonicbids. I love that there are so many social media outlets because it allows me the ability to really interact with my audience and fans. It allows me to see how everyone feels about my project, but my audience also inspires me to continue to create more music and push the envelope.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Hunter: I don’t have any embarrassing songs on my mp3 player, but there may be some embarrassing bloopers from behind the scenes for my photo shoot and video-shoot. I am a goof ball and I love to joke around so most of my embarrassing moments would be covered on video.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Hunter: If I were given a half a million dollars and a year off, I would budget that money to really improve my music production, hone my performance and vocal capabilities, and really market the music to a broader audience. I would love to do a small tour where I can take my music to different cities both here in the states as well as abroad and reach out to the fans. That money and time would be extremely valuable so I would hit the ground running making sure that I do everything in my power to become a well known and respected artist.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Hunter: As of now, I do not have any studio upgrades in the works. I have a wonderful friend who does all of my production and he has a great studio with everything we need thus far. In the near future, I’m hoping to have my own space/studio where I can record and write at my own leisure.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Hunter: I promote myself mainly through performances and social media. I find that both of those angles have worked best for me. Each time I have a performance, whether it be big or small, it allows me the opportunity to really connect with my audience. I think face to face interaction has the most impact because people are able to hear the music live. I then follow-up with the social media accounts so that that they are able to watch my journey and grow with me. Social media provides a great insight into the growth of an artist, and I love to connect and network with people via social sites.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Hunter: If I could perform with any artist(s), I would hold a concert at Madison Square Garden with Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Tina Turner, Kanye West, Missy Elliot, and Timbaland. I would choose these particular artists because I feel like they have heavily influenced my work and the music industry as a whole. These artists are innovators and I feel that it would be a fun concert to have so many different artists on stage that are at the top of their game. I feel that my music pushes the envelope and I would love to have these artists share the stage with me so that I may pay homage to their work as well as showcase my own music.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Hunter: Currently, I am focusing on performing and getting my music to a larger audience. I will be shooting a few videos for my debut EP, “Proper”, and once those are completed, my team and I are looking to do a small city tour to get the music out nationally.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Hunter: If I was not making music, I would probably be a Real Estate Broker/Agent. I love interacting and helping people and being able to guide people to make big life decisions is something I would love to do. I am a big advocate of ownership so this career option would allow me the ability to own my company.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Hunter: The first album I bought was Britney Spears, Baby One More Time. I grew up listening to Pop music and I remember thinking at a young age that I wanted to be a Star and perform music. I felt so excited and happy to have an album that I could dance and sing to. Britney Spears was huge during the 90s an early 2000s and so influential in the shift of the music industry. I feel that album really put things in perspective for me at such a young age, and really pushed me to pursue music.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Hunter: Time management is how I juggle all of my responsibilities. I have a full time job so sometimes things can get a little hectic, but I love music and I know that it’s going to be my life-long career. I find that since music is what I love to do, it never feels like work and that allows me to keep things on track. Everything has a process so I like to prioritize things regarding my project so that everything comes out and is presented to the fans in a professional and efficient manner.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Hunter: Fans should look forward to more music, more performances, and more Hunter Baylee. I am working really hard so that in 2016 everyone will not only know my name, but love my sound. 2016 will be very exciting because my team and I are working to really branch out and bring a new wave of energy to this music industry
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