Exclusive Interview with Canadian singer-songwriter HYRE

HYRE is a Canadian singer-songwriter who has released 2 singles, and
is currently working on her debut EP.

Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?

HYRE: I posted my songs on twitter and Exposed Vocals approached me and asked if I wanted an interview! So of course I said yes. I really appreciate this opportunity, by the way.

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

HYRE: I was born in Vancouver, but I grew up in Hong Kong and Canada. I’ve moved around a bit. Right now I’m living in Montreal. I’ve always wanted to be a writer, and I started writing at a very young age. I wrote a lot of poetry when I was a teenager, and I liked to rewrite song lyrics. I remember wishing there were more songs that I could relate to. So I guess writing my own songs was the next logical step.

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

HYRE: Well, my real name is Cheryl, and HYRE is just an anagram of my name when you take away the first and last letters. It’s pronounced “higher” and it’s a constant reminder to myself to always reach higher and better myself and not stay stagnant, that change is inevitable and I might as well direct that change into a better version of myself.

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

HYRE: I think it’s great. You can reach out to a lot more people this way, and exposure is so important when you’re just starting out. My music is free on soundcloud, but I’ve also included a bandcamp link in case anyone wants to buy them. I feel like that’s the best thing to do, because while buying music is directly supporting the artist, music should be available to everyone, and there’s so much of it that it’s practically impossible to buy every single song you come across. I believe that if someone really likes your music, they would eventually buy it; and if they can’t, streaming is really the next best option. I just try to make my music as affordable and accessible as possible, so everyone wins.

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?

HYRE: I’m pretty much a start-up too, to be honest! What I would do is just go for it. If you see an opportunity like an open mic, just go for it. The crowd might or might not be receptive, but at least you’ve gained some exposure. Have a good handle on your social media accounts. I just hope for the best.

Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?

HYRE: Oh yeah, definitely. If it’s a small mistake, like you sung the wrong words or played the wrong chords, just pretend nothing happened and people probably won’t notice it. If the mistake is noticeable, play it off with humour, and then go on. Try to relax as much as possible, because the more stressed you are, the more mistakes you’ll probably make.

Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?

HYRE: I have never toured before, but I would like to someday.

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

HYRE: I like to write about personal experiences, or base my songs on certain emotions and thoughts I’ve been having lately. When I listen to songs I like to mentally dissect them and try to pick out parts that I especially like, note them down and come back to them later. And the shower is always a good source of inspiration. I usually come up with lyrics first, and then I muck around on my guitar until I stumble upon something that sounds good, and I work from that.

Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

HYRE: Yes, the website’s on tumblr (hyremusic.tumblr.com). I use twitter (HYREmusic), Facebook (HYREmusic) and YouTube (sorrowlicher). I also post a lot of covers on my YouTube channel.

Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?

HYRE: I’m not sure how I would define “embarrassing”… although I do have a bunch of random funny songs. One of my favourites is Brendon Urie singing about how he ripped his jeans.

Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

HYRE: I’d spend the entire year writing songs and going to concerts. Half a million is a lot so I’d probably keep a portion of it to invest in my music, and donate some of it to charities I support.

Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?

HYRE: For the time being, I’m sticking with my home studio. I have a mic, an acoustic guitar, a ukulele and some really useful software, and I’m content with this setup for now. I hope I’ll be able to learn the actual drums soon, though. Right now I’m only using drum software.

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

HYRE: I try to be as active on social media as possible. I have really supportive friends, so that’s nice as well. I try to get to know other musicians, but it’s not always that easy.

Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?

HYRE: I don’t even know what genre of music I’m making, so I have no idea how it would work. But I would love to perform with All Time Low. I love their music so much and they’re so energetic and awesome live.

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

HYRE: I’m currently working on my debut EP. I’ve already released 2 songs, and I think this EP will contain 4 or 5 songs. After that, I don’t know. Maybe another EP, maybe an album. We’ll see. Keep an eye out for updates though!

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

HYRE: I’m still in university, so not much would change. I can’t imagine what would happen after I graduate though.

Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?

HYRE: Oh yes. I was 15 and I didn’t have much pocket money at that time, but I went into a music store one day determined to buy a Marilyn Manson album. There weren’t a lot to choose from, so I bought Lest We Forget: The Best Of, which was just a collection of his greatest hits. I was obsessed with him back then. Still sort of am, actually.

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

HYRE: I have a lot less time for procrastination, and I try to stay as organized as possible with to-do lists and multiple calendars.

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?

HYRE: I’m working on a lyric video for Hot Air Balloon right now and it should be out in a week! I’m planning on releasing the EP sometime this summer, so keep an eye out for that, and I’ll still be doing a lot of covers. And everyone’s welcome to tweet me if they have any questions!