Hayla

Hayla, the Grammy-nominated singer and composer recognized for her intense and sincere vocals, lends her voice to throbbing dance productions whether delivering original songs or appearing as a sought-after guest. Her chart ascent began through late-2010s partnerships with U.K. peers Wilkinson and MANT, yet her breakthrough arrived via a featured role on the yearning 2022 house single "Escape" by Kx5, the duo of Deadmau5 and Kaskade, a track she co-wrote. Further hit collaborations followed with John Summit on 2023's "Where You Are" and Kygo on 2024's "Without You." In parallel she issued occasional self-written solo material that eventually yielded her debut album, 2024's DUSK, whose creation started in 2021 amid a breakup and early-pandemic isolation.

Born Hayley Williams in Liverpool, England, Hayla's earliest releases included guest spots on DJ Katch's 2016 track "Lights Out (Too Drunk)" and Wilkinson's 2018 single "I Need." She joined The City for 2019's "Better," a year that also brought work with MANT and Cymo as demand for her vocals increased. Early 2020 saw the soul-tinged solo single "Naked" appear on Good Company Records, later remixed by That Kind and Ben Pearce. Additional collaborations with Maxinne, Ben Nicky, and Friend Within, plus her own releases such as "Treading Water," preceded the March 2022 arrival of "Escape," which she co-wrote with Kx5 for their self-titled debut album. Conceived during early COVID-19 lockdowns, the single reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and topped the dance-radio ranking. Similar success came with March 2023's "Where You Are" by John Summit featuring Hayla, which entered the dance/electronic Top Ten and appeared on Barack Obama's annual list of favorite music for 2023. In November of that year Hayla learned of her Grammy nomination when Kx5's debut album, containing "Escape," entered the Best Dance/Electronic Album category.

Across 2022 and 2023 she performed these and other songs at festivals and large venues worldwide. In 2024 alone she joined John Summit at Coachella and Madison Square Garden, Deadmau5 at the Hollywood Bowl, and Kygo at Palm Tree Festival dates in Hawaii and the Hamptons. Her moody debut album, DUSK, was released in November 2024 on Restless Minds Music/Believe U.K.; begun during pandemic isolation and a breakup, it cites Bonobo, Portishead, and Massive Attack among its musical influences.