Q&A with Shaina Hayes

With her new record, Kindergarten Heart, out on February 23, the Quebec singer/songwriter Shaina Hayes leads you out of winter with a collection of warm, lighthearted, and reflective songs. In our Q&A, Shaina gives us some insight about her work and the album in particular. But first, watch the video to the latest single, “Sun and Time,” and let yourself be carried away by summer nostalgia:

Your parents encouraged you to become a musician, but initially, you were reluctant. Do you remember the spark that made you start writing and performing songs?

I think that I always had a desire to be making music, but the path towards farming was always just a little more obvious to me, so it’s the one I followed. It took some time for me to gain enough confidence and to define my own voice enough to begin writing my own music. It also took finding myself in a position where I was surrounded by incredibly talented and supportive musicians who would help get me there. Once these things aligned, a path towards music-making finally made itself visible. The songs have been pouring out ever since.

Your upcoming album is called Kindergarten Heart. The title track is a beautiful song about finding back your childlike enthusiasm. Was there a specific experience that inspired this theme?

The themes of Kindergarten Heart were partly in response to the pandemic. Restrictions were particularly strict here in Canada which meant that there was a real social thaw required in order to come back to “normal.” For me, relearning how to lean into joy and fun required focus and intention. During this exercise, I found myself looking to my younger self, particularly my child self, in order to revive these feelings. his exercise also seems to be something that I frequently need to engage with since rolling into my thirties. At this age, I feel that there are times when the pressures and stresses of adulthood can reach a fever pitch. As a result, I regularly find myself needing to strip back a lot of the expectations and anxious tendencies I have developed over the course of my adulthood in order to return to a headspace that is calm and more rooted in enjoyment. Kindergarten Heart aims to be a snapshot of this exercise.

Montreal is a bilingual city, and French is considered the first language. How does this affect the music scene and you as an English-language songwriter? Also, at glamglare, we are fascinated by the eclectic music scene in Montreal. Do you recommend neighborhoods or venues where we can go to catch the creative spirit?

I feel that the people of Québec, and of Montréal in particular, have a heightened appreciation for the arts. Even when native French-speakers may not be able to fully understand the words of my music, I can tell by the energy at shows and even from online audience engagement that they are listening with so much attentiveness and openness. It’s really something special. While the anglo and franco scenes do have a tendency to exist somewhat in isolation of each other, the appreciation is present from both sides. Quai des Brumes, URSA, Casa Del Popolo and Sala Rosa are some great venues to catch up-and-coming Montréal bands. Some of my current musical crushes include (from the franco scene) Ariane Roy, zouz, and Arielle Soucy, as well as (from the anglo scene) Thanya Iyer, Land of Talk and Helena Deland.

You studied agriculture science and were about to run a farm when the pandemic hit. Do you have plans to bring music and food together in the Future?

That would be the dream. 2023 was the first summer in nearly a decade that I wasn’t full-time farming. This was largely due to things going so well with the music. I had an absolute blast touring the summer months with my wonderful band, but admittedly, I do really miss farming. I still grow a handful of crops – most of which are used to produce merch for my shows (honey, hot sauce, etc.) – but it’s a fraction of what I was once producing. I am stoked to ride the music wave for the moment, but do hope to eventually strike a balance where I will be able to dedicate myself to both of these loves simultaneously.

Kindergarten Heart comes out on February 23. What is next for you? Any plans for a tour, including a visit to NYC maybe?

We currently have some Canadian touring in the works for the spring and summer of 2024, but have yet to confirm any potential US shows. That said, we’re working on it! Definitely stay tuned for updates! 😉

Thank you, Shaina! We can’t wait to check out some of the venues in Montreal. Maybe we see you there!