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| Photo: Unique Images by RICO |
Jay Hayden fell in love with music after hearing his uncle play the piano when he was only 5 years old. Hayden soon began to experiment with instruments and later joined jazz and go-go bands as a teen. After gaining notoriety in the Washington, D.C., area, Hayden decided to embark on a solo career. With the release of his debut album, Love Counseling, Hayden seeks to guide the listener on the intricacies of love and relationships. –a.r.
Talk about the creation of your debut album. What was it like putting together a project for the first time?
It was a very amazing experience. It was hard work, being in the studio for extensive periods of time from sun up to sundown and not even taking a break to eat. I was so into creating and producing my music that it didn’t matter how long it took to complete a song. It was more about perfection and capturing the experiences in the songs that inspired me.
Why did you name the album Love Counseling?
People have been coming to me for a long time for my advice on relationships because mine are often long term. I successfully have been able to use their experiences and my experiences, to counsel them — as well as others — through my music.
If someone is going through a relationship right now and they pick up your album, what are some of the things that they can learn?
Listeners hopefully will learn that communication, understanding and trust can lead to love. My album, Love Counseling, addresses these concepts, and I believe these lessons are powerful. For example, I performed at Blues Alley in D.C. last week, and during one of my songs a gentleman proposed to his future wife, later sharing with the audience that my lyrics and music further inspired his proposal.
Where can people pick up the album and where are you going to be performing in the near future?
People can pick up my album by going to www.jworldrecords.com, iTunes, Amazon and Rhapsody. I’m currently working on a tour in Japan and the U.K. As of now, I am No. 1 in Japan as an underground R&B artist. I was featured in a prominent Japanese magazine called Black Music Review (BMR). Also, a few weeks ago, I hit the No. 2 [spot] in underground R&B in the U.K. I’m selling in over 20 stores in London and I’m also on the radio in the U.K. as well as the U.S.
