Singer-Songwriter Hailey Miller Is ‘The One’ to Watch

In an exclusive interview with The Hudsucker, rising country singer-songwriter Hailey Miller discusses her diverse influences, living in Music City, her songwriting secrets, and the release of her debut single, “The One.”

Singing before she could talk and writing before she could hold a pencil, Hailey Miller was born to be an artist.

Growing up in Eugene, Oregon, she discovered her passion for music and calling for her creative craft at a young age by playing piano, doing talent shows, listening to lots of different music, and going to as many concerts as she could go to.

The greatest defining moment for Miller was when she started writing her own songs: “When I realized that I could combine writing and singing to make my own unique music, it just clicked. It’s been so natural to me, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”

Looking up to her aunt, a professional country singer and a celebrity in her eyes, she knew she wanted to follow that same path towards doing music for a living.

Today, Miller is settling into her new home of Nashville (which has been part of her plan since she was 11 years young) to pursue her dream career as a professional singer-songwriter in Music City. Graduating a year early from high school and working as a legal assistant at 17, she eagerly began preparing for her big move to the city with a big country music scene and community of songwriters to get her country artist career started.

As she reflects, “there were moments where I asked myself if I was totally crazy moving across the country alone at 19, but I knew it was something I needed to do.”

So far, making the big leap to make her music dreams come true is paying off. Within no time, Miller found a supportive and inspiring network of mentors and teachers within her group of peers in the Nashville music community: “Everyone in the industry here is SO talented. I feel like I’m learning so much from other writers, producers, and artists here all the time.” Still, she counts on her biggest cheerleaders from miles away: her family. Miller draws much encouragement from her big, tight-knit family, never going a day without feeling fully encouraged by them.

Miller describes her musical identity as a country artist with influences drawing from a diverse pool of genres including pop, soul, and rock. As she shares, “I grew up listening to so many different forms of music, that I think you can really hear it in the way I write and sing”. As a self-taught musician without a classical training background, Miller is open to experimenting and evolving her artistry, which gives her the advantage of setting herself apart as a different kind of artist: “I don’t necessarily follow all of the “rules” when it comes to genre and songwriting, because I never learned them. I write and play whatever feels and sounds good to me.”

Miller’s list of dream writing collaborations includes names like Shane McAnally, Natalie Hemby, Nicolle Galyon, Liz Rose, Heather Morgan, and Luke Laird, along with country stars Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, and Tim McGraw.

As far as who her musical inspirations are, Miller looks up to Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, and Sheryl Crow: “They all have strong, incredible voices but also know how to harness the softer sides of their voice. It makes things sonically interesting.”

When asked about her thoughts about the current state of country music, with the demand for more diversity and inclusion of female country artists, Miller believes the conversation is of utmost importance.

Growing up listening to iconic women like Twain and Crow on country radio stations, it didn’t cross her mind that a women’s career might be different because of her gender, instead thinking of her role models as country artists, not as female country artists. She hopes that one day, the reality faced today will be different: “The conversation is getting bigger, and that makes me super hopeful.”

She cites Song Suffragettes as an organization making a conscious effort to support female artists in country music. Drawing from that encouragement and the discussions being had, Miller is hopeful of the change that’s happening and the change that is to come. She is excited to be an artist at this pivotal time in country music history: “Regardless, we’re still out here creating our art and telling our stories, despite the challenges we may face!”

Ready to make her mark as an independent musician, Miller is proud to share the release of her debut single, “The One,” which is available now through digital retailers.

Talking about “the one” is a common theme in songs about love and relationships, with songs about finding “the one” or wanting to be “the one,” but in Miller’s “The One,” she presents a different perspective on that universal concept.

A nostalgic and hopeful twist on the common situation of losing one’s first love, “The One” is about finding the good after the heartbreaking end of a relationship.

As Miller sings, “I wasn’t The One, but in the back of your mind, I hope I’m the one who taught you how to treat The One right.”

She write the song as she was reflecting on the long, drawn-out, and messy ending of a long-term relationship. When it comes to “the one,” she found that “nobody ever talks about having to be the one who teaches someone all the hard lessons, so that they know how to treat “the (final) one” right once they come along.”

Knowing of the relatable relevance of that very idea, she wrote the song in hopes that people who’ve been through similar perspective-altering and life-changing experiences can connect with the song.

“Being the person to teach someone how to love is still an important role to play in someone’s life, even if you don’t necessarily reap the benefits.”

The message that she conveys is that “no relationship is ever a waste as long as something is learned from it” and that while endings “might be painful, that doesn’t make them pointless.”

Miller hopes that “The One” can be a point of healing and closure for listeners, just like it was for her.

Writing from a place of vulnerability by digging into personal experiences is a key component of Miller’s songwriting style, and it is what you can expect from Miller’s future releases: “It can be really hard to be completely vulnerable and honest when going into a room to write with other people, or even just writing alone. But I’ve found that the best songs always come from when you’re honest. I will never put out a song that I don’t 100 percent connect with, and most, if not all, of my songs are about personal experiences. I think people can feel when you’re being genuine, and it’ll always be received better.”

As for what’s next for Miller in her music career, she is looking forward to continuing to develop her artistry by collaborating with other writers and producers and working on songs for her first EP, which she hopes to release within the year. Along with more writing sessions, Miller plans on playing shows around the United States for her listeners and fans, striving to make deep connections like the ones she will certainly capture with “The One.”

Listen to Hailey Miller’s debut single “The One” via Apple Music, Spotify, and more here.

For news and updates from Hailey, check out her official website