Hayley Coupon, a self-taught New York-based singer and pianist inspired by American folk and classic rock, writes songs that bridge the seemingly impassable divide between vocals-driven pop and acoustic, lyrically lush folk rock. After writing her first few songs in the spring of 2012, Coupon spent the next year collaborating closely with friends to record her debut EP, Remembrance.
Richly yet sparingly orchestrated, nostalgic, and poignantly performed, Remembrance is grounded in Coupon’s rhythmic piano and expressive vocals. With influences as disparate as Joni Mitchell and Radiohead, or Leonard Cohen and Jon Brion, Coupon reclaims and updates the spirit and tradition of the singer/song-writer art form in its confessional compositions and personal imagery. Her voice has a unique tone that "sets Coupon apart from her singer-songwriter contemporaries and places her in a category all her own" (Pigeons and Planes), and her songwriting has been commended for it's "reserved strength and fierce delicateness" (Kick Kick Snare).
Describe your sound in one ramble-on sentence
Percussive hammers against skins and strings find the throat and are caught in the sounds that a mind seems to churn out on its own when youre not quite paying attention.
What inspires you to make music?
Conversations with myself and with others.
What aspect of making music excites you the most right now?
Collaborating with brilliant musicians who are teaching me a whole new vocabulary.
What aspect of making music gets you the most discouraged?
The aimless future of the industry, the sounds that are trending, the sad fact I can't make as much as I'd like to.
What's one of your all-time favorite recordings?
God Bless the Child, Billie Holiday.
Name three people who have influenced your music, and tell us why- Living or dead.
Joni Mitchell, for her innovation and her fearlessness.
Ginger Baker, for his arrangements and his gift of time.
McCartney & Lennon (as a duo, so I am cheating the question), for showing us the power of a simple melodic line.
Do you have any recent or upcoming projects you'd like to share with us? Tell us about it.
I'm about to release my second EP and I'm working towards going back in the studio to track a full length in early 2015.
What do you like the most about Radio Airplay?
There is a real sense of connection with fans from all over the world -- they are no longer just numbers on a list of stats.
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www.hayleycoupon.com