"Listen Up!" - Debut Album Discussion, Haley's first album Options

[drover]

Everyone here is comparing Haley to many artists saying "Oh she'll sound like her..etc"
To be honest, I don't think Haley can be compared to other artists as to what her first album is gonna sound like. I've never heard anyone out there that sounds Haley. She is so unique & has her own sound. & I don't think i could say "Oh I think she'll sound like Adele, Janis, Stone..etc" any of them.
I'd rather say she's gonna sound like Haley Reinhart. & I'm gonna love it!

Agreed - the lady is exhibiting a certain resistance to the pigeon-holing process.

[B-scot]

Everyone here is comparing Haley to many artists saying "Oh she'll sound like her..etc"
To be honest, I don't think Haley can be compared to other artists as to what her first album is gonna sound like. I've never heard anyone out there that sounds Haley. She is so unique & has her own sound. & I don't think i could say "Oh I think she'll sound like Adele, Janis, Stone..etc" any of them.
I'd rather say she's gonna sound like Haley Reinhart. & I'm gonna love it!

I think its more in the songwriting and production style of those singer's albums than sounding exactly like them.
Also how an album is marketed and the possible sales potential is very important for the labels.
Haley would fit well in this singers styles but with more edge and a jazzier feel to them, there by making Haley's songs more unique. Some of the songs from these singers would work better with more of an edge but not all, so the songwriters and arranges would need to take that into effect for Haley and adjust some.
Many songwriters now days will write for a major artist and if they reject it then it gets passed around to the new artists but not always a prefect fit for their voices or styles. Some artists can work with the writers to tailor the song to them and get co-writer credit sometimes but many can not or the writers don't think it worth their time. Songwriters make their money from recording sales and radio air play, singers like Gaga or Katy Perry will make them a lot of money where as new artists are risky to waste much time on.

[fover10]

I'd like to see her sing Faithfully by Journey. The little tease she gives us during the concert suggests she could do it justice and perhaps hit a home run with it.

[fover10]

I think its more in the songwriting and production style of those singer's albums than sounding exactly like them.
Also how an album is marketed and the possible sales potential is very important for the labels.
Haley would fit well in this singers styles but with more edge and a jazzier feel to them, there by making Haley's songs more unique. Some of the songs from these singers would work better with more of an edge but not all, so the songwriters and arranges would need to take that into effect for Haley and adjust some.
Many songwriters now days will write for a major artist and if they reject it then it gets passed around to the new artists but not always a prefect fit for their voices or styles. Some artists can work with the writers to tailor the song to them and get co-writer credit sometimes but many can not or the writers don't think it worth their time. Songwriters make their money from recording sales and radio air play, singers like Gaga or Katy Perry will make them a lot of money where as new artists are risky to waste much time on.

Just a thought... I suspect when song writers hear Haley was offered songs by Lady Gaga and Led Zeppelin, and sang them magnificently, I just have to believe they would want to jump on the Haley Express.

This may be jumping the gun a bit, but I think the reports are accurate and figured we'd need a home that would last until December for Haley's upcoming album.
--
MJs is reporting that Haley's been signed and has started recording an album for December release!

Evidently the source is anonymous but with enough info to make it credible.

Prelim. info:
Some BC Jean info:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/bcjean
Label: J-Records
Website: http://www.bcjean.com/

Hmmm.... Not sure what this means?
hottestheels stilettolover91 @BCJean Is it true that you and Haley Reinhart wrote a song together called "Retro Kinda Girl" ??? Please answer I'm a huge fan of u both!!
25 Jun
in reply to ↑
@BCJean BC Jean @hottestheels No that is false! But I loved Haley on American idol, I thought she was gonna win :-(
27 Jun

This song should be familiar to anyone who watched the finale. (Yes, it was the Beyonce song and yes, BC wrote it).



Dr Luke info:
http://twitter.com/THEDOCTORLUKE
Kris Allen:
Twitter

@KrisAllen
Kris Allen
Just a rumor to me. Dont know anything about it RT @mylifeback: @KrisAllen Duuuude, tell us about the song Haley is recording!!!
28 Jun

Just listened to BC Jean's If I Were A Boy for the first time and have to say Haley slayed it in the Beyoune Medley. More raw emotion and better vocals by far!

[GreatALLENation]

I need a Haley album in my life RIGHT NOW.

[satchvai]

Very interesting..., I watched/listened to the vid, and take your points about "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Oh Darling" but something strikes me as dissonant in the analysis (sort of like a maj7 played against a dom7, yikees!!).

This may indeed be where Haley hears herself going (who am I to know?), but I can't help but think that it is not rock, nor blues, from which her artistic muse springs from. Don't get me wrong, I think she can do rock, and pull it off, cause she has grown up with it, performed it, and, I think, understands the rock "vibe", for lack of better term. I've yet to hear her really sing the blues, maybe she can, I just haven't heard it from her yet. I don't count doing a jam of "Sweet Home Chicago" with her mom and dad's band as demonstrating her ability to sing the blues, perhaps I'm being a snob about this.

Grace's voice is similar to Haley's in certain dimensions (I agree that the rasp and edge are similar in sound) but I'm not seeing where the artistic voice of Grace (who seems to be of the rock heritage), and the artistic voice of Haley (who I think is firmly rooted in the jazz heritage) overlap.

Very interesting discussion and something I've been pondering for awhile (e.g what is Haley's path to finding and expressing her artistic voice). Would love to hear any further thoughts you have on it.

I'm just playing a guessing game as many are here. I'm looking at it not from a perspective of what I'd personally like Haley to do, which is grab a bunch of top-rate Jazz musicians and be the next Norah, but from an Interscope label angle. They want to sell records and lots of them so in that scenario, I'd want to take Haley down the Classic Rock Retro (new genre) route, which is wide open for her now and she has shown that she has an amazing rock voice. I think that is the reasoning behind "You Oughta Know" being a pick for her album because someone knew she could not only pull it off but really shine doing so, something I'm not even sure Haley knew about herself to be honest.
That is why Grace's "Paris (Oh La La)" seemed like something in the styleI could see the record company taking her. Shades of Zep, soaring vocals, modern beat and a really catchy chorus, which Haley excels at, I really could see getting a lot of spins in multiple formats.
Can she do it? That is why I referred to her jams with her parents on her homecoming. She was raw rock 'n roll in that concert, I thought I was watching something from the early 70's when I watched it back and it left an impression that she, like she said, is a big fan of Classic Rock and was pretty convincing doing it.
I also took into account her major demographic, which are basically two-fold going by her Youtube views;Middle-aged adults and teenage girls. Bringing out a Retro rock album could sell huge to that crowd and if you listen to the production Jim Jonsin has done to her covers, he has somehow found a way to combine Haley's old school vox with modern urban beats.
To those who don't want to guess, I was like that earlier in this thread, but this gives us something to do until we actually hear some original music from her:)

[kokorokazi]

I'm just playing a guessing game as many are here. I'm looking at it not from a perspective of what I'd personally like Haley to do, which is grab a bunch of top-rate Jazz musicians and be the next Norah, but from an Interscope label angle. They want to sell records and lots of them so in that scenario, I'd want to take Haley down the Classic Rock Retro (new genre) route, which is wide open for her now and she has shown that she has an amazing rock voice. I think that is the reasoning behind "You Oughta Know" being a pick for her album because someone knew she could not only pull it off but really shine doing so, something I'm not even sure Haley knew about herself to be honest.
That is why Grace's "Paris (Oh La La)" seemed like something in the styleI could see the record company taking her. Shades of Zep, soaring vocals, modern beat and a really catchy chorus, which Haley excels at, I really could see getting a lot of spins in multiple formats.
Can she do it? That is why I referred to her jams with her parents on her homecoming. She was raw rock 'n roll in that concert, I thought I was watching something from the early 70's when I watched it back and it left an impression that she, like she said, is a big fan of Classic Rock and was pretty convincing doing it.
I also took into account her major demographic, which are basically two-fold going by her Youtube views;Middle-aged adults and teenage girls. Bringing out a Retro rock album could sell huge to that crowd and if you listen to the production Jim Jonsin has done to her covers, he has somehow found a way to combine Haley's old school vox with modern urban beats.
To those who don't want to guess, I was like that earlier in this thread, but this gives us something to do until we actually hear some original music from her:)

Sure I can dig that. No doubt she can do the retro-rock thing and kill it (As I'm writing this I'm hearing, in my head, Haley do a brilliant, contemporary cover of Zep's "Rock & Roll" ) and maybe that is the path for her working with Interscope. Also agree that this may be an untapped market cause I can't think of any new artists off the top of my head that are in that space. A few dinosaurs still stomping around, but new kids just coming up? Can't think of any and she'd be perfect at covering that space.

Regarding my comments about her being a jazz baby, I was only meaning that I think that jazz is what informs her artistic voice more that other genres, even rock. I wasn't meaning to imply I thought she would, or should, put out a straight up jazz record, I don't think that is very practical at this point in time. Maybe in the future she could put something together that explores this space, but Norah Jones? Naahhh..., I'm thinking more along the lines of Haley does a mashup of Billie Holiday and Esperanza Spalding

It is fun to speculate about the possibilities while we wait to hear what she comes up with.

[whynotcanada]

Haley has a lot of blues/rock in her background, check out her vid's of her homecoming with "Sweet Home Chicago" or even her take on the full "Oh Darling" and you'll see where I'm coming from. Grace's voice is a lot closer to Haley's as well, than Adele or Duffy, with the rasp and edge. I wasn't familiar with Grace until a few days ago and remember hearing the Oh la lah song on the radio a few times and thought that would be a viable approach for Haley. I could see the label producing something along those lines and getting some spins.

and in a perfect world, Haley would replace Grace in this video:)

ok satchvai and kokorokazi, you dudes are fast fast becoming my favourite Haley expressionists. I vote you to become her joint management team!

I only have some passing knowledge of Grace, but i'm a huge Neil Young fan. Wow, Grace does a great live cover of Neil's Cortez here. WOW.

This post has been edited by whynotcanada: Jul 13th 2011, 9:49 AM

[B-scot]

I'm just playing a guessing game as many are here. I'm looking at it not from a perspective of what I'd personally like Haley to do, which is grab a bunch of top-rate Jazz musicians and be the next Norah, but from an Interscope label angle. They want to sell records and lots of them so in that scenario, I'd want to take Haley down the Classic Rock Retro (new genre) route, which is wide open for her now and she has shown that she has an amazing rock voice. I think that is the reasoning behind "You Oughta Know" being a pick for her album because someone knew she could not only pull it off but really shine doing so, something I'm not even sure Haley knew about herself to be honest.
That is why Grace's "Paris (Oh La La)" seemed like something in the styleI could see the record company taking her. Shades of Zep, soaring vocals, modern beat and a really catchy chorus, which Haley excels at, I really could see getting a lot of spins in multiple formats.
Can she do it? That is why I referred to her jams with her parents on her homecoming. She was raw rock 'n roll in that concert, I thought I was watching something from the early 70's when I watched it back and it left an impression that she, like she said, is a big fan of Classic Rock and was pretty convincing doing it.
I also took into account her major demographic, which are basically two-fold going by her Youtube views;Middle-aged adults and teenage girls. Bringing out a Retro rock album could sell huge to that crowd and if you listen to the production Jim Jonsin has done to her covers, he has somehow found a way to combine Haley's old school vox with modern urban beats.
To those who don't want to guess, I was like that earlier in this thread, but this gives us something to do until we actually hear some original music from her:)

I agree for her first album that would make it highly marketable and Jim Jonsin(Rebel Rock Label) seem to be great at getting the right mix in with Haley to make it work. I would also include at least some slower jazzy UK style songs or Pop songs to cover different radio markets to get more air play. One problem is finding the right songwriters since many of the major one are writing for Gaga, Katy P., Beyonce or Britney and may not have anything written in the 60's style, unless you go to the UK. Also many of the current US Pop music arrangers worked with Rap in the past and seem to like over using the techno and autotunes sound. Although Jim Jonsin work with Pit Bull in the past he seems to have gotten away from that technique for the most part.

[kokorokazi]

I agree for her first album that would make it highly marketable and Jim Jonsin(Rebel Rock Label) seem to be great at getting the right mix in with Haley to make it work. I would also include at least some slower jazzy UK style songs or Pop songs to cover different radio markets to get more air play. One problem is finding the right songwriters since many of the major one are writing for Gaga, Katy P., Beyonce or Britney and may not have anything written in the 60's style, unless you go to the UK. Also many of the current US Pop music arrangers worked with Rap in the past and seem to like over using the techno and autotunes sound. Although Jim Jonsin work with Pit Bull in the past he seems to have gotten away from that technique for the most part.

I'd be careful about mixing genres on the first record, if one is targeting a specific sound to establish a presence in a well defined genre it may be best to concentrate in that area. You might be giving up some breadth of exposure in the near term in exchange for a somewhat narrower but more intense, focused presence in your target market. The idea being to gain that foothold with dedicated fans, then when you've established your creds with them, start branching out. Definitely pros and cons to each approach, and an interesting strategic challenge to work through.

I agree that good material is the key and finding good, contemporary songwriters that can write for this genre could be tough. It would also be really interesting to explore doing a production going really retro with Haley e.g. ditch the digital recording process and go back to live musicians in the studio playing together, and recording to tape. e.g the "so old it's new" approach. Bring it up to contemporary standards post-production.

[Riza-Smithson]

Everyone here is comparing Haley to many artists saying "Oh she'll sound like her..etc"
To be honest, I don't think Haley can be compared to other artists as to what her first album is gonna sound like. I've never heard anyone out there that sounds Haley. She is so unique & has her own sound. & I don't think i could say "Oh I think she'll sound like Adele, Janis, Stone..etc" any of them.
I'd rather say she's gonna sound like Haley Reinhart. & I'm gonna love it!

While all of my Idol faves have distinct qualities to their voices, some of them reminded me of other singers who I also happened to like.(Which is probably why I'm a fan of certain Idols to begin with.)However. When I hear Haley's voice I honestly can't think of another singer to compare it with. It's truly that unique, and she will definitely benefit from having such a different sound.

I need a Haley album in my life RIGHT NOW.

[figure8]

I agree that good material is the key and finding good, contemporary songwriters that can write for this genre could be tough. It would also be really interesting to explore doing a production going really retro with Haley e.g. ditch the digital recording process and go back to live musicians in the studio playing together, and recording to tape. e.g the "so old it's new" approach. Bring it up to contemporary standards post-production.

Don Was evidently was the closest to this approach using a live band.
He produced HOTRS.

[RadioMusic]

Aw.
Haley is on the Interscope Current Artist Page on Wiki.
Which is the first time she has been:) all great signs


IM TOO EXCITED

This post has been edited by RadioMusic: Jul 13th 2011, 1:42 PM

[mbane]

Aw.
Haley is on the Interscope Current Artist Page on Wiki.
Which is the first time she has been:) all great signs
IM TOO EXCITED

The reference is the Amazon new release page. (indirectly)

This post has been edited by mbane: Jul 13th 2011, 1:56 PM

[kokorokazi]

Don Was evidently was the closest to this approach using a live band.
He produced HOTRS.

Yeah, she mentioned in an interview that she was glad she finally got a chance to work with him before he left to go do some other projects.

Just seems that if the meme for Haley is to go retro, and IMHO that path could really work for her, doing up the whole thing old school might be the way to go. satchvai identified the marketing strategy and it sounds plausible to me. Give the older crowd a sound and vibe that harkens back to their youth but is contemporary and new, and give the kids of today a sound and vibe that they probably aren't familiar with but is coming from a little rocker chick from their generation, it could work! And if anyone could pull it off it would be Haley.

[ElizabethT]

Aw.
Haley is on the Interscope Current Artist Page on Wiki.
Which is the first time she has been:) all great signs
IM TOO EXCITED

Link?

[sonnymil]

It's just random people using the Amazon link as reference to add her to the Interscope wiki page.

[mercfan3]

The thing about Haley is..I can tell you what is and what isn't a Haley song. But I can't really place a finger on the genre.

She just needs a hit..and it doesn't matter what people want to label it. I'm sure Jimmy has an idea of where he wants to go with her. Seeing..as with Rhinnan and You and I..Jimmy clearly has an idea of what a Haley song is too.

But..after she's more established..I'd like to see her do a "back to basics" type of Cd..and possibly a CD of Standards.

[whynotcanada]

The thing about Haley is..I can tell you what is and what isn't a Haley song. But I can't really place a finger on the genre.

She just needs a hit..and it doesn't matter what people want to label it. I'm sure Jimmy has an idea of where he wants to go with her. Seeing..as with Rhinnan and You and I..Jimmy clearly has an idea of what a Haley song is too.

But..after she's more established..I'd like to see her do a "back to basics" type of Cd..and possibly a CD of Standards.

i agree. Jimmy caught lots of unwarranted flack during and post idol, but he totally knows the direction for her first splash. Let her get experimental later. She needs a "new era" sound to appeal to a younger crowd. i sure it will please us older types as well.

[fover10]

Aw.
Haley is on the Interscope Current Artist Page on Wiki.
Which is the first time she has been:) all great signs
IM TOO EXCITED

Here's the link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haley_Reinhart