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Harlow Eleanor McHayton, professionally known asHarlow Hayes, is a multi-Grammy-Award-winning American singer and songwriter. The singer is most widely known for her double-platinum-selling single “Once Upon a Summer” (2017), as well as for her fourth studio album,Apotheosis(August 2023), one of the highest-ranked albums onMetacriticto date.[1]In early 2024, the album won Hayes her first everGrammy, plus three more to boot, includingSong of the Yearfor the title track “Violent Ends.”[2]
BeforeApotheosis, Hayes’musicconsisted mostly of upbeat pop tracks and breakup ballads (seeDiscography).Apotheosissignaled a new direction for the singer, drawing comparisons to glamorous sad-girl pop royalty likeLana Del Rey,Halsey, andBillie Eilish.[3]
Hayes was born on July 4, 1996 inCambridge, Ohioto James and Michelle McHayton, who relocated to New York in 2012 when Hayes turned sixteen so she could pursue a career in music. At the age of eighteen, Hayes signed withMachinist Records.[4]Her self-titleddebutalbum was released a year later, in 2015, to critical acclaim, with the lead single “James Dean” (2015) reaching number three on theBillboard charts. Her highly anticipated sophomore albumOne Heart(2017) gave the singer her first number-one single, as well as multiple nominations at theAmerican Music AwardsandBillboard Music Awards(Female Artist). In 2019, Hayes released her third studio album,Red, White, & Blue.[5]The album debuted at number one and its title track, “Once Upon a Summer”—rumored to be about actorColton Scott[6]—is still the singer’s bestselling single to date. It was awarded various accolades, includingHot 100 Songat the BBMAs andSong of the Yearat the AMAs.
In June 2021, Hayes released “To the Nines” with rapperMama Money, which was nominated forTop Collaborationat the BBMAs and wonSong of the Summerat theMTV Video Music Awards. Hayes performed the song with Mama Money at the VMAs ceremony, where she famously fell down a flight of stairs during the performance.[7][8]
Hayes’ next single, pop ballad “Endless Summers,” was released in October 2021. The song, which received a lukewarm reception from critics, peaked at number one on the Billboard charts in its first week thanks to the power ofHayes’ fandom, but fell twenty spots the following week, with many citing poor marketing and promotion for the surprising decline. This descent made it her worst-performing single on the charts.[9]The remainder of 2021 was also marked by a slew of canceled shows and appearances for the singer and she was rumored to have checked into a wellness facility for health reasons around the holidays.[10][11]
Hayes returned with a vengeance in August 2023 with the long-awaitedApotheosis, a marked diversion from her usual sound.[12]It’s the first album on which Hayes is credited on every song and her first to be nominated for a Grammy. Overall, the album and its singles earned her five nominations in total and four wins, includingAlbum of the Year,Best Pop Vocal Album, andBest Pop Solo Performance—although many argue the album should have been slotted in theAlternative category.[13]
In August 2024, Hayes released her fifth studio album,Legacy, which debuted at number one on theBillboard 200and remained there for three consecutive weeks. Both singles from the album hit number one on theHot 100andRolling Stonecharts, and also maintained the top spot on all streaming platforms for three consecutive days.
Music Journal
HARLOW HAYES SURE TO LEAVE A “LEGACY” WITH HAUNTINGLY BRILLIANT FIFTH STUDIO ALBUM
Building on its Grammy-winning predecessor, Hayes’ latest record once again showcases the singer-songwriter’s penchant for atmospheric storytelling through music
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