Meet Dante Hayes

Dante Hayes is a 20 year old rapper from Worcester. He moved around a lot when he was younger, and he took influence from each place he lived. He experiments with all different types of music. We got the chance to ask him a few questions about what it’s like to be a musician in Boston

Taken by: Owen Russo

When did you start pursuing music?

I started pursuing music when I was 12 years old, around the time when my father passed away. My dad was a musician so I grew up hearing him sing everywhere we’d go, and his love of music passed down to me and my sister. When he died, I started to write music as a way to feel close to him, and from there inherited love grew to what it is today.

What is the biggest challenge you had to overcome musically?

One of the biggest challenges I face in making music is finding my sound. I struggled with it for years, and I still never know when I'll want to change it up again. I used to write songs in the voice of another artist, and then try to imitate their style or voice with my own. The songs would never sound right after I recorded them and it made me frustrated. That was when I began to write songs in my voice. It sounds so simple now, but back then I was so confused as to why I never liked my sound.

What is your favorite platform to put music on? Why?

My favorite platform to put music on is probably Apple Music. I have an iPhone and that's the way I listen to music, so I love having my stuff mixed in with my other favorite artists. But, nothing is easier than posting songs on SoundCloud. You post it and get instant results.

How has living in the Boston area influenced your music?

I come from an urban area, and there's a ton of music going around all the time. Artists are always having concerts from all genres. I have been able to hear such a wide variety of music that I've grown to like them all. Therefore, I try to do a song in every genre to see if I can do it! There's a lot of people doing exactly what I do. I hope to make it big, so the competition keeps me pushing to get better.

Taken by: Owen Russo

Boston is such a big college city.  Do you see this as an advantage or a disadvantage?

With all the schools around, I'd say it's a huge advantage. There are college students all around who listen to music throughout their day. If you can get them to start streaming your songs, even just one of your songs, that's a huge victory. That song would move its way from student to student, from campus to campus, etc. Having that many people supporting you would bring your career to new places.

What is an average day in the studio like?

An average day at the studio for me changes every time. I record, mix and master all of my music by myself. So whenever inspiration hits me, if I have the equipment, I get straight to work on it. Sometimes I'll just set up my things and make a simple version of what I have in my head, record some vocals for it fast, and go back to it later. Other days, I'll be trapped in my room alone for the entire day recording and producing songs for my EP's.

What are some obstacles with recording new music?

I often think about what my signature sound is, and when I find it, I try to do the opposite. On my first album, I made a ton of trap/hip-hop songs, so for the next project I made sure to do something different. I explored punk music, then pop music, and then I made some dancehall songs. I hate the idea of my sound getting stale or repetitive, so sometimes I have to give up songs because they aren't helping me grow and get better as an artist.📷

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In ten years, I hope to be in the music business in some way. Whether it is in producing, recording, making my own music, or writing for others, I don't mind. I just know that music is what makes me feel fulfilled in life. It helps me get closure in all I go through. When I need someone to talk to, I write it all down instead. I try to understand myself, why I feel the way I do, and then I share with the world my experience. Though being famous would be great, that is not my main goal. I make music for myself to get things off my chest and to heal. If people relate to it and love my music, that is a plus!

CHECK HIM OUT:

His newest album, "The In Between" came out on November 1st and has an EP coming in two weeks.

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/whoisdantehayes

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sated-hyena/1450442231

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5e8kyteyXWMH7oXmJ3s3AN

Blog editor: Meghan Moore