On The Row: Christian Hayes Encapsulates Personal Experience With Hypnotic Harmony

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Christian Hayes. Photo: Chandler Holmes

A passion for music has remained present through every phase for up-and-coming creator Christian Hayes. Pulling from influences, such as Shawn Mendes and Noah Kahan, he encapsulates personal experiences with his hypnotic folksy pop-country sound.

Bearing bouquets from Amelia’s Flower Truck in honor of his new single, “Wildflower,” Hayes swung by the MusicRow office last week to share his story and perform several songs.

Pictured (L–R): MusicRow’s Liza Anderson and LB Cantrell, Christian Hayes, MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson, Madison Hahnen and John Nix Arledge

Growing up in Rome, Georgia, he was encouraged to write by his grandfather, who perviously served as the state’s Poet Laureate, and began playing guitar and writing tunes around the age of eight. Hayes also led worship in church and played the saxophone for seven years.

He joined the U.S. Navy Reserve before attending the University of Alabama. After graduation, Hayes spent time selling Diesel fuel and gas, cultivating an extensive music catalog on the side. Implementing that military discipline, the songsmith would often wake up at 2 a.m. and spend an hour or so honing his craft before heading to work.

“In every stage of life [so far], it has always come back to music at the end of the day,” he says. “I always knew that I wanted to pursue music in some capacity. I just didn’t know how to.”

Hayes started posting his work on social media a little over a year ago, leading his current manager, Wildrose Projects’ Helena Capps, to discover him in November 2023. By the time he moved to Music City, Hayes had penned more than 900 songs—most of which were written on his parents’ front porch.

“That was where I felt most at home,” Hayes recalls. “I was living in Atlanta selling fuel, and I was trying to write a song while looking at a skyscraper. I just kept thinking, ‘This isn’t like looking at the oak trees back home.'”

Christian Hayes & MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson

This moment served as the muse for unreleased number “Home Sweet Home,” which he played for the MusicRow team.

Since uniting with Capps, Hayes has continued to assemble his team as well as his arsenal of songs, signing with Capitol Records and releasing debut EP Last I Love You earlier this year.

“I always knew that God put me on this planet to write songs and share them, so I haven’t had a ‘plan B’ since we started doing all of this,” he states.

The track “LILY,” an acronym for the project title, was the first song he ever played for Capps and the one he feels “did everything for [him].” As Hayes strummed the opening chords of “LILY” on his guitar, he explained that he wrote to tune to make sense of the discontentment he was feeling at the time following the end of a relationship. Hayes then finished with another Last I Love You track, “Cheyenne.” Inspired by a conversation he had with his father, the song takes listeners on a journey of self-discovery and heartbreak.

Nicknamed the “lullaby kid” by a close friend, Hayes finds himself molding melodies that are easy on the ears alongside lyrics that resonate with others.

“I always wanted my songs to mean something and my words to actually hold weight,” he shares.

Since participating in his first-ever co-writing session in January, Hayes has worked with over 100 writers, including Natalie Hemby, Tenille Townes and Topher Brown, among others. While maintaining the art of writing solo, he is excited to cultivate a solid crew of collaborators and unveil new music in 2025.

Additionally, Hayes is slated to take the stage at the Jackalope Jamboree, taking place June 26–28 at Happy Canyon Arena in Pendleton, Oregon.

Liza Anderson
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