Meet Haley Demos

Haley, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always been connected to music. From pitch matching with my dad when I could barely walk to placing first chair in TMEA as a high school junior and senior, music has been my release.

When I was 4, I was watching a concert on PBS and decided I was going to learn the piano. It sounded magical, and it reached a part of me that I couldn’t explain in words. This was my first taste of how music communicates beyond words. My parents surprised me with a small children’s piano, and I remember jumping up and down gleefully. I sat down but immediately noticed that the sound my miniature piano made was not at all reminiscent of a piano. My parents had a moment and realized I was serious about music. It took them half a year, but they found a teacher who would teach me at 4 and a half.

Fast forward to today. I released my first single “Speak Your Truth” in February, and I have a few more exciting releases in the works. Keep your eyes open for “Best Friend & Bae” or BFB as I like to call it. I am blessed to have recorded it with my actual BFB, Bhloom who has taught me the in’s and out’s of recording and been my muse. I am having a blast learning Ableton and experimenting with my sound. I have always written acoustic music because that is what I’ve had access to – my voice, a keyboard, and a guitar. I am beyond thrilled to be releasing something that combines my fun acoustic percussion with a fuller, more emotional sound.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Creating is a way of life to me, but that isn’t what got me to put out my first single. When I graduated from college, I had a lot of ‘life’ happen to me at once. One of my best friends from childhood, Olivia Deffner, was shot and killed with seven other victims by an abusive, alcoholic estranged husband. This and my experience in Boston has weighed heavy on me. There are many things in life we can’t control, but there are also things that we can do to make a difference. Domestic violence can happen in any relationship, and we need ways to talk about it more. We can’t improve until we eradicate the stigma around mental health. We all struggle and need help at different times in our life.

After months of sleepless nights, I sat down to write. I poured my anguish into this single and realized, as you can tell at the end, that we never have to suffer alone. I use my music as a way to share my truth. My truth around sexual assault. My truth around emotional abuse. I am speaking my truth to enable you, so you know you aren’t really alone.

I use all of my energy to help others find and speak their truth. In my day job, I teach people how to code, and I am passionate about keeping women in STEAM. There are very few women I interact with on a daily basis at my company, and I am proud to represent women who can create, empower, and advocate in more than one sphere. It is when we cross-disciplines that we can truly innovate!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with your work – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud and what sets you apart from others.
I would say my strongest talent is my voice as I classically trained for over ten years. While I have written more acoustic songs in the past, I write whatever moves me. Sometimes it can be all centered around a lyrical melody I created, and sometimes I just vibe a solid baseline. Lately, I have been writing with more neo-soul influence, and that is what BFB sounds closest to.

I love playing covers and mashups and have had a variety of music experiences. I toured Germany, Austria and Hungry with my high school choir, Ronald Regan Cantori, singing in cathedrals across Europe. In college, I was a cantor for St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bryan, TX, which helped me reconnect spiritually with music. I also performed at Carnegie Hall with my College Choir: Texas A&M Century Singers and even got the opportunity to be a session vocalist for Michael Downing’s “School House.”

Growing up as an only child, I have learned to observe and adapt very quickly. With my music, I am proud of being my most authentic self. I have had many people tell me not to talk about certain topics, or I’ll never make it. What matters to me is to never sacrifice my purpose and to stand up for everyone who thinks they don’t have a voice.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I have been preparing to release my next single “Best Friend & Bae,” which is a song about letting go and living in the moment. I am looking to collab more with other local musicians; Dallas has so many amazingly talented artists I am blessed to be here. I am also working on a side project with Bhloom called “Lost in Montreal,” and we hope to release something early next year!

One of my biggest goals is to play a fundraiser show for Domestic Violence Awareness in the next few years. Music is my life, and it is how I can give back. That is why I want to continue making great music that connects with people and raising awareness about important challenges we all face.