Hailey Whitters

One Liner: A mix of old-school Taylor Swift, Natalie Maines, and Kacey Musgraves

Wikipedia Genre: Country

Home: Nashville (originally from Shueyville, Iowa)

Poster Position: small Type 
Sunday.

Thoughts:  Huh, I figured she would not be the most popular "Hailey" on Spotify, but she definitely popped up first.  Her first song brings a combined vibe of Taylor Swift with Natalie Maines all rolled up into one.  I also get a lot of Kacey Musgraves vibes in here.  I've enjoyed it for sure.

She got her start by writing for others - Alan Jackson and Little Big Town - as well as others.  She's also toured in support of some bigger names - Maren Morris and Jon Pardi.  But I think she sounds like she could do her own thing.  3 albums, 2015's Black Sheep, 2020's The Dream, and 2022's Raised.  And another from 2021 called Living the Dream that is a deluxe version of The Dream (and has several bigger tunes on it than the original).  The big hit in her catalog is from that new album, this is the tune that I think sounds like Natalie Maines singing on a Taylor Swift song.  "Everything She Ain't" has 38.9 million streams.

That opening lick is so very classic, early Taylor Swift.  I'd say that some of those lyrics in the chorus are a little too obvious.  "Lime to your Corona," etc.  It is a nice little tune, even with those little nits.  

"Dream, Girl" sounds like a John Mayer song.  Her top three other songs all feature someone else - Little Big Town, Ernest (?), and Jordan Davis.  Her first album is not a high stream counter, looks like it took her a little while to get her stride on that second album.  She also has two Christmas songs, and I like them.  But we'll do "Heartland" from The Dream for the other tune for you to hear.  4.7 million streams.

I don't know what the vocal quality is that she shares with Maines, but I definitely hear it when she sings.  And lyrically, this one makes me think of Musgraves.  Nice nostalgia tune.  She kind of looks like Miranda Lambert - even the cover of their most recently two albums has them in a similar position and wearing a big dumb hat.

I like her.  I'd go check this one out for sure.