Elise Hayes

Elise Hayes' love of songwriting and singing, entwined with a lot of hard work, recently led to the release of her first CD, "Steady the Pace". Hayes, a 2006 graduate of Keene High School, received her Bachelor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, where she was also the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Performance award in 2009.

Hayes was singing and writing music at a very young age. Her influences were artists that her parents enjoyed, such as James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Sarah McLachlan, and Dave Matthews. The sounds of Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles were influential in creating the pop infused with R&B/soul sound that Hayes has incorporated into her own music.

Living in the big city of Boston also gave Hayes the opportunity to perform with several musicians, such as Steve Winwood, Barry Eastmond and Rosa Passos -- just to name a few. But even with these wonderful experiences that she's had over the past few years, including the release of her first CD, Hayes stays very grounded. "I still have a lot of work to do," she says with enthusiasm.

For a list of performances or to purchase "Steady the Pace", visit Hayes' website at www.elisehayes.com - Lori C. Warner, Monadnock Shopper

Hayes began her musical endeavors in Keene but now makes her home in Boston, where she attended Berklee College of Music. There, she performed with and for Barry Eastmond, Steve Winwood, Philip Bailey, Rosa Passos, Howard Shore and others.

In 2008, she formed the Neo-Soul group Sutra, and performed all over New England and the Boston bar circuit. Hayes was the recipient of an award for Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Performance in 2009 and has just released her first album, “Steady the Pace.”

Hayes performs Saturday at 8 p.m. at The Weathervane Music Hall, 19 Elliot St., in Brattleboro. - The Keene Sentinel

Freshly graduated from Berklee College of Music, Elise Hayes is ready and well-equipped to showcase her skills to the music scene. Her debut EP Steady the Pace is a delightful mix of pop songs with soulful lyrics and a touch of R&B. This 5-song release is full of piano-based melodies and catchy hooks, and leaves me wanting more. Steady the Pace opens with “The Girl You Used To Love”, a song with honest lyrics that surely sets the tone for the remainder of the EP. “Free Man” is a strong second track and is one of my personal favorites on this release. The most radio-friendly song on the EP, “Got What I Gave”, showcases what Elise can do with her vocals alongside a snappy beat. “Down” is a song with a sweet rhythm that I would love to hear stripped down live in an acoustic setting. The EP ends with a slow and soft track titled “Withdrawal”, but provides Steady the Pace with a strong ending leaving me ready to hear more of what Hayes has to say.
Elise and her bandmates will soon be heading out on a short-but-sweet East Coast tour. They will be partnering with WhyHunger, an organization dedicated to the prevention of poverty and hunger across America. See the tour poster below to see if Elise is hitting a city near you!

You can grab Steady the Pace on iTunes today for just $4.95! - Samantha Bettencourt, Can't Stop the Music

We're going to give you a little time to get ready for this one, unless this song hits you so hard that you become a huge Elise Hayes fan and want to see her kick off her mega-tour tonight in New York. And then follow her up and down the Eastern seaboard. Or you can wait for her to hit it back home here, when the New Hampshire-born and Berklee-bred Elise Hayes comes back home to play several shows in Cambridge, Boston, Norwood and Chelmsford, to name a few local areas. From the sounds of this track, it sounds like there might be a few people waiting for her to get back here and sing to us.

Elise Hayes - "Got What I Gave"
[download it!]

In situations such as this, it is clear that the spotlight shines brightest upon the vocalist. She's the singer-songwriter, so we expect the singing to be at the forefront of the song. This genre is sometimes maligned when the singer or their song falls short. Or maybe tries too hard. To paraphrase Baby Bear, Elise Hayes hits it "juuuuust right!" in this song.

Hayes' arresting vocal presence is at the same time dignified and personably approachable. She coasts in on a cloud of an official-sounding string section, and it's like one of those people who is getting off the vehicle before it even stops moving. Hayes arrives and immediately establishes contact with the audience through a powerfully sweet vocal presence. She makes it look easy, just sort of letting the tones spill out of her.

The singer and the song are both up to task in "Got What I Gave." If we're to take the title literally, Hayes gives it all. There are some micro-melodies in the track, but most of it is an extended, linear mega-melody, granted its power by the springwater clarity of the performer's voice. Elise Hayes gives it all, and we thank her for it. - CD DiGuardia, Boston Band Crush

Elise Hayes likes to describe herself as a Pop artist with an R&B/Soul sensibility. With influences ranging from James Taylor to Gladys Knight, Elise affectively blends thoughtful songwriting with a soulful punch.

Elise began her musical endeavors in the quaint, New England town of Keene, NH. Now a city girl, Elise lives in Boston, MA where she attended Berklee College of Music. There, she was given the opportunity to perform with and for several music industry giants such as Barry Eastmond, Steve Winwood, Philip Bailey, Rosa Passos, Howard Shore, and many more.

In 2008, she formed the Neo-Soul group, Sutra, and they collectively performed all over New England and the Boston bar circuit (Harper's Ferry, Middle East Upstairs and Downstairs, Harp, Cask and Flagon, Bill's Bar, Church of Boston, Polcari’s, Mt. Snow, Henesseys, The Green Dragon. She was also the recipient of an award for Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Performance in 2009.

Now, at the end of her college career, Elise has just released her first EP, “Steady the Pace” in December of 2009. She can't wait to share her music with listeners and hopes that they can find solace together through music.

For more information visit:
http://www.elisehayes.com

To purchase Elise's music visit:
http://www.itunes.com/elisehayes

- Traci Crowley

Elise Hayes Volunteers at YCP


Up and coming singer/songwriter, Elise Hayes, raised awareness for Yorkville Common Pantry by volunteering at our pantry while she was in New York City for a concert. Please visit her website at www.myspace.com/elisehayes for more information about Elise, her upcoming tour and to read about her experience at Yorkville Common Pantry. - Yorkville Common Pantry

WhyHunger's new Artists Against Hunger & Poverty member Elise Hayes is a young singer-songwriter who recently completed a short tour of the northeast and spent some time volunteering at a few of our partner organizations, including Yorkville Common Pantry in New York City, Mill Creek Farm in Philadelphia, and DC Central Kitchen in Washington, D.C. We went with Elise to Yorkville Common Pantry where we got a full tour of their facility, packed potatoes for distribution and put together pantry bags to be given out to those in need in the neighborhood. It was a humbling experience for us all. Be sure to check out her inspiring videos from her journey at elisehayes.blogspot.com. Elise is a great example of how musicians at any stage of their career can get involved with the Artists Against Hunger & Poverty program and make a difference.
- WhyHunger

Elise Hayes is a pop artist with an r&b/soul sensibility, blending thoughtful songwriting with a soulful punch. At Berklee, she performed with and for music industry giants such as Barry Eastmond, Steve Winwood, Philip Bailey, Rosa Passos, Howard Shore, and many more, and won an award for Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Performance. In 2008, she formed the neo-soul group Sutra, which performed all over New England. Hayes recently released the EP Steady the Pace. - Berklee College of Music