Haley Heynderickx-Oom Sha La La

I have been holding out on y’all.

I have recently stumbled upon an incredible artist who speaks to me. From her folk leanings, wistful lyrics, stellar guitar plucking, and haunting vocals, I found myself selfishly hoarding her music. I wanted to ingest her unique manner and saturate my ears for a while before I presented it to you all.

If you are a fan of Phoebe Bridgers, Mothers, Lady Lamb, or Big Thief, you will surely appreciate Haley Heynderickx. Perhaps, she is the 21st century, Joan Baez or Judy Collins. I shudder to mention any sound-a-likes, because they are all so completely distinctive and unique. But perhaps, their mention may bring you a musical framework to help you listen with expectant, eager ears.

Damn, this is just one of the best things I am listening to right now.

Haley Heynderickx-Oom Sha La La

Haley Heynderickx garnishes a subtle sadness and contemplative yearning for lyrical emotional explanations. Her guitar strums stop me in my tracks and her lyrics cut into my heart. Perhaps, she meets me where I am, right here and now.

Mood Monday

I find myself at a turning point. Where am I ? Where am I headed? What are my stepping stones….what are my road blocks? I have a longing for something, but I just can’t seem to put together the pieces to form any coherent thought and plan.

Don’t get me wrong, I am always stretching myself, learning, setting goals, and pushing myself forward….but somehow I find myself either on a merry-go-round that won’t stop spinning the same ol’ same ol’, or at a blocked dead end.

Have you ever reached the fork in the road and instead of choosing one path or another, you simply want to curl up in a ball and sleep? Yeah, for a while, we might be completely okay with making no decision. Although eventually, we have to wake up and face the pressing questions in our lives once again.

“…The milk is sour

with olives on my thumbs

and I’ve been doubtful of all that I have dreamed of

the brink of my existence essentially’s a comedy

the gap in my teeth and all that I can cling to

the milk is sour

Oom Sha La La…”

I seek a life with meaning, purpose, and value. The world has enough consumers, I want to create. As much time and effort as I put into this blog, I am often greeted with the question, “Have you monetized it yet?”

Somehow this thought settles in my brain and it begins to fester and grow and my deepest insecurities bloom from those words, even though that is the last thing I wish for. Is that just crazy? Is it completely insane to write about music because I simply love it? Then, I open a kind e-mail to read….

“Great blog. It’s always inspiring to see lasting projects coming out of crazy challenges born of passion and deep curiosity.”- Mad Alibi

NAILED IT!

I write about and share music out of a deep curiosity to understand myself in this crazy spinning world, with the hope there might be a song or a thought you can relate to as well. My typed ramblings are really my way of sorting the messy and happy things in my life, but it is the music, which is the life force of my blog.

My fulfillment is born from listening, researching, and writing late into the night. Tonight, I am sitting on my cozy screened porch with a warm fluffy blanket (the air is finally fall crisp), headphones on, music on repeat, capturing each twang of guitar, and every lyric. When I pick a song, I love it….with every fiber of my being! You, as a reader, band, and follower/listener, can know my choices are pure and carefully curated.

I really don’t want this blog to be all about me, I want you to share your favorite music with me, let me know what you like or don’t like, and add your own unique voice. Share the blog or the music when something resonates with you. Let me know when you can come to a show in Atlanta or nearby, then say hello. I need for your voices and your energy to be a part of this blog too.

Okay, cool.

So, now dontcha wanna know more about the gal behind this heavenly tune?

Haley Heynderickx

Haley Heynderickx has a tough name to spell (thank the Lord for the copy button), but after learning her back story, I can appreciate the unique spelling even more.

Born in California, but raised in Oregon, she had a deep desire to become a female version of Jimi Hendrix at age eleven. Living in a small Oregon town, and without a musical family, she learned guitar with the one teacher in town. He had a blue grass guitar background and it began her fervent study of country, folk, and acoustic implementations. She has now blended all that she learned early on, her extensive travels, and playing with bands she has shared stages with, to create her own unique musical genre that defies definition.

“Oom Sha La La” is a new track release that hints at a new EP or album through Mama Bird Recording Co. The song has leanings of early rock and roll, but Haley adds her own distinctive flair, thus creating a fresh, witty perspective with the feel good sound of bubblegum pop. Despite the questioning lyrics and expressions of self-doubt, it reaches a fever pitch of sound and hopefulness. “Oom Sha La La” proves to be an  irresistibly catchy tune with quirky phrasing and fun sing-a-long choruses.

From her Facebook page on the new tune,

“A song written in a song challenge to remind people that sometimes we have to make those silly songs or awkward essays or bad drawings or embarrassing poetry which are crucial in being made to one day get to the juicy stuff you are capable of creating.”

Heynderickx is out touring Europe through November, so stay tuned if you are a new fan. If this tune makes you wanting more, like it did me, you should sink into her last EP, Fish Eyes, on Bandcamp and Spotify.

Haley Heynderickx makes powerful music which sparks a little flicker of a flame in my soul…how about you?

“I’m throwing out the milk,

the olives got old,

I’m tired of my mind getting heavy with mold,

I need to start a garden,

I need to start a garden,

I Need To Start A Garden,

I NEED TO START A GARDEN!”