HYRA
Photo Credit: Genevieve Clements
Singer/Songwriter HYRA is a go-to artist for catchy and head-turning melodies. Florida raised and Los Angeles based, the musician grew up in the Miami music hub. As a young latinx artist, HYRA is “motivated to honor those who [immigrated to the U.S. in search of a dream or an opportunity] and make sure they're visible and represented in the music space.” This is something that she has done well; her genre-bending sound has garnered significant attention this year. Songs like “Sad Lullaby” provide an infectious beat and lyrics and still let her vocals shine through. She released her sophomore single “Where We Can’t See” on August 28th and was featured on Spotfiy’s “Fresh Finds” playlist. HYRA currently has a following of over 32k monthly listeners. We recently spoke to the artist about her cultural background, songwriting process, and more!
How did you get started making music?
I've always dreamed of creating my own sound, ever since I was a little girl. I even took part in musical theater at one point during my childhood, where I would perform and sing my heart out on stage. But, it wasn't until my first year of college where I started taking myself seriously enough to see a path where I could pursue this dream. Thankfully, I had a great support system through my family and friends who challenged me and pushed me to start making music. In fact, my first songs were made with some of my closest friends at the time. They were recorded in a small bedroom in Miami. As time passed, I've defintely matured in my craft. I'll always be making songs and hopefully, people can connect with them enough to listen for as long as I do.
How has growing up in Miami affected the way you go about making music?
I was born in Nicaragua and grew up in the latin hub that is Miami. As a young latinx person, I definitely think my culture influences my forms of expression, especially in my music. I've always been surrounded by strong latina women, whether through friends or family. I like to think I tap into their strength when I'm writing. The places I've lived all have a mix of cultures. From Miami, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, I've been able to meet many great people of different backgrounds. Each and every one of their stories have stuck with me. I think the immigrant communities and young people like myself, latinx or not, inspire the way I approach my artist project. I have loads of respect for those who have immigrated to the U.S. in search of a dream or an opportunity. I identify as one of them. I think I'm heavily motivated to honor those people and make sure they're visible and represented in the music space. At least, that's one of my goals.
Walk us through your typical songwriting process. Has this process changed over time?
For the most part, I try to write about instances that are relatable and in some way can inspire the listener. I try to pull from both personal experiences, as well as stories that I've come across that I think are worth highlighting. This sometimes makes my songwriting process difficult, as I try to "curate" my words as best as possible, leaving them open for interpretation yet still direct. I love imagining worlds and my music helps take me to that special place where I can do that.
We loved "Where We Can't See". What was the inspiration for the song?
I'm so glad to hear you liked the track! "Where We Can't See" is a combination of my producer's and my musical influences. MASTRADA took inspiration from Flume and Kaytranada, hence the heavy electronic sound of the song. On my end, I was inspired by early-2000s pop and R&B on the topline. Together, we created "Where We Can't See," taking bits and pieces of our personal tastes and blending it into this one song. Story-wise, "Where We Can't See" is written in the perspective of a strong femme-lead. It takes place in the moment when two lovers are experiencing the courting phases of a relationship. Really, it's meant to be playful and alluring.
What can fans expect to be a staple of every HYRA song?
I can promise to deliver music that I 100% stand by, both lyrically and melodically. My goal is to be honest, organic and real as I navigate my artist project. Fans can expect to experience music that will evoke emotion. Whether that be dancing, tears or laughter. I hope new fans and current listeners can immerse themselves into my music in the same way I do. I hope to empower through my songs, and that is something you can expect from me 100% of the time.
Which artists do you consider to be some of your greatest musical influences?
My biggest inspiration is the one and only Lady Gaga. Her music, creative innovation, and positive message makes her really special. More than anything, she's relentlessly herself, which was amazing to witness throughout my childhood. I'm a huge fan of artists like Aaliyah and Gwen Stefani. Gwen's performance in "Hella Good" and "Love Angel Music Baby" are iconic. I grew up listening to primarily female artists in pop music and was always heavily influenced by those who pushed the standard. The three women I've named really opened the door for many artists to do their thing.I also listen to spanish-speaking artists on a daily basis. A lot of my inspiration stems from my mother's own taste. I guess it carried over to me after blasting their songs whenever her and I were in the car together. Artists like Aterciopelados with their song, "Luz Azul" and Julieta Venegas with her album "Si," heavily inspire my music taste and lyricism.
If you could collaborate with any artist right now, who would it be and why?
I'd love the chance to work with Pharell. I think his music has paved the way for a lot of the artists that we see shaping culture today. I'm especially fond of his upbeat and funk-inspired production. You can tell that he has a lot of fun during the music making process - I love that. Also, I'd love to be able to one day collaborate with Miley Cyrus. Her growth as an artist has been inspiring to watch. I love that she's 100% herself during her music projects and artistic phases, despite what the feedback might be. I'm always looking forward to working with any artist that has something to say, stories to tell, and is pushing the standard. The ones I just mentioned are definitely dream collaborations.
What can we catch you doing on your day off?
I'm usually on the computer. Sad, but true, though I thoroughly enjoy it. As my own content producer, I usually take my time off to work on the visual side of my music. As a result of this, you will also catch me watching many movies during my days off. I love spanish and english cinema, and try to go through my watch-list as much as I can. If I am lucky and don't have catching up to do from my own appointed work, I'll plan a beach day. I grew up in Miami and was born in Nicaragua - two places known for their lovely beaches. Thankfully LA has some very beautiful spots too! I'm still exploring the west-coastline.
What do you enjoy most about making music?
I thoroughly enjoy being able to immerse myself into the story I'm writing about. I think the aspect of story-telling and music-making that I enjoy the most is figuring out how to best communicate my thoughts to listeners in a way that they'll be able to connect to. In a lot of ways, my music is a very healing process for me - and I hope it can be a positive experience for those who listen to it as well. Also, recording the song is a freeing experience too - the performance of it. Basically, it's like singing the story to life.
Lastly, what's next for HYRA?
I'm extremely excited for my next single release, titled "All That I Said." It's set to drop on October 23rd. Along with the song, I'm in the middle of production for a music video! This next release is really special for me. It's an intimate story, which I hope lots of people can connect with.
