Electronic Press Kit
If HAIM & Shania Twain got together to make music, their sonic sister would be Hayley Marsten. Her sophomore release, Girlhood, glittered into the world in June 2023. As described by Apple Music ‘her darkly dramatic country anthems bear rousing traces of 1970s rock’, Girlhood is a triumph.
Her sharp pen and open heart led to the creation of her stellar debut, ‘Spectacular Heartbreak’ in 2019. The album was crowdfunded, nominated for Alt-Country Album of the Year at the Golden Guitars, Country Work of the Year at the Queensland Music Awards in 2020 and was streamed over half a million times.
3 years on from her debut, Hayley has signed with Cheatin Hearts Records, graced the stage of CMC Rocks, toured nationally with headline shows and supported industry stalwarts like Fanny Lumsden. As described by Marsten ‘Girlhood is an album for my younger self’, but it most closely represents where she’s at right now, both as an artist and a person: sometimes sassy, always heartfelt. And something tells us Baby Hayley would wholeheartedly approve of Girlhood, which is, unquestionably, her adult counterpart’s most honest and accomplished set of songs to date.
Previous Albums
Bragworthy Quotes
“I’ve had the great privilege of mentoring Hayley via APRA AMCOS’ Women In Music Mentoring program and I’m so excited for her brand new single, ‘Drowning Myself’. It heralds such a fresh and exciting new phase in her career and leaves no doubt of her strong pop writing sensibilities and dedication to her art”
“I’m excited about this songwriter”
“From the moment Hayley shared Drowning Myself with me in its demo stages, I could feel this newfound sense of empowerment bubbling to the surface in Hayley’s writing. She has always had a wonderful confidence in her sound, but something about this new musical direction to me seems to hold a newly awakened raw intensity as if she’s lifting the veil to reveal her most vulnerable self. This song sounds like nothing you’ve heard from Hayley before, and yet, it sounds more like her than anything else I’ve heard. Hayley knows who she is and what she wants to say more than almost any other artist I’ve met, and it shows now more than ever in the way she’s writing.”
“Australia’s answer to Kacey Musgraves”
“A power anthem - the Cher-based anthem I needed today. Powerful in all the ways, with catchy thrown in too. Thanks HM!”
Videos
Big Hoorays! (Career Highlights)
‘Getting Better’ was nominated in the Country category at the Queensland Music Awards 2024
CMC Rocks Performer 2024
Thirroul Music Festival performer 2023
Songs from ‘Girlhood’ added to Apple Music Playlists; Today’s Country, Aussie Country, A Little Bit Country, Country Risers, New Music Daily, Wildflower (Indie Pop).
Girlhood debuted at #4 on the ARIA Country Charts
Girlhood national album tour visited Brisbane, Gladstone, Sydney, Wollongong, Bundaberg
Girlhood was a featured release on Apple Music during the release week June 2023
Girlhood featured on Women in Pop, ABC National Drive, Countrytown & Sunburnt Country.
Signed to Cheatin’ Hearts Records
CMC Rocks 2023 Performer
Named one of AIRs Women in Music Mentees 2022
‘Bittersweet at Best’ added to ABC Local National Radio playlist in October 2022
‘I’m Fine, Thanks’ music named Rolling Stone AU’s ‘Video of the Week’ on release week.
Hayley named as one of Groundwater Country Music Festival Performers for 2022
Hayley named as one of the Deni Ute Muster festival performers for 2022
Crowdfunded over $20k to make my second album
Hayley included in BIGSOUND’s 21st Birthday Celebration festival, Big Summer Block Party in November 2021
‘Drowning Myself’ was nominated for a Queensland Music Award in the country category 2022.
‘Drowning Myself’ released October 8th 2021, produced by Aria Winner Magoo with Dan Sugars and Hayley Marsten.
‘Drowning Myself’ playlisted on Apple Music editorial playlists upon release.
‘Drowning Myself’ played on Double J’s Tower of Song.
Released the digital EP ‘Spectacular’, 4 songs from ‘Spectacular Heartbreak’ re-imagined on grand piano on June 15 2021.
Recipient of an APRA AMCOS Women in Music Mentorship in the pop/rock genre, mentored by rock icon, Adalita
Hayley was named as one of the 2020 BIGSOUND50.
Headlined the ‘Sass & Rhinestones’ Queensland tour in September/October 2020 with multiple Covid Sold Out Shows.
The self-directed, self-produced and self-edited music video for ‘Pretty’ was added to high rotation on CMT Australia.
‘Spectacular Heartbreak’ was named a finalist for Alt-Country Album of the Year at the 2020 Golden Guitar Awards.
‘Wendy’ was named a finalist for Country Work of the Year at The Queensland Music Awards.
‘Spectacular Heartbreak’ was playing on commercial radio, peaked at #3 on The Music Network Charts and has been streamed over 260,000 times.
The Spectacular Heartbreak tour spanned 20 dates, 4 states and 3 months. Almost every show was sold out or packed to the rafters.
Hayley opened for Fanny Lumsden’s Country Halls Tour and Troy Cassar-Daley on the Legend and the Locals tour.
‘Red Wine, White Dress’ was one of the longest-running songs on The Music Network Charts and The Country Tracks Charts for Q1 2019.
‘Wendy’ was streamed over 210,000 times on Spotify.
‘Wendy’ was added to ‘Fresh Country’ on Spotify, ABC Country & ABC Local Playlists and reached #18 on The Music Network charts and #25 on the Country Music Channel charts.
Over $17,000 was raised through crowdfunding to record my debut album
#1 Single on Kix Country Radio (‘Coming Home’ December 2018)
Opened for/toured with Fanny Lumsden, Troy Cassar-Daley, Imogen Clark, Bennett, Bowtell & Urqhart, Brad Butcher, Clare Bowditch, Deborah Conway, Katie Noonan, Amber Lawrence, James Blundell, Rachael Fahim, Casey Barnes, Arna Georgia and Andrew Swift.
Grants received from Arts Queensland, Regional Arts Fund & Regional Arts Development Fund for recording, music videos, launch shows. All written and acquitted by Hayley.