Complimented by his smooth vocals & guitar playing, this song in its rawest form garnered 4M views.
Emerging artist, Haiden is set to release, “Can’t Hurt Me” on all streaming platforms on January 21,, with production from frequent collaborator Barry Fowler. Listen now with this Spotify Link and Lyrics. The track will be included in his upcoming debut EP releasing early 2022.
Following similarly 90s and 00s-inspired hits “Harmony”, “Welcome Home”, and the boy band era “Okay Ok K”, Haiden took his Shawn Mendes vibes and an unfinished song about his ex’s red flags “Can’t Hurt Me” to TikTok and the response is unbelievable, and the song went mega-viral.
Complimented by his smooth vocals & guitar playing, this song in its rawest form garnered 4M views, gaining him more than 35K TikTok followers & 10K Spotify pre-saves. Thousands of restless fans have pushed him to meet the demand.
“When I posted this song on TikTok, it wasn’t even fully written, let alone recorded or produced. So for the past week, we’ve been working relentlessly to finish it and make it as impactful as I know it can be.
I felt a specific type of pressure because “Can’t Hurt Me” went viral in its rawest form; just me playing it on an acoustic guitar. This made producing it especially challenging because we didn’t want to take away from what made the song and the story special in the first place.
I’m happy to say though, that its integrity has not only remained intact but has been amplified by the production. It is truly amazing.” – Haiden
The introductory chords create anxiety as if there’s impending bad news… but then it becomes so energized by the track’s beat-propelled vocals. Haiden literally rocks it and kicks you square in the broken heart with this song’s powerhouse lyrics and unabated emotion. Fans are already duetting, covering, and sharing the song. Listeners are going to be scream-singing this song from their cars.
Tell us about the genesis of your project. How did you get to where you are now?
I was a session guitarist for a bit and was playing on records for student artists at USC but developed a condition that prevented all mobility in my fretting hand. I was playing so much that I would have to soak it in ice for 40 minutes every morning. When my doctor told me that it wasn’t sustainable, I began writing to fill the musical void that was left behind. From there, I wrote a lot and obsessively studied my favorite writers. Within the trails they blazed I found my own narrative voice and began singing because I didn’t really know anyone that would want to sing my songs.
What should a song or piece of art communicate in your opinion?
When I’m writing, I’m constantly searching for purpose. Half the time I go into it blind with just a melody or a feeling and don’t know what I want to say. My favorite songs tend to be ones that use a story as a vehicle for a more all encompassing emotion. That way even if you don’t personally relate to the story or the story is vague, you can relate to what it’s emoting. Regardless of whether or not a personal story is your vehicle of choice, you can still say a lot without saying much.
Who were your top 3 artists last year?
Doja Cat, Cautious Clay, and FINNEAS are insanely talented.
What do you do when you’re feeling uninspired?
I used to force myself through those moments in an attempt to man handle creativity but lately I’ve learned that for me, my best work comes when I look forward to writing. This may mean that I only write one song a week but that one song is usually better than the 5 I could’ve written if I had forced myself to.
What are your 2022 projects and goals?
My debut EP will be dropping sometime in 2022 which is incredibly nerve racking. More than anything, I want it to establish my sound being that a lot of my releases up until now have been a bit experimental. I want people to know what Haiden’s sound is.
Favorite movie or TV show?
I just started watching Euphoria for the first time after an onslaught of pressure by my friends and wow… It really is special. Also Dexter was recently rebooted and it’s so fucking good. Movies are some of my favorite forms of entertainment and my taste is a mixed bag. It kinda mirrors my taste in music such that I don’t really care what the genre is as long as the story and writing is dope. I’m a superhero nerd and love the world building of the MCU while also feverishly admiring films like Call Me By Your Name and The Lighthouse.
Tell us about your latest release and how it came about
“Can’t Hurt Me” came from a riff that I made over a year ago while just starting to take music seriously (that riff is now the foundation of the intro and post chorus). When I stumbled on it again I was wanting to write a modern version of a song called “I Don’t Wanna Know” by Mario Winans. In it, he says, “I don’t wanna know/If you’re playin’ me/Keep it on the low/Cause my heart can’t take it anymore.” Also Diddy has a super fun verse in it. In relationships now, one’s phone is typically the main accomplice in their infidelity so I wanted to highlight that. The chorus has a certain sweetness to it with an underlying pain that nicely rolls into the phrase “What I don’t know can’t hurt me.” That phrase just felt right because of how common it is and how cleanly it wrapped up what I wanted to say.
What is something you would want to change in the music and entertainment industry?
Royalties are pretty absurd. Even more so for songwriters. An interesting fact is that songwriters get ⅙ the amount of money per stream that record labels get. To think that the entire foundation of the music industry is getting taken advantage of so shamelessly kinda infuriates me. Without songwriters, there would be no music to listen to or sell.
Can you outline your creative process?
Being a guitar player, I start a lot of songs with chords that really grab me in some way. Other times, a melody pops into my head while showering or something and I find the chords afterwards. From there, I flesh out melodies for the first verse through the first chorus and fill them in with words. It’s kinda like a jigsaw in that there are gaps that need to be filled with a certain number of syllables while also saying something profound and interesting, both lyrically and melodically.
Who inspires your style and aesthetics?
My bank account is definitely my greatest fashion influence hahaha. I thrift 95% of everything I wear. And I don’t mean LA thrift stores because those might as well be retail as well. I drive a few hours out of the city to find thrift stores that sell pants for $4. That’s my jam. As for who inspires my looks, I really dig Ezra Miller’s style because of how off the wall it is. I also love how effortlessly he combines traditionally feminine and masculine pieces to create a whole new palette of colors, textures, and fits. A few honorable mentions are Tyler the Creator, Harry Styles, and Rihanna (obviously).
What is the achievement or moment in your career you are the most proud of and why?
I think going viral on TikTok was a greatly needed dose of encouragement. It changed so much for me to know that there are people that actually like my music. After 9 months or so of being my own cheerleader, writing songs can lose it’s vibrance. I’m super happy to have this new family of fans.
What do you think an artist should sing about nowadays?
I think about this a lot. And I’ve kinda come to the conclusion that writing about things that you don’t actually care about is never good. If global, political, or social issues are the things that plague your mind then write about them. If getting cheated on by your significant other is what’s on your mind right now then write about that. Nothing is worse than disingenuously writing about something that you don’t actually care about so stick to what you’re feeling and let that guide you.
Do you have any regrets?
So many… But I’m gonna pull out a cliche line and say that I wouldn’t change them because I really like where I’m at right now and without those regrettable things, I might not be here. If you asked me tomorrow though, I’d probably say something different haha.
What is some piece of advice you would give to yourself right now?
A friend recently told me that I am a career artist. Not one that lives for individual moments of virality or success. Release and write what matters to you right now regardless of how well it does on TikTok. Just get it out because if you’re doing it for the approval of others, you won’t ever be satisfied.
