XANDER HAYES

At first glance, Xander Hayes is exactly what you’d expect of an aspiring Country star – he’s young, charming, and handsome. Take another look, though, and there is much more to this 27-year-old. Xander is a dedicated husband and father who hunts, fishes, butchers his own game . . . and quotes Winston Churchill. The bonus is his voice – a singularly rich tone, a powerful three-and-a-half octave range - it’s magical. His speaking voice is melodic, with hints of his first language, Afrikaans, lightly sweetening the English he speaks so well. But in some wild quirk of fate, there is little hint of his homeland when he sings; he could be from Nashville, Napa, Des Moines, or Denver. Hayes, however, was born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa – a novel birthplace for a Country star. The genre is a natural fit for him, though, as he’s been drawn to the melodies and stories found in great Country songs for years. “Lately I’ve become a huge fan of Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs and Jordan Davis,” Hayes notes. “I’ve always loved it though. There’s an honesty and passion to it that is hard to find in any other music. And I’m a country person – I was raising chickens in my Mum’s garden when I was 11 years old,” he adds with a laugh. Xander knows music, he’s performed everything from Afrikaans Pop to Jazz to Country. He’s already enjoyed chart and radio acclaim under his birth name of Xander Joubert in his homeland, with several Afrikaans Pop hits (“Aardbewing,” “Blus My,” “Jy Oortref My”) to his credit. “I do enjoy the Pop music scene here,” Hayes reflects. “It’s by far the most listened-to in South Africa, but I’ve been wanting to delve into Country for a long time now – and this is my chance.” Xander’s first release to U.S. Country radio is the rambunctious “Cooler,” written by Nashville hitmakers Bill DiLuigi, Derek Alldredge and Kathie Eidson.

Website: https://xanderhayesmusic.com/

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