Overview

Hello world! My name is Hailien, and I'm a singer-songwriter from the USA.

My whole life I have been a singer and a writer, and in the last few years I decided to combine the two and start writing my own original songs on a consistent basis. Because I am a pretty anxious person, I didn’t know if music was ever something I could truly pursue. In fact, I felt almost positive that it was something I could never commit to. Then last year, I spontaneously decided to share a demo of mine with a friend who I consider to be very critical and hard to impress, and they had nothing but good things to say about it. And at that moment, something just clicked in my mind. And I said to myself, “I’m going to do this. I’m good at this. I deserve at least the chance of making something happen with my music.”

I have always loved music, and I always had an innate sense that it was something I needed to be involved in, even if it was on a small scale, like writing and recording songs in my bedroom that would never see the light of day. Things completely shifted for me last year, when I released 2 songs to the public for the very first time. After all the wonderful feedback I received about those songs on social media, I feel confident now that this is the path I’m supposed to follow.

I have always dreamt of using my music and my potential platform to help others - and that continues to be at the front of my mind on this musical journey. I write primarily about mental health and the complicated nature of a human existence. If my music helps someone feel understood, heard, comforted, hopeful, touched, or transformed in any capacity, then it is a mission accomplished in my mind. And that, aside from my love of creating, is what has kept me motivated to keep going.

The material is ready, and the musicians are waiting -- this Plaid Dog campaign is the final step toward creating my first ever, professionally produced studio EP.

This campaign is raising funds for my professionally recorded EP with Carter Sanders in Boston, MA. Carter is a Boston-based producer and engineer with experience working with both established and up-and-coming musicians. Together, Carter and I are digging into my original material, writing arrangements, and reaching out to local musicians to bring the songs to life.

We’ve been able to cover the costs of recording and producing one song, which is ready for you to check out right here on this page. This first song is called “Aurora,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund the recording process for "Aurora", to create an album of songs of this quality, studio costs add up quickly. Your donation will cover the following costs of my project:

1. Pre-Production: This is where everything starts. Carter and I will start crafting the arrangements for each song slated for the EP. We’ll hold rehearsals to fine-tune the songs and arrangements and talk through new and exciting ideas for how to approach the recording process.

2. Recording: This is when we enter the studio and start capturing the music and where the songs become what you'll hear on this album. This campaign will play a huge role in making sure we have enough time to capture great performances for every member of the band.

3. Mixing & Mastering: Each track will get mixed to create the right balance between instruments, texture and color that make up a track. As a final step, the album will be mastered from beginning to end so that the listening experience is cohesive and carefully choreographed from start to finish.

And what will you get for your generosity and support? So many awesome things!

I am so appreciative and grateful for any support you can lend to this campaign. In exchange for your generosity, I've put together a group of little gifts that are available exclusively through your participation in this campaign.

Check out some examples below and a full list to the right!

It's hard to express how much this project would change my life.

The chance to professionally record songs that mean so much to me is very exciting. And I want this EP, that I have truly put my heart and soul into, to be the start of something bigger. I want to continue making music, expand my reach and my platform, and become the person I always wanted to be - a person who can help others on a large scale. Each song represents a different mental state, a different stage of my life, a different issue I have dealt with. And my hope is that they will resonate on some level, with somebody. 

If you're ready to contribute, just click the "Back This Project" button on the top right of this page! Every little bit counts, and I’m so grateful for all your support.

If you have folks in your network that would be interested in supporting me, please feel free to share this page with them.

Thank you so much for checking out my campaign page. I can't wait to share this music with you.