For a long time, the music industry looked down on “internet artists.” The assumption was that if you started on YouTube or TikTok, you couldn’t actually cut it on a real stage. Haley Blais has spent the last few years completely dismantling that myth.
@haley_blais The accent came without warning #originalsong #newmusic
Don’t believe me? Well look no further than the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, where Haley has officially been tapped as a headliner. She’ll be taking the stage at Jericho Beach Park on July 17. For a kid who grew up in Kelowna and started her career with fun online videos to show off her musical talents, this is the ultimate hometown hero moment. Or better yet, home providence hero.
The data backs up the hype. Her latest album, Wisecrack, didn’t just win over fans, it won over the critics, landing her on the longlist for the Polaris Music Prize. While her early work was defined by a solo ukulele, her current sound is a massive, textured wall of nostalgia pop backed by a five piece band of other BC natives.
What makes Haley stand out in a crowded indie scene is her technical skill. Unlike many of her peers, she spent a decade as a classically trained opera singer before picking up a guitar. That foundation is obvious when you see her live. She has a vocal range that allows her to jump from a whisper to a stadium-filling belt without breaking a sweat. It’s why she’s been able to hold her own on tour with major BC exports like Peach Pit.
Haley represents a new kind of BC artist, one who built their own community online and then proved they could dominate the physical world, too. Watching her transition from a DIY YouTuber to a Folk Fest headliner is a reminder that the most interesting music in the province right now is coming from the people who weren’t afraid to start small.