Meet Hailish

I'm sat in a coffee shop, ears at the ready, and as I hit play, I can't help but crack a smile. This, of course, is all thanks to Ella Fernandez and Hannah Kroh—the roommates turned best friends turned musical duo, otherwise known as Hailish. Today, the girls of Hailish release their self-titled debut EP—a cocktail of syrupy sweet harmonies, pure lyrics, and lilting instrumentals that make listening to it a serious delight. I had the pleasure of talking to the pair about their friendship, musical influences, and future endeavors. Read the full Q&A down below.

So, how did you get into music?

ELLA FERNANDEZ (EF): Ever since I can remember I have been writing songs. I grew up with two big music-loving parents, so I was raised on bands like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, The Police, etc. My parents were always super supportive of my music and bought me my first guitar at the age of 11, so I could finally accompany my angsty-preteen lyrics of the time. I was also really involved in chorus in High School. Although I had always been writing songs, I didn't really consider music as a possibility until I was featured on my good friend, Justin Gonzalez's song, "Eyespit" when I was 17. Working on that song was the first time I had ever been in a studio before, but more importantly, was the first time I had people really recognizing me as an artist. People I didn't even know would walk up to me at parties and compliment me on my voice, and it just made me feel like an absolute rockstar. I thought, "Okay now this is cool. They actually like what I've got to say and respect me for being me." I am so grateful to have that experience at the beginning of my story.

HANNAH KROH (HK): I started musical theater and chorus when I was in middle school. Then from there, I started voice lessons every week for the next 6 years. I was being trained to sing musical theater, jazz and classical. I was also singing in church every Sunday like clockwork. My mom listened to country, and my dad listened to alternative and classic rock. I always loved singing, that comes from Mama Kroh. Music was so prominent throughout my life—l always knew it would be something that I would do.

How was Hailish conceived?

EF: Hannah and I have been roommates ever since we started school at Belmont University. Throughout our three years as students, I have been really working on developing my craft as a songwriter. Coming into freshman year, I wasn't the best at talking about how I was truly feeling. Instead, I would write songs about the things I was going through; breakups, makeups, and nights we both wish we could forget. I was lucky because Hannah was there through everything. She would always listen to my songs as I would practice and perfect them and helped me channel a lot of my emotions into my lyrics. One day we were both singing my song, "Colorado" and she began harmonizing to it naturally. It sounded so beautiful to me, and it felt good to have someone else to believe in just as much as I did. So I asked her, "Would you want to want to be in a duo with me? You know all of these songs already, and I can't really imagine doing this with anyone else." We've been making music together ever since.

HK: Ella and I were roommates freshman year and still are! When we lived in our tiny dorm at Belmont, I heard all of her songs and watched her process for writing them. One day I guess we just started harmonizing and working on them together. Sophomore year changed everything for us though because that's when we met our kick-ass producer, Lee Tuner. Lee was one of the first people who believed in our music careers and took a huge chance on us. Without him, we would've never met the musicians who accompanied us on all of our tracks, and we would still be playing these songs behind closed doors!

Is there a secret meaning behind the name “Hailish”?

EF: It actually took us a while to find a name that we thought was a good fit for us. We wanted something that would stick but also something that encompassed the sound that we produced. I remember making a list on my phone of words that I thought were beautiful--tangerine, jaded, and mauveine were some to name a few. I loved those words because they rolled off the tongue and just made me feel at ease—how I wanted people to feel when they listened to our music. After much consideration, however, we chose a name that we thought connected us to each other. We ended up picking the name "Hailish" because "Hail Hall" at Belmont University was our dorm freshman year and was where we first met each other.

What inspires your music?

EF: Growing up in Florida I was always really inspired by my surroundings, especially by the ocean. Writing lyrics that describe the beauty of my home, even the temporary ones, lets me share what I am feeling in that specific moment. One of my biggest musical influences has got to be Frank Ocean. I remember listening to him for the first time back in high school and being absolutely blown away by the delicacy of his lyrics. His words were like honey to me, and that was really the first time I understood how to be intimate in my writing but also establish a cool vibe melodically. Similar to Ocean, I am inspired by telling stories through my songwriting that audiences can connect to on a personal level.

HK: Ella does right now! I came to school as a voice major and fell out of love with singing for a few semesters. Then Ella and I decided to start Hailish, and I found that passion once again. I think what also inspires me is the artists I surround myself with here. So many people are doing music, but they each try to set themselves apart in unique ways. That inspires me to continue to be creative, work hard and stand out.

What do you love most about your work?

EF: I love making music because it has allowed me to have a voice. Even as a little kid, I always had a clear vision of how I wanted to present myself and my voice. My songs have always revolved around intimate moments in my life, so it's been really cool to get the chance to be vulnerable but also have people want to listen to what I have to say. Everything good takes a team though. I love this kind of work because creating this EP has connected us to such talented and open-minded people. We had such an incredible team working with us on this EP, and I know we will both be forever changed by this adventure.

HK: I love the fact that I get to do it with my best friend, but other than that, I love the way our songs make you feel when you listen to them. They just remind me of warmth and the summertime. The words are one of my favorite aspects of this project as well. Listen and let them paint the scene for you.

How did moving to Nashville/LA influence your take on music making?

EF: Before moving to Nashville, I had no idea what it meant to be involved with the Music Industry and how many people currently work in it. I never knew anyone who had ever gone the route of a performer, but in Nashville, I gained a lot of the knowledge I needed to build my brand. Nashville has introduced me to so many new people who have had such a large impact on me and my music. I believe that in a lot of ways, my music is an ode to these people—the ones who have made me feel something throughout my life.

Los Angeles was honestly a life-changing experience for me. It was in that place that I realized how passionate I truly am about making our voices heard through our music. It was so inspiring to live somewhere where everyone was working so hard in order to create different works of art. I met so many amazing people out there as well and really found an inner confidence that I didn't even know I was missing. I can't wait to return to California—I'm definitely not done with it yet!

HK: Moving to Nashville definitely changed my taste in music. If you had asked me a couple years ago what I was listening to, it was probably all country. Moving to Nashville, you would think I'd be even more immersed in country music than before, but not completely. Here my eyes have been opened to more artists and genres that I never would've never heard about back in New Jersey.

What is the story behind your EP?

HK: This EP is a reflection of a lot of things Ella has been through as well as things we've been through together. Not only did these songs come from memories, but they also created memories for us. We hope to continue that by sharing these five songs with the rest of the world.

Where can we take a listen?

Both: Our debut self-titled EP will be available on all streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Title, iTunes, Soundcloud, etc.) starting on May 10th, 2019!

What more can we expect from you guys in 2019?

EF: Hopefully we will be playing some shows around the Nashville area, as well as working on getting our name out there. This is just the beginning for us, and we're really looking forward to hearing everyone's responses to the EP.

HK: Definitely some new content too. We have met with a lot of amazing people who share our vision and want to help us bring it all to life. Since we are in our early 20s, we're really still trying to find ourselves, but I think one of the best ways to grow is through music. We really want to share our lives with everyone and let people get to know us. Maybe start a youtube channel soon? Who knows!

Any closing sentiments?

Both: Thank you so much to Strike Magazine for allowing us to share our story! We are really looking forward to the future, and we hope you'll give our debut EP a listen! We have always found peace through music, and we hope that these songs will bring you that same peace. Much love!

Strike Out,

Writer: Janna McCabe

Editor: Savannah Tindall

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