Hunter Hayes is fresh off the release of his new single “If You Change Your Mind” and he caught up with RADIO.COM’s Rob + Holly to talk all about it.
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Hayes joined us for a RADIO.COM LIVE Check In and dug in on the meaning behind his anthemic new single. “The song is about missing somebody, the sort of illusion, the dreamlike nature of missing only the good things about something and being stuck in that dream," he says. "I wanted it to feel that way and get to feel like I wear a dope tux and feel like that guy for a day.”
The part about wearing a “dope tux” comes from the thumbnail image of the song’s video, which features Hayes giving off his best Great Gatsby impression. That part was intentional. “You know some songs you’re just like ‘I don’t know what the video should be. I don’t want it to be too close to the song. I don’t want to try to explain the song with the video.’ Sometimes you do, sometimes you feel like you have to,” he says.
“This was one of those where from the get-go I was like, ‘this is easy, I want to play Gatsby.’”
While Hunter looks dapper in his tux, he did share with us a funny behind-the-scenes anecdote. “Per usual we did it on a day where it was absolutely freezing. I don’t know that I’ve ever done a video in decent weather, it’s always been abnormally cold so it goes with tradition,” he says.
Rob + Holly also spent some time with Hunter reflecting on his career. Although he’s only 29, he’s been involved in music for a long time. “I’m really grateful for the fact that as an only child, as a young kid, I found a way to express myself in a very therapeutic way. I found a way to put life experiences into art,” he says. “It has its own life after I’m finished with it and I’m very grateful for that.”
“At the same time,” Hayes adds, “I do think it comes with the challenges of self-worth.”
“How much of myself I put in it is another thing to measure. Am I being honest with the world” Am I lying about my experiences to try and fit in more? Trying to find my own version of where the self-worth is attached to what I do and where it really shouldn’t be.”
He added, “If I were to go back and tell young me any of those things, I would have a long conversation about that.”
Red Sky (Part II) is expected to be released later this year, but Hayes gave us a sneak peek at the album. “Wild Blue (Part I) set the standard for personal and honest, which I love,” he says. “It allowed me to let that be the bar. I think now, it’s more adventurous. It explores a lot more territory. It feels like a road trip.”
“Wild Blue (Part I) was the planning stage, Red Sky (Part II) is getting in the car, getting on the road and doing it.”
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