Storytime: Hayden Kaye

September 8, 2014
David Wexler

Hayden KayeRobert Hayden Tieman and Miranda Kaye Hamilton met three years ago while cast as love interests in Oscar Wilde’s play, An Ideal Husband, in a black box theater at Northern Kentucky University.

They eventually began dating, formed an alternative, folk-rock duet and are focused on making it big in the music industry. So far, they’re off to a good start.
On Aug. 31, the duo (known as Hayden Kaye — taken from their middle names) released its second album Step Forth, an album about “self-development, hope and taking chances.” And on Sept, 13, Tieman, 22, and Hamilton, 21, will open for Country Music Hall of Famer John Michael Montgomery at the Plex in Batesville, Ind. — their biggest performance yet.

“We’re on this journey discovering ourselves through music, inviting our listeners to do the same,” the duo says.

Last fall, the pair opened for Grammy-nominated band Gungor for the kickoff to Gungor’s world tour.

Janglin Souls recently caught up with Hayden Kaye  to discuss the release of their new album and video, opening for John Michael Montgomery, and their love for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

Q: When and how did you discover Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros?

Robert: I saw Edward Sharpe’s first album in Shake It Records in Cincinnati. I had never heard of them before, but their album art intrigued me. I decided to purchase “Up From Below” and have been listening to them ever since. When I met Miranda, I introduced her to their music, and they became one of her favorite bands.

Q: Why are you two such big ESMZ fans?

A: Their music is so relatable and catchy. You can listen to them anytime, anywhere no matter what mood you are in. They have a great variety of songs and do their best to make a positive impact on peoples’ lives.

Q: What does their music mean to you?

A: Edward Sharpe’s music energizes the soul. The Magnetic Zeros provides for us what we need in order to be inspired as young musicians.

Q: How many ESMZ concerts have you attended? Please share your favorite ESMZ story/experience/moment? 

Robert: Three. Twice at Iroquois Amphitheatre-Louisville, Ky., and at Bonnaroo 2013 – Manchester, Tenn….They invited Miranda and me onto their tour bus our second time we saw them in Louisville. We met some of the band members and talked about what it takes to make it in music, and I asked Alexander for advice on being a young music artist. We also gave Jade a copy of our EP. It was an unforgettable experience for both of us.

Q: How did the the two of you meet?

Miranda: We met about three years ago and have been dating for two years. We both were theatre majors at Northern Kentucky University, and we met during a college play. We were cast as the love interests in Oscar Wilde’s play, An Ideal Husband, and have been friends ever since.

Q: How would you describe Hayden Kaye and your music?

A: Hayden Kaye is a folk-rock duo from the Greater Cincinnati area. We play at local and national venues, festivals, parties and weddings. We have two albums available on Spotify and iTunes. Last October, we opened for the Grammy-nominated band Gungor on the first show of their world tour. We are working hard to pursue music as a full-time profession and hope to go on tour in the near future to share our music with the world.

Our music is acoustic, organic, and appeals to a wide variety of listeners. We include strong harmonies along with expressive lyrics. We make it our goal to write songs that have meaning and worth, while applying the richness of folk music. We’ve even written a folk-opera based on our song “Angel of Stone,” which tells the tragic story of the life and death of a young girl.

Q: What instruments do you both play?

A: Robert sings and plays the acoustic guitar and harmonica. Miranda sings and plays hand percussion and the ukulele.

Q: When did you guys learn you would be opening for John Michael Montgomery?

Robert: We were in our Bonnaroo tent this past summer, and we received a text message about it from our band manager.

Miranda: We are very excited and honored to be opening for such a big name. He is actually from Kentucky, where Robert was born and raised.  This concert is hosted by an arts organization that I have been involved with called Rural Alliance for the Arts. A friend from the organization submitted our music, and John Michael Montgomery chose us to open for him.

Q: Talk about your involvement with the Wesley Foundation?

A: During our college years, we played worship music for the gatherings and led weekly Bible studies. We also went on mission trips to Biloxi, Miss., two years in a row to volunteer for a homeless community called Seashore Mission. These experiences have helped us grow in our faith.

Q: How can fans get a hold of your music?

A: It’s available in a few different record stores in the Greater Cincinnati area. We also sell our CDs at each one of our shows. Check our calendar here.  Our music is also on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and other online stores.


To learn more about Hayden Kaye, visit www.haydenkaye.com.

 

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