Making it her own

[Tom22]

^ Haley says she picked Free in this video....(and rejected the rest that were sent to her)...



They bracket these videos with bits of Undone.

Yeah, ok.

She does say specifically at 1:10 that she got all the songs together for the album and picked Free.

While she says exactly that I still wonder if she felt like she made a commitment to the song...OR was saying the right thing to allay fan's questions OR doing a long term relationship thing in not wanting to look like she was trying to choose something that she'd get more money from and cut out a share of Busbee's? ..

BUT

You're right. She says specifically that she chose "Free" after hearing her other songs and any speculation I'd still have that she was doing a little card playing with that statement is just that.(making up things that she didn't say : ) I hadn't heard that though and thanks for linking it for me)

[danzeb]

I'm not as sold on that Vegas version of free. Its all a matter of opinion and personal taste of course, but the way she turns it into a ballad feels a bit forced.... the singing is beautiful but, I don't think it fits the song.

Agree completely. I'll add that the piano sounds nice but it sounds like it's backing for a different song.

[alpha7388]

Getting out of the studio with a product fast makes it easier for the artist to make money eventually; one of the biggest costs is producing and you eat it up for extra days.

[Miguel]

John was suggesting she live with the songs for awhile before getting in the studio and recording them.

I agree -- not because she might want to perform them in a different manner as discussed here -- but because good writing is often a result of rewriting. That could be the difference between a good song and a great song.

[Tusk]

^ Haley says she picked Free in this video....(and rejected the rest that were sent to her)...


They bracket these videos with bits of Undone.

Free was the first song she recorded for the album and I'm sure she got a lot of positive feedback about it. A&R types probably told her "that's a single." It had the wind at it's back for sure.

When will we ever learn that Haley always follows through with her stated purpose.? She has never budged from it, even in the face of telling the record people 'Thnx but no thnx...I want to write my own songs"

Only in hindsight, when we are reminded in these interviews, do we realise her focus and determination to forge forward until she accomplishes what she set out to do.

This video perfectly shows her determination to stick to her guns. Thnx John

[My Alter Ego]

John was suggesting she live with the songs for awhile before getting in the studio and recording them.

I agree -- not because she might want to perform them in a different manner as discussed here -- but because good writing is often a result of rewriting. That could be the difference between a good song and a great song.

Well, I agree with both points, although I'm not certain that music always benefits from the rewrites/edits commonly associated with "verbal" composition. It occurs to me that the stories associated with a number of "great songs" ("The Christmas Song" comes to mind) are written quite quickly. Someone I know who writes a lot of her own music (nothing that any of you have heard -- unfortunately) is generally most pleased with the songs she's written in a really short time. I'm not sure why -- until now, it never occurred to me to ask.

[midnightblues]

Would she have done things the same way given a fresh start..><

[buzzenator]

The premise of this thread and all of the subsequent speculation within it as to the reasons Haley and Interscope parted ways IMO speaks highly to the strong, principled young lady that Haley Effin’ Reinhart is. She is mature beyond her years.

There's Haley the artist and there's Haley the business woman. Every artist enters the arena with the artistic side of their brain functioning quite well, and most probably are not gifted in the left side of the brain with what may be termed the business side. It's why they are probably artists, so much creativity packed on one side. This is why artists need a team of people to help guide them through the business side of things.

Here's what does not make sense to me as to the reason for the split with Interscope:

Haley co-writes 9 out of 10 songs on her first album (13 out of 14 on the deluxe version) and we know she co-wrote many others that do not make the album. She calls these songs that made the album "her babies". One song, 'Free', is picked in advance to be the lead single, which she agrees with. Two other songs, 'Oh My' and 'Undone', are advertised as featured songs by the collective brain trust at Interscope, et al.

Everyone involved is aware that the buying public will decide how successful an album will become and what songs will be the biggest hits. If I am part of Haley's team, the collective mantra is "We'll get behind the winning horse". Whatever song strikes gold, we'll get behind it.

The album has many love songs in which good break-ups, bad break-ups, good guys, bad guys, happy times and sad times all come into play. Haley knows all this right? Her team knows all this right? So, how does one song (Undone) that Haley co-wrote and is one of "her babies", which seems to be pulling away from the rest of the pack, become something she can not get behind. It's not logical. It doesn't make any business sense. Given that her parents have to be a part of her team...they must be explaining that it doesn't matter which song people like the most, 'give em' what they want.

If you remember, Harry stated "she is a pistol" when describing his daughter's personality back in the early Idol days. I took that to mean she probably has a very independent streak combined with a big personality...not to imply I know Harry's mind on this. We also remember that her high school Jazz leader, Brian Logan, stated that when she first tried out to be the jazz vocalist, he gave her some sheet music to look over. As I recall, he stated that she crumbled it up. He remembers the incident fondly as if to say that she has a very determined view of things...not going to call it a stubbornness...probably more like the positive aspects of the artistic side, totally focused on what she wants to do and become. (am I on a roll here...or did I lose everyone?)

My point is that it is not logical for the whole deal to fall apart because Haley wouldn't get behind promoting 'Undone' (and we don't know that is the case)...it isn't that simple. There has to be other reasons, all of which we have no clue what those reasons are. Maybe Jimmy Iovine had a bad day at the office, maybe the album didn't sell enough...maybe Randy Jackson got involved (we could use a villain in this story)?

At this stage...she still is the 'talent'. Her artistic abilities will shine through in the end...you can't take that away from her.

[kaypea]

Maybe part of this discussion should be what should she-or can she be doing right now in terms of "making it her own".I'm thinking in terms of what's really best for her right now for keeping her name out there,not to mention trying to improve herself as a performer.etc.

I posted somewhere else that hopefully Las Vegas was an eye opener for her-and her manager in terms of what's possible.If Haley really wants to start making it her own at this point I'd hope that she would be able to say to her manager,after Las Vegas that this is what I need to be doing more of right now-as opposed to running around doing charity events and the like.

[Himm2]

Charity Events are in the Reinhart's blood, which is very respectable even if they can't really afford to offer their time free of charge. Yes Haley knows what she wants and how to get there (whether it's the right approach or not). I remember Patti saying that she & Harry were reviewing Haley's contracts before she signed the dotted line, so they offered their professional input.