"Dreis is a compelling performer, one of the scene's brightest voices..." - Otis Taylor, The State
"A balanced, mature and nuanced pop record marked with compelling melodies..." Patrick Wall, Columbia Free-Times
"Her debut album, released this year, is a slick pop record full of her own original tunes that immediately ranks as one of the best local albums of the year," Kevin Oliver, Columbia Free-Times
"For anyone wanting to hear a new voice in pop music with maturity and knowledge beyond her years, Beautiful To Me should be checked out..." Jared Jernagan, Banner Graphic
I can't remember when I first started wanting to write songs. But I know I've always been making music.
I kind of begged my mom to start playing Suzuki violin when I was six. And after all the training on my cardboard box violin, I finally found love when I started playing a real one. :)
I adore classical music. Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Debbusy, Steve Reich - It's all those guys - who have set a really cool foundation for me. And the experience has inspired me to seek even more - folk, jazz, soul, blues, country, acoustic, progressive, rock, and the awesomeness of pop.
It's when I'm hearing Sara Bareilles sing her epic tale of heartbreak in "Gravity" with unbelievable skill and poise, or watching John Mayer's "Where The Light Is" live DVD for the millionth time, that I realize just how amazing and powerful songwriting is.
I'm inspired by every little thought that goes through my head. And whether it's something that makes me mush about an adorably innocent relationship, or addressing a very difficult issue about self-image and mortality, it's all real to me. I think the best thing about pop is that it's real to you too.
I don't know what pushed me to make this record, but I'm so thankful and overwhelmed that I did! Thank you so much for being here, listening, and for coming along for the journey. You are what makes this awesome.
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To be an artist is to propel the culture; to meld the classic with the contemporary and to create something new. Just like multi-talented singer/songwriter Haley Dreis does with her debut indie release, “Beautiful to Me.” Currently a student at the University of South Carolina, where she is studying music and journalism, Dreis has already been making waves through the New York City scene. The teen talent next takes the excitement nationwide with the release of “Beautiful to Me” on CDBaby and iTunes.
The artist may be new to the pop world, where she accompanies her gentle and versatile vocals fluently on violin, piano, and guitar, but she’s known the stage since she began studying violin at the tender age of six. "I've been immersed in the classical music realm, which is a very different feel. I think it's more cutthroat, fierce, competitive," Dreis recently told the Greencastle Banner-Graphic. "But at the same time, you get a lot of background in theory and history….I'm comfortable with melody. Playing the violin has helped me with melody lines."
In high school, she continued her musical studies at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Using her classical training as a base, and inspired by her reporting duties for USC's Daily Gamecock, which has given her the chance to interview artists like Gavin DeGraw and Katy Perry, she taught herself how to play guitar barely a year ago over a break in her studies.
Favoring substance and creativity, Haley is drawn to compelling melodies and thoughtful lyrics which she has intelligently crafted into songs which speak universally. She is inspired by introspective content that spans far beyond love - politics, spirituality, the arts, optimism and self-worth. Without losing touch of her grounding in the music of Mozart and Bach, her new CD blends in the raw power of indie artists like Damien Rice and Iron & Wine, the folk flavor of Sara McLachlan and Jewel, the soulful elements of Sara Bareilles and John Mayer, and the pop accessibility of Jason Mraz and Michelle Branch.
As Dreis notes, at its essence, all music is related. Immersing oneself in one genre doesn’t mean that all genres are off limits. "I'm not really crossing over because I think that music is just the base and it extends into different genres and whatever your interests are. Just because I do pop music doesn't mean I'm not going to do classical ever again."
