Hayes Warner Lights Up New York
Words & photos by Anna Boylan | View full show gallery here
February 7, 2023 — Hayes Warner set the stage (almost literally) on fire during her performance at Mercury Lounge in New York City. She is the embodiment of what it means to be a pop star. The New York native’s contagious smile and bubbly, high-energy personality made her stand out before she even began singing.
Previous performances of the night included the mesmerizing singer Simone and radiant alt-indie pop musician, Loviet. After Loviet’s performance, the crowd calmed down and mingled throughout the venue, chatting amongst themselves or heading over to the bar.
In what seemed like a blink of an eye, people began pouring in, and the venue became packed. The band was setting up as the crowd chatted, beaming with excitement for Hayes’ performance. The demographic of the audience was actually surprising. While there was the usual crowd of 20-something-year-olds, there was also a bit of an older audience as well.
After much anticipation, the lights dimmed and it was show time. Hayes delivered an exhilarating first song. The energy was short lived, however, when the fire alarm suddenly began to go off. The crowd dishearteningly started to shuffle their way out of Mercury Lounge, wondering if this was going to be the end of her performance. But, after a few minutes, the fire alarm ended and we all rushed back to the stage, eager to hear more from this powerful vocalist. Was her performance so good that it set off the fire alarm? Was it a malfunction? Was it due to the fog machine? We may never know.
The rest of the show continued smoothly. Hayes delivered strong, powerful vocals and introduced each song with the inspiration behind it. Her interaction with the crowd was amazing, as she bent down to hold hands with the audience and sing directly to them.
In the middle of her performance, she made a toast to celebrate signing her first publishing deal. Shots of tequila and champagne smoothies were passed around the crowd, as a reference to lyrics in her upcoming single, “Airport”, which she performed after the toast. The audience waved their phone flashlights back and forth as she poured her heart out for us. She also then brought out tote bags that had her name on them, which she threw out to the crowd.
Hayes ended her show with her hit “SHUT UP” which left the venue shaking as the crowd went crazy, singing and dancing along with her.
Overall, Hayes Warner’s performance and her aura blew me away. Her confidence radiated throughout the night, and it was clear that she was made to be a star. I am truly excited to see what big things are coming up next for her and to hear more of her music in the future.
