EPK
"Hayden McHugh is one of the most professional vocal artists I have ever worked with. They are positive, dependable, incredibly talented and dedicated to their craft. Beyond that they have impressive creative abilities as an artist, always pushing themselves to aim higher and do better with every performance they brings to an audience.”
~ Kelley Matley, Creative & Managing Director for Le Cirque de la Nuit
About Hayden
“If you gave Elton John a beat pad, you’d get yourself Hayden McHugh”
With joyful tones and happy beats, Hayden McHugh looks to make you smile with their brand of feel-good dance-pop. They are a producer, songwriter, and vocalist from Calgary, Canada, and is ‘a vibrant, exciting, and collected individual, poised to make their presence felt in the ever-evolving Calgary arts community.’
Reminiscent to artists like Robyn, LAUV, and LANY, each song is carefully crafted to both move you emotionally while simultaneously inspiring you to dance and sing along. They have performed pride festivals all over Canada including in Calgary (2022), Fernie (2021), and Yellowknife (2019), opened for artists such as Scenic Route to Alaska at the Gateway in Calgary (2018), and the Monowhales at Folk on the Rocks in Yellowknife (2019). Their most recent release, ‘Forgettin’ Ya’ received significant accolades by both local and international press outlets, and also an amazing response by a variety of creators across platforms, being used by dozens of creators.
Also an avid songwriter, Hayden has also written songs with and for various artists including Nicole Rayy, Mariya Stokes, Tom Lewis, working with songwriters both locally and internationally to write songs for them in genres not limited to EDM, Pop, and Country music. Most recently, ‘Graveyard’, written by Sam Davs, David Madras, and Hayden, was used by almost 1000 creators on Tik Tok, placed on Amazon Music’s “Break Through Country” and “Brand New Music” playlists, and even peaked at #57 on the iTunes Canada Country charts.
Music & Videos
Live Performance Highlights
Festival
Acoustic
Career Highlights
Press
‘Pride in Music’ - Show Feature (2021, Canada)
‘To The Point’ Music Review - “Forgettin’ Ya” (2021, United States)
CJSR 88.5 - Spotlight, “Forgettin’ Ya:” (2021, Canada)
Reads Rainbow - ‘Artist Interview...'' (2021, United States)
OUT LOUD Queer Music Podcast - “Hayden McHugh is ‘Up All Night’ (United States, 2020)
Talk About Pop Music - ‘Hayden McHugh is back with a “Smile”!' (2019, United States)
Twisted Male Mag - New Single - Smile (2019, Germany)
Industry
Canada’s Music Incubator 2022 “Artist Entrepreneur West” Professional Development Program
Calgary Arts Development & RISE UP YYC “Downtown Revitalization” Live Performance Grant Recipient 2022
Calgary Arts Development & RISE UP YYC “Rise Up Weekends” Live Performance Grant Recipient 2021
Pop Recording of the Year Nominee, YYC Music Awards, 2021
Artist of the Year Nominee, YYC Music Awards, 2019
Single of the Year Nominee, YYC Music Awards, 2018
Touring
Kelowna Pride Festival - 2024, Kelowna BC
Fernie Pride Festival - 2023, Fernie BC
Central Alberta Pride - 2023, Red Deer AB
KDAYS Pride, Edmonton Expo Centre - 2023, Edmonton AB
Lethbridge Pride, Galt Gardens - 2023, Lethbridge AB
Summer Songs on Steven Ave - 2023, Calgary AB
Tri-Pride, headlining with Trinity K. Bonet, Ongina, and Alysha Brilla, Victoria Park - 2023, Kitchener ON
Fruit Loop Block Party, Grindstone Theatre - 2023, Edmonton AB
Canada Music Incubator Showcase, The King Eddy - 2022, Calgary AB
Blue Jay Sessions ‘Holiday Edition’ The Prairie Emporium - 2019/2022, Calgary AB
Calgary Pride, Mainstage, Fort Calgary - 2022, Calgary AB
National Music Center, Studio Bell Performance Hall - 2021, Calgary AB
Fernie Pride Mainstage, City Hall Festival Site - 2021, Fernie BC
Calgary Pride, B!G ART Drive-In - 2021, Calgary AB
Cochrane Pride, Mitford Park Stage - 2021, Cochrane AB
Calgary Pride, opened for Kiesza, Ria Mae, and AlexTBH - 2020, Virtual
Yellowknife Pride, Folk On The Rolks - 2019, Yellowknife NWT
Calgary Pride, opening for Milk & Bone, Prince Island Park Stage - 2019, Calgary AB
TD Canada’s Pride Party, presented by Bass Bus - 2019 Calgary, AB
Opened for Scenic Route to Alaska, The Gateway - 2017 Calgary AB
Featured on BellTV’s "Soundscape TV" Program, The Beach Audio - 2016, Calgary AB
Music Highlights
Artist Releases
‘Smile’, Hayden McHugh - Written by Hayden McHugh. Streamed over 550,000 times, Shazamed over 1100 times, featured on OUTTV.
‘Better’, Hayden McHugh - Written by Hayden McHugh and Mariya Stokes. Shazamed over 900 times.
‘California’, Hayden McHugh - Written by Hayden McHugh. Shazamed over 400 times.
Songwriting & Cowriting
Graveyard, Nicole Rayy - Written by Hayden McHugh, David Madras, and Sam Davs. Placed on Amazon Music’s “Break Through Country” and “Brand New Music” playlists. Peaked at #57 on the iTunes Canada Country charts. Received over 250,000 views on Tik Tok and 1500 pre-saves prior to release. Yangaroo’s most downloaded indie single October 2022.
Alone, LOST YOU featuring Hayden McHugh - Written by Hayden McHugh. Received over 1,000,000 streams. Featured on Spotify’s NMF Deutschland Playlist. Featured on BBC Radio. Shazamed over 600 times. Remixed twice, collectively receiving 1,000,000 streams.
Artist Photos
(Click to preview full resolution)
Performance Inquiries:
bookings@haydenmchugh.com
Other inquiries:
management@haydenmchugh.com