Hayley Warner
Hayley Warner | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 23, 1992 Australia |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Known for | Runner-up on Australian Idol (2009), songwriter for multiple platinum-certified singles |
Hayley Warner (born 23 January 1992) is an Australian singer-songwriter celebrated for her dynamic stage presence and impressive vocal abilities. She earned the runner-up position in the seventh and final edition of Australian Idol in 2009. By 2013, The Daily Telegraph had acknowledged her as one of Australia's leading songwriters, with her compositions collectively surpassing 11 times platinum status in global sales. Among her notable co-writing credits is the Grammy-nominated single "Hollow" (2015) by Tori Kelly. After moving to Los Angeles, she secured an international publishing agreement with Warner/Chappell Music in 2015.
Early life
Initially passionate about sports, Warner's athletic pursuits were halted at age seven following a diagnosis of Legg–Calvé–Perthes disease. Redirecting her energy towards music, she formed her first band, Cloud 9, at the age of twelve and performed at over 500 venues throughout Australia by the time she was sixteen.
2009–2022: Australian Idol & songwriting
In 2009, Warner finished second on the seventh season of Australian Idol. Shortly thereafter, she signed with Sony Music Australia and released her debut single "Good Day" in December 2009. The track reached No. 11 on the ARIA Singles Chart and received gold certification. This success was followed by the release of "Hands Off" and an extended play.
Warner expanded her songwriting reach globally after securing a worldwide publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2012. She co-wrote "Good Night," which served as the debut single for The X Factor (Australia) season 3 winner Reece Mastin. The song achieved No. 1 positions in both Australia and New Zealand and earned five times Platinum certification in Australia, becoming Sony Music Australia's fastest-selling digital single. Additionally, Warner co-wrote Mastin's follow-up single "Shut Up & Kiss Me," which peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA charts and attained platinum sales.
Her songwriting credits also include "Set Me on Fire," performed by The X Factor season 4 contestant Bella Ferraro, which entered the ARIA charts at No. 36; "Freedom," recorded by Stan Walker and featured in a multi-year television campaign for the Salvation Army; as well as contributions to Tina Arena's ninth studio album Reset. The album debuted at No. 4 on ARIA charts and remained within the Top 50 for eighteen weeks. Warner’s co-written song "Still Running" was adapted for Arena’s European market release.
In 2013, Warner penned singles for X Factor Australia finalists Taylor Henderson and Jai Waetford. Henderson’s "Borrow My Heart" debuted at No. 1 and achieved double Platinum sales, while Waetford’s "Your Eyes" reached No. 6 on the charts with Gold certification. Warner also contributed to Henderson’s second single "When You Were Mine," which debuted at No. 5 and earned platinum status, along with four tracks on his sophomore album Burnt Letters. This album debuted at No. 1 on ARIA Albums, received Gold certification within its first week, and later achieved Platinum status. The album’s fifth single "Brighter Days" was selected as the theme for Australia's highest-rated national morning program, Sunrise.
In 2014, Warner co-wrote "Stand by You," marking the debut single of X Factor Australia season 6 winner Marlisa Punzalan. The single entered ARIA charts at No. 2, attained double Platinum certification in Australia, and charted internationally in Singapore and New Zealand.
Warner earned a nomination for Pop Work of the Year at the APRA Music Awards in 2015 and took part in the prestigious APRA AMCOS SongHubs event held in Los Angeles.
Following her success writing hits for numerous artists worldwide, Warner shifted focus to her own artistic expression, releasing "Closure" in 2015.
2022–present: I Think I Saw the Moon
In April 2024, Warner unveiled the EP I Think I Saw the Moon, which compiles five singles released between 2022 and 2024. The project was crafted at Warner's residence alongside collaborator Tom Jordan. She highlighted their concentrated approach to songwriting and remarkable output, describing their "strike rate as incredible" and acknowledging the EP's significant promise.
Extended plays
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Hands Off |
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| I Think I Saw the Moon |
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| Songs That Made Me |
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart peak | Certifications | Album association |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "Good Day" | 11 (AUS) | ARIA: Gold | Non-album single |
| 2010 | "Hands Off" | — | Hands Off EP | |
| 2011 | "Best Thing" | — | Non-album single | |
| 2015 | "Closure" | — | Non-album single | |
| 2022 | "You Were Once" | — | I Think I Saw the Moon | |
| 2023 | "Break Ups Ain't Goodbye" | — | I Think I Saw the Moon | |
| "Brother" | — | I Think I Saw the Moon | ||
| "I Think I Saw the Moon" | — | I Think I Saw the Moon | ||
| 2024 | "Do You Think About Me?" | — | I Think I Saw the Moon |
Songwriting credits
| Year | Artist | Song(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Reece Mastin | "Good Night", "Shut Up & Kiss Me" |
| 2012 | Bella Ferraro, Stan Walker | "Set Me on Fire", "Freedom" |
| 2013 | "Tina Arena", "Angy" | "Still Running", "Once" |
| 2014 | "Taylor Henderson", "Jai Waetford", "Dami Im", "Marlisa Punzalan" | "Borrow My Heart", "When You Were Mine", "Sail Away", "Piece By Piece", "Your Eyes", "Without You", "Stand by You" |
| 2015 | "Reigan Derry", "Tina Arena", "Overload", "Magic", "Tori Kelly" | "Feels Like Heaven", "I Want To Love You", "Wouldn't Be Love If It Didn't", "Lie in It", "Heaven", "Hollow" |
| Year | Artist | Songs |
|---|
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards are presented annually throughout Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognize achievements in songwriting, sales, and radio play.
! |- ! scope="row" | 2015 | "Borrow My Heart" (performed by Taylor Henderson, co-written by Jensen) | Pop Work of the Year | | |- ! scope="row" | 2020 | "Never Really Over" (performed by Katy Perry, co-written by Jensen) | Most Performed Pop Work | | }
International Songwriting Competition
The International Songwriting Competition is held yearly, inviting both emerging and established songwriters to participate.
! |- ! scope="row" | 2024 | "Brother" | Folk Singer-songwriter | | |}