![](\"https:\/\/assets.rebelmouse.io\/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81NjcwODQyNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTc3NTY2NzMyMn0.tJmZREtMAtuJcJsY63jp8YY4CcKNNsfxXQgI_KsQNsE\/img.jpg?width=1667&height=2500&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C0\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Haley Reinhart<\/u><\/a> was always a bit ahead of her time. The 34-year-old retro soul singer has had an interesting career, which started when she finished in third on the 2011 season of American Idol<\/em><\/em>. Since then, she\u2019s carved out her own distinct lane in the music industry as someone who blends raw soul with a futuristic approach to old-time sounds. <\/p>\n Take her upcoming yet-to-be-released single, \u201cDanger<\/u><\/a>,\u201d for example. \u201cI feel like it captures all the things that make me the artist that I am,\u201d she tells PAPER<\/em><\/em>. The slinky keys and gritty, sexy vocal delivery the singer has become known for encapsulate a sound and feel that is long gone. Yet it\u2019s Reinhart in her purest form.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reinhart\u2019s journey has been anything but conventional, sidestepping industry expectations to build a career that feels both timeless and distinctly her own. Her voice \u2014 a raspy, hypnotic blend of vintage jazz and blues with modern polish \u2014 has remained her guiding force. Whether it\u2019s through cinematic syncs that have left a lasting emotional impact (\u201cCan\u2019t Help Falling in Love\u201d in that 2015 Extra Gum commercial<\/u><\/a>) or sultry reimaginings of classics with Postmodern Jukebox<\/u><\/a>, she has maintained a presence that transcends viral moments.<\/p>\n Now, fresh off an East Coast tour, Reinhart is gearing up for her next chapter: a new album that promises to lean even further into the grit and soul she\u2019s become known for. After her headlining show at NYC\u2019s Sony Hall, PAPER<\/em> caught up with Reinhart to talk about navigating the music industry on her own terms, the weight of authenticity and how she\u2019s still proving that a reality show start doesn\u2019t define an artist\u2019s future.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Congrats on wrapping up your tour! Are you exhausted, or do you feel like you could keep going?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think it’s a feeling of both. I’m ready to get back in the studio now, but I\u2019m feeling very fulfilled. The last couple of years were over 100 shows each year, and I feel good \u2014 just a little tired.<\/p>\n Do you experience that post-tour adrenaline crash?<\/strong><\/p>\n I like to take a couple of days to chill, but there\u2019s always something coming up, which is great. If I had nothing happening, I\u2019d probably miss it right away. After this last show, I definitely felt a weight lifted because I knew I was about to shift into writing mode again. But I also realized I had built up stamina, and I could keep going. It was a good feeling to not be completely burned out.<\/p>\n I was at your Sony Hall show, and the crowd was so diverse. How would you describe your audience these days?<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s always so varied, which I love. There are older gentlemen who are really passionate about music, younger couples and a lot of my gays. It reflects my sound \u2014 I\u2019ve never wanted to be boxed into one genre and I think that\u2019s why my audience is so diverse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Looking back, how do you feel about <\/strong>American Idol<\/strong><\/em> and its role in your career?<\/strong><\/p>\n There are always so many thoughts that percolate when I think about it, and I guess it depends on the kind of artist you are or the one you aspire to be. But for me, I never wanted to use Idol<\/em> as a crutch. I didn\u2019t want it to be the thing that defined me forever, and I didn\u2019t want it to be the first thing in the headline. And yet, sometimes it still is. That said, I love to talk about it and I love going back to be a mentor. It gave me such a huge platform, and I\u2019m so grateful for the experience. But at the same time, I was immediately thinking, How do I set myself apart? How do I create opportunities that feel authentic and not corny after the show?<\/em> So I had to knock on a lot of doors to feel like I could do things like Lollapalooza and be on the ACL headlining stage. There were people at the time who would shun contestants from shows like Idol<\/em> and I had to work that much harder to prove myself. Now, I think it’s actually cool again. People don\u2019t care as much about where you come from. But back then, there were certain music circles where it felt like being from Idol<\/em> was a double-edged sword. It helped in some ways, but in other ways I had to start from scratch like everybody else. I knew I had to create my own lane and that just made me more determined.<\/p>\n Did you feel like the show was manipulating you toward a specific narrative?<\/strong><\/p>\n The feeling I had was as if I was at a party that I was initially invited to, but they wanted me to leave early. And, you know, I like to be the one that leaves a party last \u2014 in all ways. So I just went into survival mode because I had to, really, at a younger age, make this connection and realize that, They’re gonna do some sabotaging, they’re gonna do some things to make great TV<\/em>. And they loved [me] off-camera \u2014 judges, producers, all of them. I don\u2019t mean that in a cocky way, I just knew they genuinely liked me. And that made it even more unsettling at times, because then I\u2019d be like, Why would you say something totally different about me on-camera to millions of people?<\/em><\/em> It was part of the show and I had to accept that, but it was tough. I just felt so gaslit looking back. I had to really go inward. I felt like I was constantly in fight-or-flight mode. Looking back, I realize I\u2019ve blocked out a lot of that time. I don\u2019t like to throw around the word trauma, but I definitely have gaps in my memory from how intense that whole experience was. We were working nonstop, from morning until night, and the audience only saw a fraction of it. The press, the signings, the commercials \u2014 it was just constant. It was a lot to take in at 19, 20 years old.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n After <\/strong>Idol<\/strong><\/em>, you signed with Interscope. What was that experience like?<\/strong><\/p>\n I wasn\u2019t happy there anymore. Lana Del Rey had just come into the label and, suddenly, everything else took a back seat. There was a new president and they let go of over 50 acts. I was proud of Listen Up!<\/em>, but I wanted to put out a horn-driven single with B.o.B. that ended up being ahead of its time. They wanted me to do a ballad instead, which just wasn\u2019t in my heart.<\/p>\n That\u2019s true. In the years after that, horns in pop songs became such a thing for a moment there.<\/strong><\/p>\n There was \u201cTalk Dirty,\u201d and then Ariana [Grande] came out with something with the horns too. I remember being like, God, why didn’t you [release that]?<\/em> I always felt like I was a little bit ahead of the curve, to be honest, with labels specifically. I was just like, This is kind of obvious guys, <\/em>You know? Sorry I don’t have a bunch of money to throw at you so that you can do your job<\/em>. I was defiant, even at a young age. I told Jimmy Iovine I didn\u2019t want to release an album I didn\u2019t write. We had some words, but they let me do it and a lot of people in that position would have just been shelved. Eventually, when they let a bunch of people go, I was included, and I wasn\u2019t mad about it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You had Lady Gaga as a <\/strong>mentor<\/strong><\/u><\/a> on <\/strong>Idol<\/strong><\/em> and performed \u201c<\/strong>You and I<\/strong><\/u><\/a>\u201d before it was even released. That performance got some backlash. What was that experience like?<\/strong><\/p>\n That wasn\u2019t even my song choice! They suggested it to me and I didn\u2019t know it was an unreleased Gaga song at the time. The wildest part is they didn\u2019t show the best moment \u2014 Gaga and I jamming backstage while she was teaching me the song. That was the coolest part and it never made it to air. It was frustrating because off-camera, I felt a lot of love from the judges and producers, but on-camera, they\u2019d say something totally different. It was a huge lesson in realizing how much of the show is about making great TV. They were trying to create moments, manipulate things and I just had to navigate it. The whole experience was surreal. I remember performing with Tony Bennett at the finale, and Gaga was there watching. Later, she and Tony ended up collaborating, and I was like, Wow, I got to be part of that timeline somehow.<\/em> I just wish more of those raw, behind-the-scenes moments had been shown. So much great footage probably exists somewhere in a vault \u2014 me and Gaga at the piano, just vibing. I\u2019d love to see it one day.<\/p>\n You played a new song, \u201c<\/strong>Danger<\/strong><\/u><\/a>,\u201d at your show. Is that gonna be the vibe for your new album?<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m really excited for \u201cDanger.\u201d That\u2019s what I want to push first. I have a scratch demo of it, but I want to build on that and get it out really soon. I want \u201cDanger\u201d to be the catalyst for this next record. I might even name it Danger<\/em><\/em>, but I\u2019m not sure yet. I feel like it captures all the things that make me the artist that I am. It has flavors of vintage, but it\u2019s also edgier and that\u2019s what I want to lean into. I want to show the grit in my voice, the slinkiness and the soul, but still keep it classy. I\u2019m just excited to take that song, finish it and put it out there. Then I\u2019ll let that inspire the rest of the album.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What\u2019s inspiring you these days?<\/strong><\/p>\n I really want to find balance. My life has been all about work and touring, and I\u2019d love to travel just for the sake of it, not just for shows. I\u2019ve never really had that experience. I also want to explore more acting opportunities \u2014 I loved doing F is for Family<\/em> with Bill Burr, and I\u2019d love to do more voice work or even some on-screen roles. And, of course, I\u2019m excited to dive into writing this next album.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve taken a very independent approach to your career. Has that been intentional?<\/strong><\/p>\n Absolutely. I\u2019ve said no to more things than I\u2019ve said yes to because I trust my intuition. People think Idol<\/em><\/em> is a fast track, but it\u2019s just the beginning. You still have to do the work, find your own opportunities and make sure you\u2019re making decisions that feel right. I\u2019ve turned down deals that didn\u2019t align with what I wanted, and even though it might have taken longer I feel like I\u2019ve built something that\u2019s truly mine.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I remember when your version of \u201cCan\u2019t Help Falling in Love\u201d went viral in that Extra Gum <\/strong>commercial<\/strong><\/u><\/a> in 2015. I feel like stuff doesn\u2019t go viral like that anymore, even. The internet is too oversaturated and fast-paced.<\/strong><\/p>\n Right. There could be like an AI voice on the commercial now and you’ll never know. I mean, sync was such my bread and butter for so long. And that commercial now, I’ll have people that I don’t even know tell me that they’re in the ad world or have some seemingly unrelated occupation, but they play this commercial to teach people how to create ads. I would have never known that. That’s pretty fucking cool. It was just a lightning-in-a-bottle situation.<\/p>\n You seem to have this balance of being ahead of the curve but also deeply rooted in vintage sounds. How do you view your place in music?<\/strong><\/p>\n That\u2019s exactly what I want \u2014 to blend the past and the future in a way that feels authentic. I\u2019m just continuing on this path of intention and authenticity, and we\u2019ll see where it leads.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I always felt like I was a little bit ahead of the curve.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n Photography: Jimmy Giambrone<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Haley Reinhart was always a bit ahead of her time. The 34-year-old retro soul singer has had an interesting career, which started when she finished in third on the 2011 season of American Idol. Since then, she\u2019s carved out her own distinct lane in the music industry as someone who blends raw soul with a futuristic approach to old-time sounds. Take her upcoming yet-to-be-released single, \u201cDanger,\u201d for example. \u201cI feel like it captures all the things that make me the … Continue reading “Haley Reinhart, a Retro Soul for the Future”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1544,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1542"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1542"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1542\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1549,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1542\/revisions\/1549"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/img-96.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/img-97.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/img-98.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n