Meet Jessica Hayes | Performing Artist, Song Writer, Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Hayes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I love this topic.

Ten years ago, I was obsessed with taking 0n as much work as possible, as often as possible. When you go into the performing arts, you are often given the message that you are a “dime a dozen.” You are told that you’re going to have to accept being scrappy— to me, that meant taking on loads of work, frequently, often for less than minimum wage… and being grateful.

This business is hard, and many folks in Southern California are successful at it because they have immense financial support. I have wonderfully supportive family, but in no way do I come from wealth, so I accepted the terms that I would have to work harder than most if I wanted to be a performing artist. I would have to climb and clamber.

And clamber I did. A typical day for me a decade ago meant I was waking up at 5 Am to drive to an Elementary School for the assembly program I worked for, performing 3 0r 4 shows in at the school, heading home for a quick lunch, then teaching voice and acting lessons from about 3 pM – 6 PM, and then heading off to call time for whatever show I was working on in the evening. (And that’ just a weekday) When I was younger, I almost got a high off of proving how much I could achieve in a day. It truly was akin to an addiction.

Obviously, this was unsustainable. My body said “no” to this lifestyle very often. Illness, mental disorders, and injury followed me everywhere I went by living this way, which in turn made singing and performing next to impossible. It is so difficult to take care of one’s body when you’re working 60 hours a week and not dealing with the underlying reasons why you’re choosing to live this way!

Nowadays, after a long season of healing and self reconciling, I treat myself like a whole person and not a machine. I charge more for the work that I do. I do not accept work that does not pay me what I am worth. I carve out down time for my partner and my family. I am intentional about my spending. I take breaks— allowing some seasons to be about teaching, and some to be about performing. (Never both at the same time, if I can help it!) I am still not wealthy, but I have enough, and most importantly, I am no longer sick and injured day in and day out! Now I actually get to enjoy my work rather than being in constant survival mode, and it turns out I am much more creative person now that my boundaries are healthy.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The road to getting to where I am now has been rocky and eclectic. I never ever thought I would be writing my own original songs and telling my story through music.

I started in musical theater and thought I would be the next big shot Broadway Queen. I had a very successful college career at Cal State Long Beach, but suffered a vocal injury fresh after graduation. This was a huge blow for me, and my confidence in my voice suffered. So I steered towards improv and comedy instead. I studied at The Second City, Hollywood and worked for a few improv based companies. I still sang a bit here and there, but the projects were deliberately short and low pressure. I felt safer being silly,

Eventually, however, life happened. I suffered a huge injury on stage that required a year off, reconstructive surgery, and then COVID-19 stopped the world. I had nothing to do, and a huge amount on my heart that needed processing, so I started goofing around with chords on the piano and writing joke songs on instagram to make my friends laugh.

From here, things started taking off. I got serious about voice lessons and studied with two amazing coaches via zoom. I healed an enormous amount of built up junk on my heart with intense therapy. I went through major life changes. And I kept writing. And singing. And writing. And laughing. Turns out, all of that time telling jokes ended up being a major influence on the songs I wrote and the stories I tell.

Cut to 2022 and 9 original songs debuted in Orange County at the Chance Theater. I wrote about my anger. I wrote about broken relationships. I wrote about my very real love affair with Leonardo DiCaprio’s depiction of Jack Dawson at 9 years old. I wrote about how my house plants don’t die anymore, and how maybe— just maybe— they stay alive because they’re responding to my choice to take care of myself.

Then, in 2023, my partner Joseph and I were commissioned to write more original music for Megan Dolan’s ‘Not the Write Mom’ and our voices are now the soundtrack to her incredible show.

In 2024 Joseph and I showcased our new works at Phantom Theater Projects in La Habra— this time with 8 more songs and a heck of a lot more belly laughs.

Nowadays, we’re working on a brand new show currently titled “Resigned”— a song cycle exploration on ‘The Great Resignation’ post 2020… inspired by the true story of my aggressively quitting 16 jobs between 2021 and 2023.

This process has been a blast, and I think a necessary part of healing some very real core wounds I have been burying since childhood. And honestly, I think that’s the point. I hope that people relate to the songs I write, but more than anything I hope it makes them laugh. There is so much in our world right now trying to keep us from being fully human and diminishing our spirits. But if we keep creating, and keep laughing, those forces can’t win.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am in Long Beach, so this is an easy one!

I would definitely take them to an amazing coffee and pastry spot— Alder and Sage on Retro Row comes to mind! We would take a long walk on The Bluff near the beach, and take a visit to the Queen Mary. After doing one of the ghost tours on the boat, we would get tacos and enchiladas at Lola’s Mexican Restaurant.

We would also pay a visit to some of the local theaters— The Carpenter Center and the Long Beach Playhouse, and do free Yoga on the Bluff!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh I can’t choose just one! But I will try to keep it to a few.

1. Bethany Price- My creative mentor and dear friend. Bethany has been an enormous advocate for me since college, always tells it like it is, and is one of those friends who drops my name in a crowd full of important people. So much of my work and life is because of Bethany and I am forever grateful to her.

2. Megan Dolan – Writer of her one woman play “Not the Right Mom,” creative collaborator, and dear friend. She gave me and my partner Joseph the honor of writing the music for her show, which opened so many doors for us. She is also constantly dropping my name around students looking for a voice coach. She has broadened my community and inspires me daily.

3. Joseph Ott— My partner in life and in music. Joseph is a brilliant musician, singer, arranger, and Dog Dad. He is the reason any of my songs find their way to completion, and the other half of my acoustic duo. You’re the point, my love.

Instagram: @jessandjoedoashow

Image Credits
All headshots by Cynthia Price