Wildcard (week 49):
Hayes Warner – Shut Up
New York City native Hayes Warner is a rising pop artist. She wrote her first song at 14 and began recording at 16. While attending Northwestern University, she dedicated much of her time to grow her social media presence, amassing over 40.000 organic followers on TikTok and clocking 1 million views in 2022 alone.
Warner only released three singles to date, all of them in 2022. Her first EP will follow in the Spring of 2023. Shut Up is her latest track. A very contemporary song with electrifying beats and a driving synth bass line.
The song was inspired by the saying ‘If someone’s mean to you, it’s because they like you’. Warner explains: “I think it’s part of the game to poke fun at someone you like. Writing this song, I tried to channel feelings from that moment before any real relationship begins, where the butterflies of liking someone kind of take over, and you say things that are the opposite of how you feel.”
Shut Up by Hayes Warner is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. That means it’ll feature prominently at the top of the blog for a whole week.
Follow Hayes Warner on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2022 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
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