Chris Haze Interview: Haze of Glory

Meet Chris Haze. Currently part of a new wave of independent Irish tunesmiths happy to flirt with genres, buck conventions and court the mainstream, the singer-songwriter has been steadily building a reputation as a potential chart-breaker in the making over the last year.

A couple of months ago, his debut album World Outside dropped, and Haze has been blown away by reactions to the acoustic-based, soul, rap, r’n’b and pop flavoured opus.
“Everything has snowballed since it came out, it’s pretty crazy and surreal,” he grins. “The album’s been getting a great reception. I wasn’t expecting that, at least not straight away since it’s independently released. I’m happy people are into it.”
Something of a concept piece, World Outside revolves around real-life issues. Haze feels that one of the reasons it's caught the imagination is because they can relate to his words.
“Basically all the songs on the album are about emotions; everyday struggles that people go through. It’s about love and hurt and hate. Problems real people face every day.
“People are sick of music that’s being hyped to the top of the charts,” he continues. “Some of the songs that hit number one are so plastic. People want to see artists putting in the work and being honest with their audience. It makes the music much more real.”
With similarly-minded acts such as O.R.B. and Maverick Sabre spearheading an increasingly fertile scene of Irish-bred cerebral pop, we wonder if Haze is comfortable being linked to the genre?
“I dunno,” he begins. “I don’t want to stay tied to one thing. I’d like to be as diverse as possible, make as many different kinds of songs as I can and put my own spin on it. I definitely don’t intend to be a one-trick pony. I want to push the boundaries and try new things. The next album I’m writing even has a reggae song on it.”
Regardless of whatever label you’d like to put on the Galwegian’s music, it’s clear Chris is striking the correct chords with his growing fanbase. His followers ensured the songwriter was included in the Best Newcomer category in this mag’s Hotties Reader’s Poll and support for World Outside on social media is the envy of many.
“It was great being nominated. I was up against acts like Hozier and while it was a bit overwhelming, it made me feel very proud. My fans are amazing. I’ve got a Dublin gig coming up and I’ve made it all ages, as a result of the tour I did last year with O.R.B.. A lot of their fans who gave me a great reception are under-age and I want them to be able to come too.”
Speaking of fans, after sharing a stage with him at Maynooth College late last year, hip hop hero Coolio is now a fan of Haze’s too.
“That night was pretty crazy,” concludes Chris. “He was really humble and normal, which I didn’t expect. I’ve been listening to the guy since I was in nappies, so it was surreal supporting him. He got the whole crowd to chant my name during ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’; then, when it was over, he handed me a bottle of Grey Goose vodka and we hung out. It was an amazing experience.”