BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MANZINI– For many artists, the road to finding a signature sound is a winding process. For Hailey Thomas, known by her stage name Hailey, that journey began with a toy keyboard and a childhood dream.
Today, she stands as one of Eswatini’s most authentic rising talents. On February 11, 2026, she officially released her latest single, a soulful precursor to her upcoming project, “All About You,” which is set to debut this March.
Hailey’s musical roots date back to playful sessions with friends. “Music has been a part of my life since I was a kid,” she reflects. “My friends and I would write lyrics and use a toy keyboard to make raps; we even had stage names back then.”
The turning point came during high school when she won the “Sifu Idols” competition. This victory pushed her to take her talent seriously. She initially built a following on social media as a rapper, but professional studio sessions allowed her to eventually nurture her true gift: her singing voice.
While she began with bars and rhymes, Hailey describes her current state as one of constant evolution. She is now leaning heavily into her core passion for R&B and songwriting.
“I am aware of how I started—more towards the raps—but now I’m leaning towards my actual love; singing R&B and writing,” she says. Her versatility remains a primary strength; she still dabbles in various genres and even offers her skills as a ghostwriter.
In an industry that often demands conformity, Hailey stands out by remaining fiercely herself. She does not create music based on societal trends but rather on what moves her personally. For her, music is more than a career—it is a form of self-love and therapy.
“You will burnout if the aim is just to gig and be popular. What has kept me at it is purely love,” she explains. “Music is my venting session; it’s my spillage of tea with the mic.”
As she prepares to drop her full project next month, Hailey is focused on collaboration and intricate production. She aims to work with “artists who shine in the shadows,” highlighting the hidden talent Eswatini has to offer.
With her latest single already resonating with “the lovers and those who desire to be,” Hailey is proving that authenticity is the key to creating music that is impossible to resist.
#EPN #HaileyThomas #EswatiniRnB #AllAboutYou #NewMusic2026 #AuthenticArtistry #SupportLocalTalent #RisingStar #SwaziMusic
(Courtesy Pic)
