2021 in Review: Hailey Whitters Reflects on Her Whirlwind Year

Hailey Whitters has had an incredible year, to say the very least. She collaborated with Ernest on their cover of Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers' iconic duet "Islands in the Stream," and was nominated for a Grammy for co-writing Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile's “A Beautiful Noise.”

She also released Living The Dream, the deluxe edition of her breakout 2020 album The Dream. The record features a star-studded list of collaborators, including Brent Cobb, Jordan Davis, Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey, Little Big Town and one of Whitters' longtime musical heroes, Trisha Yearwood.

On top of all that, she hit the road as support for Midland and recently performed at the iconic Ryman Auditorium. It's been a much-deserved slew of recognition after years of hard work and fierce determination. Her critically acclaimed song "Ten Year Town" talks about the long, painful road it often takes to obtain success. Now, Whitters is finally able to reap the rewards.

We caught up with Hailey to chat about her incredible year, what she has planned for the holiday season and what's next.

What was your favorite moment from 2021?

My favorite moment from 2021 was getting to cross the Ryman Auditorium off of my bucket list. It's a venue I've dreamt about playing since I first moved to town and was playing the honky tonks across the street. It was quite emotional getting to see that dream come true after 14 years..

What are you thankful for in 2021?

I'm thankful for the opportunity to tour again. I missed my fans immensely throughout 2020 and I'm so glad to be able to see them in person again and share this record with them live.

What are you looking forward to in 2022?

I'm looking forward to my first-ever headlining tour!!!

What are your holiday traditions? Do you have any new ones this year/recently?

My dad bought an old '70s Volkswagen van… it's bright green and has yellow curtains and we joke that it's our "Griswold" mobile... Every Christmas my dad insists on driving it because it's the only thing big enough to fit our family all in one vehicle. We started a tradition of all piling in on christmas eve and driving around our town looking at all the christmas lights. It happened spontaneously one year but it's become a regular thing and I think it's a memory we'll all always cherish.

You can catch Hailey Whitters out on her headlining Heartland Tour beginning this February. More information on ticketing and Hailey's music is available via her official website.

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