About Hayley Hayley Jade is a horse trainer turned singer-songwriter. Her work led her to spend much of her life in remote parts of Africa, Japan and Europe, where she passed quiet evenings writing songs after long days in the saddle. Heavily influenced by artists such as Nick Drake, Andrew Bird and Adrianne Lenker, and armed with little formal knowledge of music theory, she developed her songwriting through the exploration of unusual chord shapes and rhythmic patterns. Drawing from personal experiences—or inventing characters and stories around the emotions her melodies evoked—she gradually developed a sound that blends chamber-pop and indie folk with subtle influences from West African music, neo-soul and jazz. Without a band, she began whistling instrumental passages into her songs, imagining a saxophonist or electric guitarist one day taking over the melodies. Ironically, the whistling became one of the defining features of her music, and she continues to perform intimate solo sets built around voice, guitar and whistle. After years on the road, Hayley returned home to Cape Town to pursue music alongside her work with horses. Her songs explore love, loss, the land, and resistance to the status quo—often with wry humour, a touch of mischief, and the occasional rebel cry. About Brett Brett Bailey is a South African writer, director and designer, and the founder of Third World Bunfight. He has made work across South Africa, the continent and Europe. Brett conceptualises and directs Spier’s performing art events including Routes of Sound, from where this series of conversations were born. He asks better questions than most, and he's happy to sit in a silence until something real lands in it. About Routes of Sound Routes of Sound is Spier's winter music festival. Small groups walk a route across the farm, from one beautiful room to the next, meeting a different musician in each. The experience is paired with a glass from our Creative Block range and a delicious bite. The music is low-key and off the radar: folk, indie, poetic ballads, indigenous instruments. This series of Spier Dialogues features a selection of participating musicians. Read more about the event here. About Spier and art Art, like food and wine, is best shared, which is why Spier is such an enthusiastic supporter of African artists and their creations. Housing one of the largest contemporary art collections in the country, Spier believes in the power of the visual and performing arts to teach and inspire, encouraging us all to engage openly with our world and each other. With such a thriving local artistic community and rich cultural heritage, Spier is excited about the future of South African art.
