Born and raised in Sacramento, California, Haven Everly grew up in a very musically inclined family. Throughout her adolescent years, she sang with her sisters in a Pop group called, SChAE. Together they graced the stages of Arco Arena for the NBA Sacramento Kings, New Jersey’s Prudential Center Gospelfest, and received a standing ovation at the NYC Apollo Theater’s Soul Night. As an actress, Haven Everly played Gigi in Netflix’s YOU, Tatiana in Showtime’s The L Word, and starred in the musical feature film as Christine in The Girl Who Left Home, scheduled to release on VOD on May 30th, 2023. Haven Everly aims to inspire others through her talent and story.
With her single, “Raised By Wolves,” out now, we took some time to hear more from Haven Everly. Read below to learn more about Haven Everly, the story behind her debut single, and what’s to come.
Hi Haven Everly! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?
I got my artist name from a book that changed my life. Ekhart Tolle’s The Power Of Now inspired me to create a mantra as a stage name. Haven represents ‘finding refuge’ and Everly represents ‘the infinite presence.’ So, Haven Everly to me means finding refuge in the infinite presence.
What city are you from and where are you based now?
I was born and raised in Sacramento, CA, and now, I’m based in Los Angeles, CA.
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?
Singing is just what we did in our family. My parents were professional singers in the Philippines, and my dad started a DJ business here in the United States. Every weekend, my siblings and I would perform for local events and family parties. Eventually, my siblings and I started getting more requests to perform as a group. So, when I turned five years old, my two sisters and I (my brother was too shy, hehe) formed an official singing trio, and the rest is history.
Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?
My upbringing has definitely shaped who I am. My parents are immigrants who really believed in my sisters and me. They did their best to train us vocally and worked hard to get us in front of anyone who could help shape our career. They were not conventional Asian parents who wanted us to become a nurse or doctor. They wanted us to pursue our passions because they believed it is a God-given talent. But, the road to success in music can be difficult for anyone, especially for my immigrant parents. We faced a lot of adversity (racism, resistance, etc.), so it was hard for my family to really get our music and our talent out to the world.
How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
‘Raised By Wolves’ is a dark Pop/Rock song with a hint of Blues and Soul. I grew up singing more Pop/R&B, but I wanted this song to be dramatic and reflect the things I’ve learned in acting.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
I’m an actress and content creator by day, and a singer/songwriter by night. I also love doing Bikram Yoga to balance my energy. And, on the weekends, I’ll watch UFC fight nights because I love watching MMA.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
I love big vocal legends such as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Celine Dion. I also love Gospel singers like Tamala Mann and Yolanda Adams. Right now, I have Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance’ album on repeat as well as SZA. As a songwriter, I draw writing inspiration from Country music such as Rascal Flatts, and for feel-good music, I’ll put on some Earth, Wind & Fire and Bruno Mars. I love all kinds of music, it just depends on the day!
Who is your dream collaboration?
My dream collaboration would be Bruno Mars, Victoria Monet, and P!NK.
What are some of your future music career goals?
As of right now, I’m taking this journey step-by-step and aiming to master the process of releasing my own music. I want to do this long-term, so I want to learn how to properly create my own discography of music while earning money doing it. Even though I’ve been singing all my life, I feel like I’m just getting started.
Now onto your release, ‘Raised By Wolves.’ What inspired this song?
‘Raised By Wolves’ was inspired by my experience growing up in the music industry. At a very young age, my sisters and I were hustling and finding ways to make money for the family. We didn’t grow up rich, so we felt like music was not only what we loved, but also our way out of poverty. This song talks about the grit and hardship that we encountered along the way.
What is ‘Raised By Wolves’ about in your own words?
It’s about self-empowerment and being proud of all parts of you: the good and bad. It’s knowing that the bad experiences that you’ve encountered were there to help you grow and become stronger. It’s about being unapologetically you and allowing yourself to embrace every part of you. It encourages you to not feel the need to be perfect or accepted and allows you to embrace your own power.
What is your favorite lyric in ‘Raised By Wolves’ and why?
The entire second verse is my favorite:
‘No damsel in distress
Underneath this dress
I am not the rest
I’m dangerous
I’m not all bark, I will bite
If you push me just right
You get what you get
Better watch where you step’
When I wrote this, I wanted it to roll off the tongue. My friend who help produce the song, Aleksandr James, said it felt like a nursery rhyme, and I absolutely loved that aspect of it!
What message do you hope fans take away from your music and from ‘Raised By Wolves?’
I hope fans will feel empowered and have the confidence to go for what they believe in. I want them to know that if you never give up, your dreams will come true.
What’s one of your proudest moments of your music career so far?
Other than releasing ‘Raised By Wolves’ on my own, my proudest moment is booking and shooting the musical feature film that I starred in called, ‘The Girl Who Left Home.’ It is the first ever Fil-Am musical feature film to be released in the United States. I was able to express both my passions for singing and acting. The film will be released on VOD on May 30th, 2023!
What would you say are the greatest lessons you’ve learned so far?
The greatest lesson that I’ve learned so far is that you only fail if you quit. You have to keep pursuing your passions, but it’s also okay to give up and take a break every once in a while. You just have to get back up and keep on moving once you’re ready. The journey IS success, so embrace it.
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
The musical feature film that I starred in called, ‘The Girl Who Left Home,’ will be available on video-on-demand on May 30th. You can find it on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. You can also download the music on May 30th on Apple Music!
I have a 2-hour special on Pluto TV for Mother’s Day called, “Mother’s Day Mom-A-Thon with Haven and Vinita.” It is a variety sketch show that my talented friend, Vinita Khilnani, and I star in! It will be released on the Always Funny Videos channel on Pluto TV!
I plan on releasing more singles this year, so be on the lookout!
Where can we follow you on social media?
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@haven_everly
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haven_everly/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haveneverly
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/haveneverly
