Many young girls have dreams of making it big as a singer.
Few of them have actually taken steps towards that dream like 13-year-old Hayley Breedlove. The Qualicum Beach teenager has recently completed recording her first album and appeared for the second year at the huge Merrit Mountain Music Festival. The young country singer takes it in stride, saying performing for more than 70,000 people in Merritt was exciting and recording her album was lots of fun.
"We'd go over to Vancouver almost every single week," Breedlove said of the recording, which she started in November. "We'd spend from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the recording studio. It was a long day but at the end it would be worth it. It could be frustrating sometimes, but it was lots of fun getting that experience."
The album, This is Me, was produced by Bill Buckingham on Palace Records, is country music and appropriate for all ages, she added.
"All my songs have a message, some are about first love and other things," Breedlove said, adding she's always been drawn to country music. "When I was younger I used to always listen to the country radio station. I enjoyed other genres, but I really like country and I decided to try that."
She counts Lee Anne Rimes and Martina McBride among her country idols and also enjoys Big and Rich, who she might get a chance to meet this year at Merritt. In addition to taking the big stage, she'll also perform in downtown Merritt for their music week.
"It was lots of fun," Breedlove said of performing at the music festival last year.
Breedlove attended Aspengrove School last year and will be homeschooled this year so she can continue to work on her music career. It's something she's always wanted and works hard towards. She visits vocal coach Peggy Kinsmen twice a week and has a busy summer planned with performing. She's a finalist in the PNE Star Search in August and will perform at the Qualicum Bay fall fair, in Port Alberni and at Longwood Station.
This is Me will be in stores Sept. 1. She's worked with a team of musicians and writers from L.A. for the CD, however Breedlove is working on writing her own music for the next album. She also plays the guitar, piano, drums and saxophone.
"When I was younger I went to my mom and said 'I want to be a famous singer when I grow up.' I started off classical singing and then I met Peggy," Breedlove said.
Kinsmen was retired at the time but said meeting Breedlove quickly brought her out of retirement. The pair have been working together for two years. Breedlove has big goals for herself and says performing for a crowd comes naturally to her.
"I want to go to Nashville and sing at the Grand Ole Opry," she said. "I just like the sensation of being on stage. It's great to be on stage."