Haley Reinhart was always a bit ahead of her time. The 34-year-old retro soul singer has had an interesting career, which started when she finished in third on the 2011 season of American Idol. Since then, she’s carved out her own distinct lane in the music industry as someone who blends raw soul with a futuristic approach to old-time sounds.
Take her upcoming yet-to-be-released single, “Danger,” for example. “I feel like it captures all the things that make me the artist that I am,” she tells PAPER. The slinky keys and gritty, sexy vocal delivery the singer has become known for encapsulate a sound and feel that is long gone. Yet it’s Reinhart in her purest form.
Reinhart’s journey has been anything but conventional, sidestepping industry expectations to build a career that feels both timeless and distinctly her own. Her voice — a raspy, hypnotic blend of vintage jazz and blues with modern polish — has remained her guiding force. Whether it’s through cinematic syncs that have left a lasting emotional impact (“Can’t Help Falling in Love” in that 2015 Extra Gum commercial) or sultry reimaginings of classics with Postmodern Jukebox, she has maintained a presence that transcends viral moments.
Now, fresh off an East Coast tour, Reinhart is gearing up for her next chapter: a new album that promises to lean even further into the grit and soul she’s become known for. After her headlining show at NYC’s Sony Hall, PAPER caught up with Reinhart to talk about navigating the music industry on her own terms, the weight of authenticity and how she’s still proving that a reality show start doesn’t define an artist’s future.
Congrats on wrapping up your tour! Are you exhausted, or do you feel like you could keep going?
I think it’s a feeling of both. I’m ready to get back in the studio now, but I’m feeling very fulfilled. The last couple of years were over 100 shows each year, and I feel good — just a little tired.
Do you experience that post-tour adrenaline crash?
I like to take a couple of days to chill, but there’s always something coming up, which is great. If I had nothing happening, I’d probably miss it right away. After this last show, I definitely felt a weight lifted because I knew I was about to shift into writing mode again. But I also realized I had built up stamina, and I could keep going. It was a good feeling to not be completely burned out.
I was at your Sony Hall show, and the crowd was so diverse. How would you describe your audience these days?
It’s always so varied, which I love. There are older gentlemen who are really passionate about music, younger couples and a lot of my gays. It reflects my sound — I’ve never wanted to be boxed into one genre and I think that’s why my audience is so diverse.
Looking back, how do you feel about American Idol and its role in your career?
There are always so many thoughts that percolate when I think about it, and I guess it depends on the kind of artist you are or the one you aspire to be. But for me, I never wanted to use Idol as a crutch. I didn’t want it to be the thing that defined me forever, and I didn’t want it to be the first thing in the headline. And yet, sometimes it still is. That said, I love to talk about it and I love going back to be a mentor. It gave me such a huge platform, and I’m so grateful for the experience. But at the same time, I was immediately thinking, How do I set myself apart? How do I create opportunities that feel authentic and not corny after the show? So I had to knock on a lot of doors to feel like I could do things like Lollapalooza and be on the ACL headlining stage. There were people at the time who would shun contestants from shows like Idol and I had to work that much harder to prove myself. Now, I think it’s actually cool again. People don’t care as much about where you come from. But back then, there were certain music circles where it felt like being from Idol was a double-edged sword. It helped in some ways, but in other ways I had to start from scratch like everybody else. I knew I had to create my own lane and that just made me more determined.
Did you feel like the show was manipulating you toward a specific narrative?
The feeling I had was as if I was at a party that I was initially invited to, but they wanted me to leave early. And, you know, I like to be the one that leaves a party last — in all ways. So I just went into survival mode because I had to, really, at a younger age, make this connection and realize that, They’re gonna do some sabotaging, they’re gonna do some things to make great TV. And they loved [me] off-camera — judges, producers, all of them. I don’t mean that in a cocky way, I just knew they genuinely liked me. And that made it even more unsettling at times, because then I’d be like, Why would you say something totally different about me on-camera to millions of people? It was part of the show and I had to accept that, but it was tough. I just felt so gaslit looking back. I had to really go inward. I felt like I was constantly in fight-or-flight mode. Looking back, I realize I’ve blocked out a lot of that time. I don’t like to throw around the word trauma, but I definitely have gaps in my memory from how intense that whole experience was. We were working nonstop, from morning until night, and the audience only saw a fraction of it. The press, the signings, the commercials — it was just constant. It was a lot to take in at 19, 20 years old.
After Idol, you signed with Interscope. What was that experience like?
I wasn’t happy there anymore. Lana Del Rey had just come into the label and, suddenly, everything else took a back seat. There was a new president and they let go of over 50 acts. I was proud of Listen Up!, but I wanted to put out a horn-driven single with B.o.B. that ended up being ahead of its time. They wanted me to do a ballad instead, which just wasn’t in my heart.
That’s true. In the years after that, horns in pop songs became such a thing for a moment there.
There was “Talk Dirty,” and then Ariana [Grande] came out with something with the horns too. I remember being like, God, why didn’t you [release that]? I always felt like I was a little bit ahead of the curve, to be honest, with labels specifically. I was just like, This is kind of obvious guys, You know? Sorry I don’t have a bunch of money to throw at you so that you can do your job. I was defiant, even at a young age. I told Jimmy Iovine I didn’t want to release an album I didn’t write. We had some words, but they let me do it and a lot of people in that position would have just been shelved. Eventually, when they let a bunch of people go, I was included, and I wasn’t mad about it.
You had Lady Gaga as a mentor on Idol and performed “You and I” before it was even released. That performance got some backlash. What was that experience like?
That wasn’t even my song choice! They suggested it to me and I didn’t know it was an unreleased Gaga song at the time. The wildest part is they didn’t show the best moment — Gaga and I jamming backstage while she was teaching me the song. That was the coolest part and it never made it to air. It was frustrating because off-camera, I felt a lot of love from the judges and producers, but on-camera, they’d say something totally different. It was a huge lesson in realizing how much of the show is about making great TV. They were trying to create moments, manipulate things and I just had to navigate it. The whole experience was surreal. I remember performing with Tony Bennett at the finale, and Gaga was there watching. Later, she and Tony ended up collaborating, and I was like, Wow, I got to be part of that timeline somehow. I just wish more of those raw, behind-the-scenes moments had been shown. So much great footage probably exists somewhere in a vault — me and Gaga at the piano, just vibing. I’d love to see it one day.
You played a new song, “Danger,” at your show. Is that gonna be the vibe for your new album?
I’m really excited for “Danger.” That’s what I want to push first. I have a scratch demo of it, but I want to build on that and get it out really soon. I want “Danger” to be the catalyst for this next record. I might even name it Danger, but I’m not sure yet. I feel like it captures all the things that make me the artist that I am. It has flavors of vintage, but it’s also edgier and that’s what I want to lean into. I want to show the grit in my voice, the slinkiness and the soul, but still keep it classy. I’m just excited to take that song, finish it and put it out there. Then I’ll let that inspire the rest of the album.
What’s inspiring you these days?
I really want to find balance. My life has been all about work and touring, and I’d love to travel just for the sake of it, not just for shows. I’ve never really had that experience. I also want to explore more acting opportunities — I loved doing F is for Family with Bill Burr, and I’d love to do more voice work or even some on-screen roles. And, of course, I’m excited to dive into writing this next album.
You’ve taken a very independent approach to your career. Has that been intentional?
Absolutely. I’ve said no to more things than I’ve said yes to because I trust my intuition. People think Idol is a fast track, but it’s just the beginning. You still have to do the work, find your own opportunities and make sure you’re making decisions that feel right. I’ve turned down deals that didn’t align with what I wanted, and even though it might have taken longer I feel like I’ve built something that’s truly mine.
I remember when your version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” went viral in that Extra Gum commercial in 2015. I feel like stuff doesn’t go viral like that anymore, even. The internet is too oversaturated and fast-paced.
Right. There could be like an AI voice on the commercial now and you’ll never know. I mean, sync was such my bread and butter for so long. And that commercial now, I’ll have people that I don’t even know tell me that they’re in the ad world or have some seemingly unrelated occupation, but they play this commercial to teach people how to create ads. I would have never known that. That’s pretty fucking cool. It was just a lightning-in-a-bottle situation.
You seem to have this balance of being ahead of the curve but also deeply rooted in vintage sounds. How do you view your place in music?
That’s exactly what I want — to blend the past and the future in a way that feels authentic. I’m just continuing on this path of intention and authenticity, and we’ll see where it leads.
I always felt like I was a little bit ahead of the curve.
Photography: Jimmy Giambrone