DECEMBER 10, 2025 – Hailey Benedict is celebrating a major career milestone as her breakout single “Things My Mama Says” – the rising star’s debut through Big Loud/Local Hay – claims the title of #1 CanCon Female Country Song on the 2025 year-end Mediabase chart.

“I want to express a huge thank you and my heartfelt gratitude to Canadian Country Radio and the amazing listeners for supporting ‘Things My Mama Says!’ This is a song that is really special to me, and seeing it embraced by both the industry and country music fans in this way means the world to me. I’m so excited to celebrate with everyone in this achievement as this year comes to a close,” says Benedict.

Produced by diamond-certified hitmaker Joey Moi and Scott Cooke, and written by Benedict alongside Clara Park and Ava Suppelsa, “Things My Mama Says” is a deeply personal reflection on the emotional tension between trusting a mother’s advice and worrying about her from a distance. The song spent six weeks in the Top 10 at Canadian country radio and was the most played song by a Canadian artist for five straight weeks.

Benedict had a standout year, which included major festival appearances, her fifth career CCMA Award nomination (and first in the Female Artist of the Year category), and the release of her acclaimed single “Carl Dean.”  She is currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on new music set for release in 2026.

UPCOMING SHOWS:

December 31, 2025    Nisku, AB                    Silent Ice Centre        
June 6, 2026               Calabogie, ON            Guitars & Gasoline
June 27, 2026             Dauphin, MB               Dauphin’s Countryfest
July 5, 2026                Fort McMurray, AB     Hello Summer Festival

This marks her first nomination in the prestigious Female Artist of the Year category and her fifth career CCMA nomination overall. She previously took home a CCMA Award win in 2022 for Interactive Artist of the Year. 

Catch the 2025 CCMA Awards airing live on CTV on September 13 from Prospera Place in Kelowna, BC.

Rising country artist Hailey Benedict is making some big moves, as she inks a deal with Nashville’s Big Loud Records.

The Alberta singer announced the signing at Billboard Canada Women in Music celebration on Saturday, September 7.

Taking the stage in a sparkling silver fit, Benedict revealed that she’s signed with Big Loud and its Canadian-based imprint Local Hay, helmed by country star Dallas Smith. She followed up the announcement with a performance of her upcoming single “Things My Mama Says,” set to be her first release on Local Hay on October 4.

Benedict has been building to this moment since she was a kid — she first rose to national attention at the age of 14, when Keith Urban invited her on stage at a sold-out show in 2016 to perform an original song.

Since then, she’s released successful singles like 2021’s “Wanted You To,” built up an online fanbase including 250K TikTok followers, and performed at major events like the Country Music Alberta Awards. In 2023, she won the SiriusXM Top of the Country competition and she’s heading into this fall’s Canadian Country Music Awards with a nomination for Breakthrough Artist. 

All of that makes the timing right for Benedict to shift from an independent artist to working with a label that knows how to navigate the country landscape.

“I’m ecstatic to begin this new chapter with such an incredibly creative and dedicated team that shares my vision for my songwriting, artistry and career,” Benedict said in a statement. “After a decade as an independent artist, it was crucial for me to partner with a record label that aligns with my values and passion for music.”

Big Loud also works with Canadians like MacKenzie Porter and, through Local Hay, Shawn Austin. Big Loud SVP Brianne Deslippe and President of A&R Joey Moi both made the inaugural Billboard Canada Power Players list earlier this year.

“Hailey wowed us in our first meeting with quality songwriting, heartfelt storytelling and an unwavering authenticity that we could not ignore,” says Big Loud Records SVP of A&R, Sara Knabe. “‘Things My Mama Says’ is a special song, and our entire team is honored to share it with the world while we proudly welcome Hailey to Big Loud.”

Original post: https://ca.billboard.com/business/business-news/hailey-benedict-big-loud-records

Alberta-based rising country star, Hailey Benedict recently released her newest single, “Damn You July”.

She’s had a busy 2023 so far, which has included co-hosting the 2023 CMAB Awards, taking home two CMABs herself, her first nationwide tour opening for Aaron Goodvin, and taking a semi-finalist slot at the 2023 SiriusXM Top Of The Country competition. 

I caught up with Hailey to chat more about the new single, playing at CMA Fest, and more!

Releasing “Damn You July”

“Damn You July” was written back in December with fellow songwriters Rich Cloke and Elias James. 

“It’s funny enough we wrote a song called ‘Damn You July’ in December,” Hailey laughs. “I’ve written a lot of stuff I’m excited about but this one showcased a deeper maturity in my writing and musicality. It felt important to me and it felt like the right time.”

Hailey first released “Damn You July” through SiriusXM’s Top Of The Country competition, where the eight semi-finalists had the opportunity to record a new song, including a video with renowned musicians and producers in either Toronto or Vancouver.

Hailey says, ““You never know when you go into those things. It came to life so beautifully, it turned out better than I’d imagined. It was cool getting to do it with those amazing musicians.”

Happy with how the track turned out, she decided to release it as a single. 

Top Of The Country So Far!

Now a Top 3 finalist in SiriusXM’s Top Of The Country, along with Noah Derksen and Teigen Gayse, Hailey will play at LASSO Music Festival in Montreal, and at Top Of The Country’s Finale at CCMA Country Music Week.

“When I made it to the top three, I cried. The opportunities that come with this are so huge. As an independent artist, it really helps move the needle. It’s been amazing. Even being part of the Top 8 and recording this song has been an incredible experience. I may not be releasing ‘Damn You July’ if not for this opportunity.”

One of those incredible opportunities is playing a songwriter’s round at CMA Fest after a week of mentoring experiences.

CMA Fest: The Experience And The Opportunity To Play

“We just got back from Nashville and playing my first CMA Fest was incredible.”

The Sunday of CMA Fest in Nashville, Hailey, Teigen, and Noah took the stage at CMA Fan Fair Spotlight Stage for a writer’s round.

“Every year I get the CMA Fest fomo, and see photos and think man! Being there, seeing artists on those stages – Megan Moroney played on the same spotlight stage last year and this year she played the stadium. It was so inspiring. I had to remind myself to soak it all in. It was such a special moment.”

Not only this, but many Canadians who live in Nashville showed up to support.

“The Canadian crowd showed up! There were a bunch of Canadians and it made my heart happy. It was so good to have the Canadian family and support there. It felt like I had a little piece of home with me.”

Bonus: CMA Fest Musts!

If you find yourself in Nashville in June and have a chance to check out CMA Fest, here are Hailey Benedict’s top recommendations:

1. The Stadium Shows – 60,000 people pack the stadium and see the “all stars” perform. 
2. Frequent the Fan Stages and Rounds – check out as many of the stages as you can, especially the songwriter rounds. You never know who you might see at those stages who will be at the stadium in the coming years.
3. All the fun events going around – if you love sparkles, there’s a lot! The food is great. If it’s hot, stay cool! If they say take shelter, then listen to them!

Original post: https://frontporchmusic.ca/interview-hailey-benedict-damn-you-july/

“I was so overwhelmed and so emotional. It’s a self-written song and speaks to mental health. There’s a dual message. The first message is that a community needs to come together to support mental health and the second is that youth need to know they are not alone. There is support out there,” said Benedict. 

She added, “I’d like to say, this award holds a special place in my heart. It’s a prestigious category of course, but without songwriters there would be no songs. I’ve been writing songs since I was nine years old. Songwriting for me is a vulnerable process and to have it recognized by my peers means a lot.” 

Throughout the gala evening which took place at Calgary’s Grey Eagle Resort & Casino on Sunday, April 2, Benedict was nominated in four categories. She also received awards for Video of the Year (Wanted You To) and Interactive Artist of the Year. 

In addition to taking home three awards, the Paul Kane High graduate co-hosted the gala alongside JoJo Mason. Sturgeon County’s Bill Borgwardt, Alberta’s premiere country music photographer, said this about Benedict. 

“She’s so enthusiastic and she has such a nice personality. She comes across as so sincere and sweet. That’s why she’s won those awards. And she works so hard promoting her music.”  

Borgwardt also received a special salute at the ceremonies as an inductee into the Hall of Fame. For the past few decades, he has written country music columns and photographed country performers across Canada. His dedication as road manager while travelling to Nashville annually with Global Country’s aspiring artists is unmatched.  

Inducting him into the Hall of Fame were CFCW legend Jackie Rae Greening and award-winning country singer-songwriter Aaron Goodvin. Goodvin, a former St. Albert resident now living in Nashville, also received special recognition. He tied with Corb Lund for Male Artist of the Year. 

Benedict, who has been part of the country music association since she was 11 years old, describes Borgwardt as one of her most ardent supporters. 

“I’ve known Bill a long time. I was lucky to go to Nashville with Global Country and he was with us. He comes to every singer’s show and does it out of the goodness of his heart. He shows up to concerts because he’s genuinely supportive of every country artist. There are not a lot of people in the industry who have his passion. He’s been a huge part of my journey and I was so happy he received this recognition. Bill is one-of-a-kind.” 

Benedict describes a rainy Canada Day concert she was booked to perform in Fort Saskatchewan under a covered stage. 

“I was covered, but Bill just stood out in the rain in his poncho taking pictures. He’s an Energizer bunny. He loves what he does and is very inspiring.” 

Country music singer and record label executive R. Harlan Smith introduced champion fiddler Calvin Vollrath, a second inductee into the Hall of Fame. Vollrath has played with the likes of Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Russell DeCarle and Danny Hooper. 

The former Morinville resident, now making his home in St. Paul, has recorded 72 albums and performed to a televised crowd of millions during Vancouver’s 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremonies. 

Original post: https://www.stalbertgazette.com/local-entertainment/i-was-so-overwhelmed-and-so-emotional-hailey-benedict-dominates-country-music-alberta-awards-6809920

The evening revealed five first-time CCMA Award winners — Hailey Benedict (Interactive Artist or Group of the Year presented by ACTRA RACS), Nice Horse (Video of the Year), Brandi Sidoryk (Bass Player of the Year), Starseed Entertainment (Management Company of the Year) and Austin Chaffe (Creative Director(s) of the Year). In addition, Matt McKay became the next member of the Musicians Hall of Honour, earning his fifth Guitar Player of the Year win. 

2022 CCMA Awards presented by TD co-host and this year’s most-nominated artist, Tenille Townes, took home her first award (Songwriter(s) of the Year presented by SOCAN) while Jade Eagleson, 2022’s most nominated male artist, celebrated a win in the Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year presented by Music Canada for his sophomore release Honkytonk Revival. 

Original post: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/09/11/2513579/0/en/CANADIAN-COUNTRY-MUSIC-ASSOCIATION-REVEALS-FIRST-ROUND-OF-2022-AWARD-WINNERS-AT-THE-CCMA-MUSIC-INDUSTRY-GALA-DINNER-AWARDS.html

The secret weapon in any work of popular music is a sweet hook that draws in the ears. “Wanted You To,” backs up its hook with sweetness all around – the intro’s instrumentation, which sounds like a honey-dipped mix between a synth and a fiddle guides the listener into the world of the song as a bass line that wouldn’t be out of place under Dua Lipa track dips along. Somewhere in the distance someone is giving a cowbell a tap, and an arpeggiated synthesizer hums along to the strumming chord progression. This isn’t your parents’ country music, and all the best for it. Too often songs of the genre attempt to reach back into the steadfast sonics of the past, only to come up sounding like pale imitations.

The bed of sound on which Benedict sings of her new, loving partner is altogether more comfortable in its newness, the lovely tones of her voice and melodies providing the assurance of genre (as bent as it is) for anyone who may be wary of this modernized territory. There is a more matured richness in her tones that catch turns of phrase- indicating that her audience for “Wanted You To” is, in fact, the ex she has now moved on from- in a satisfying light without making them seem tried. Only true.

Producer Dan Davidson and songwriters Madeline Merlo, Emma-Lee, and Eric Arjes must be noted here, as so much of what works musically in the song is a direct credit to their efforts. “Wanted You To” is out now and streaming everywhere, be sure to give it a listen!

Original post: https://rockthepigeon.com/2021/08/25/country-fresh-hailey-benedicts-wanted-you-to/