Haley Heynderickx - "Oom Sha La La"

Photo by Evan James Atwood

One of my favorite musical styles I'll always have a fondness for is early 60's doo wop. I grew up an odd kid, choosing a lot of my parent's music instead of my own generation until I was about 12. Because of this, I've listened to way more classic doo wop than New Wave.

Doo wop is one of those genres that doesn't really get the throwback love that it deserves. Haley Heynderickx is here to help remedy that. With a song title like "Oom Sha La La," her classic doo wop influence is right out there. The song is a true mix of Americana and the aforementioned doo wop, so there are some similarities to Molly Burch, another of our favorites from earlier this year. But there's just something about Heynderickx's singing style that just feels raw. Her voice goes from light and vulnerable to a feeling of joy (accentuated by the hints of a chuckle on some lines) and back again. And then there's the repeated near screaming of the line "I need to start a garden." "Oom Sha La La" is the very first hint of what could very well be our favorite album of 2018.

You can listen to "Oom Sha La La" below. Haley Hyderickx's debut album, I Need to Start a Garden, will be out in early 2018 on Mama Bird Recording Co. For more on Heynderickx, check out her Facebook and Twitter.