Both an online fixation and pop-rock breakthrough, Hayes Warner brings a self- awareness that feels increasingly rare in modern pop. Although her music has all the angst of an early-twenty-something raised online, Warner sings of womanhood and heartbreak in a voice so diaristic it still feels intimate. Tracks like “Breadcrumbs” and “Oh!” play less like polished studio recordings and more like live emotional confessions.

That instinct for performance naturally extends beyond music. Raised in New York, educated in Chicago, and now based in LA, Warner is an entertainer at heart. A graduate of Northwestern University’s musical theater program, music and acting have always appealed to her fascination with modes of feeling. This summer, she’ll make her TV debut in FX’s upcoming series The Shards, playing the role of Debbie Schaffer, alongside Kaia Gerber, Igby Rigney, Homer Gere, and Graham Campbell. Based on a Bret Easton Ellis novel of the same name, the series will be helmed by Glee and American Horror Story director Ryan Murphy.

“She just felt like one of those characters I really understood and wanted to bring to life, so I connected with Debbie Schaffer right away,” Warner said. “She has this quiet emotional depth, like there’s always more going on underneath what she lets people see. That balance of control and vulnerability felt really familiar to me.” If acting for Warner is a way to explore her emotional curiosity through the perspective of another, songwriting is a way to unpack her own experiences. Rooted in empathetic, analytical processes, Warner’s artistic presence thrives in the uncomfortable, and perhaps no song represents this better than “Predator.”

“Sonically, it’s built around gritty, distorted guitars, punchy drums, and a dark, cinematic atmosphere that keeps building tension and release,” she said. “I’ve always been drawn to music that feels almost uncomfortably honest, like it’s a little exposing to put out into the world. That’s what makes this one feel so true to me.” With a television show and new music on the horizon, now is the time to step deep into her sharp-edged, booming landscape.

This story appears in the pages of V161: now available for purchase!

Photography Dennis Leupold

Fashion Christopher Campbell

Makeup Pablo Macias (Opus Beauty)

Hair Davontae’ Washington (Opus Beauty)

Editor & Casting Kev Ponce

Production Preslee Adams

Cinematographer Lukas Chmiel

Photo Assistants Ben Chant, Winston Kingstro

Makeup Assistant Katherine Moncada

Hair Assistant Taylor Thorton

Location AGP West