Hayes Warner is more than just “that girl” — she’s the next pop-punk princess.
Us Weekly has the exclusive premiere of Warner’s new single and music video “Predator,” released on Friday, July 26. The rock-influenced pop song finds Warner, 25, sending a message to her ex’s new girlfriend, singing: “If it helps you sleep at night, you can watch me, stalk me like a predator / I’m not your competitor / But I get it, I was that girl to the girl before me.”
“I’m really proud of ‘Predator,’ as it was the first time that I genuinely felt like I had found a sound and message that’s authentic to who I am,” Warner exclusively told Us Weekly of her new song. “Like my previous releases, the single mirrors real life experiences and lessons that I learned along the way, which I’m hoping will relate to others who are in a similar situation! I wrote ‘Predator’ with empathy and wanted the song to promote women supporting women instead of tearing each other down out of insecurities.”
The singer went on to say that she’ll be performing the single live for the first time at Lollapalooza on August 3 — and previewing “a few other new tracks” from her debut EP, which is dropping later this year. “Stay tuned as the second half of 2024 is going to be a wild ride!” she added.
The video — filmed at New York City’s Cucina 8 1/2 restaurant — opens with Warner laying on top of a dining table as unbothered patrons finish their meals. In her trademark all-black look, she takes Us down vacant hallways and grand staircases, onto a rooftop and into the kitchen. As the chorus rings out, Warner returns to the dining room, wreaking havoc on the tables and the cocktail bar.
“I was a stalker, a watcher, a psycho too / ‘Cause he would never, not ever tell me the truth / And so I get it, don’t sweat it / I did it too,” she sings. “I was that girl to the girl before me.”
Since hitting the scene in 2022 with her single “Messy,” Warner has gained a loyal following on social media. The release of “Predator” comes after a recent stint of shows opening for Neon Trees and The Scarlet Opera across America.
“I want to give it all on stage for people who come out but also for myself,” Warner told Euphoria Magazine in a recent interview. “For my shows, I want people to leave being like, ‘That was really fun.’ Sweating in people’s faces, running around in the audience, crowd participation — I just love rock shows.”