Hayley Orrantia 05/09/2018
The hit television show "The Goldbergs" is based on the childhood family of producer Adam Goldberg. As the show gained in popularity, it was clear that one of the main stars was the fictitious sister Erica Goldberg, played by Hayley Orrantia. Anyone that has watched the show knows that not only is Hayley a talented actress but an incredible singer as well! This Thursday Hayley performs at Backstage at the Meyer, and she took some time out of her busy schedule to talk with Wisconsin Music:
WM: What came first for you, singing or acting?
HO: Definitely Singing. I've been singing since I was thirteen years old.
WM: You were on the very first season of the X-Factor. Did your career take off from that or did you have other irons in the fire?
HO: Everything started happening around the same time, but they were all unrelated. When I started out in music I was told that I should have a platform before they invested in me. So I spent years auditioning before I did the X-Factor. I continued to audition after the show, and the first thing I booked was The Goldbergs.
WM: What instruments do you play?
HO: I play piano and I'm currently learning guitar.
WM: In the Goldbergs you're immersed in 80's pop culture. Did the show turn you onto any songs or bands from that era?
HO: Actually there was an episode where we were performing a Rush song, and we loved it! That was a lot of fun playing 'Tom Sawyer'. But even before that I love Whitney Houston. 'The Greatest Love Of All' is one of my favorite songs.
WM: It's clear that some of your personal traits are written in for Erica on the show. How much input are you given with the character's arc?
HO: I didn't think that I would have any input at all. My character is based on Adam's real life older brother Eric, but they decided they wanted another girl on the show. But in season one I mentioned that I sing and if there ever was an opportunity I would love to do it. They ended up working it into an episode with me singing at a talent show. Since then they've been working in songs for me to sing, some from the eighties and some original ones as well.
WM: You've released several singles and videos including 'Strong, Sweet & Southern' and 'Love Sick'. Do you have any plans on releasing a full length album at some point?
HO: I'm not currently on a label so I'll continue to release them like this for now on ITunes, Spotify and YouTube. In the next few months I'll be releasing three more songs.
WM: Will you be performing any of those songs Thursday night in Green Bay?
HO: Yes, actually I'll be playing all three!
WM: You starred in the recent movie "God's Not Dead 2". Are there any movies planned for your future?
HO: Right now I'm so busy with the show (The Goldbergs) and my music. But if the right thing comes along, maybe!
WM: Anything to say to your fans from Wisconsin?
HO: I hope to see you at the show! Brennly Brown is opening and she's an amazing singer. I can't wait to meet everybody!
