Artist Interview with Haywyre: On Inspiration, Returning to Wave, and Why Music Still Feels Like Home

GRAMMY-nominated producer and pianist Haywyre is no stranger to the Wave stage. As a longtime collaborator, he’s known for his genre-defying compositions and electrifying live performances. Ahead of his return for the second show in his 2-show residency on Wave, we caught up with him to talk about his creative journey, finding inspiration in unexpected places, and what fans can expect from his performance in the metaverse.

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name’s Martin, and I make music under the name Haywyre. I’ve been producing and performing since I was 16, so it’s been half my life at this point. Which is wild to think about. It’s been a long road, but I’ve loved every step of it.

What’s the story behind the name Haywyre?

Back when I first started releasing music, I knew I wanted to do it under an alias. I bounced around a few ideas with some producer friends and landed on “Haywire”. We all thought it sounded cool. But then I found out there was already a band with that name. So I changed the “i” to a “y” and ran with it. For better or worse, it stuck.

Was there a moment when you knew music was what you were meant to do?

Not one specific moment. It was more like a series of moments strung together throughout my life. I grew up in a very creative household. My dad’s a pianist, and both my parents are passionate about the arts, especially painting and music. But they never pressured me to pursue it professionally. I think I just gradually felt more drawn to it as a way to express myself.

Starting young really made a difference. It gave me time to build a deep connection to the craft, so by the time I was ready to pursue it seriously, I had a real sense of what that commitment meant.

What keeps you grounded and inspired, even during the tough moments?

Music has always been therapeutic for me. At its core, it’s about sharing ideas and curating experiences. That’s what keeps pulling me back in.

That said, I definitely hit some burnout at the end of last year while working on my album. I’ve spent the past few months slowing down, giving myself a bit of space. But even then, nothing else lights me up quite the same way. Of course, I have my partner, who I adore. But I also believe it’s important to have something that’s just yours. Your own goals, your own ambitions. For me, that’s music. There’s nothing else that gives me the kind of fulfillment it does.

You mentioned the album. What can fans expect from you in 2025?

Yeah, it’s kind of the elephant in the room for longtime fans since I’ve been teasing it for a while. I’ve released EPs, singles, remixes, but albums are a different beast. They require so much more time, energy, and intentionality.

This year, I’m really focused on finishing it. I’ve got no shortage of material, it’s almost the opposite problem. When you’re writing, singing, producing, mixing, mastering… wearing all the hats, it’s easy to lose perspective. You hear a song a hundred times and start asking yourself, “Does this even sound good anymore?” But I’m excited. I want to see it through.

Where do you find inspiration these days?

Honestly, in the small, everyday things. A good conversation. Doing chores. I know that sounds random, but that’s when I feel my creative brain kick into gear, when I’m not actively chasing ideas, but letting them come to me.

The key is recognizing those sparks and holding onto them before they slip away. When that happens, I try to drop everything else and focus on it.

Take us into your live performance process. How do you approach your shows?

It’s a strange process because I mimic in some ways what DJs do, but not in a live sense. It’s a mix of DJ-style set planning and traditional live performance. I don’t improvise the full set from scratch, there’s structure. But I do perform each song live on the keys, which adds a unique, in-the-moment feel to it.

I like organizing tracks in little clusters, based on mood, energy, BPM, key… then building a narrative from there. For the Wave shows specifically, I’m focusing only on Haywyre originals, which brings a cool sense of cohesion to the set.

How has it been performing in the metaverse with Wave? What can fans expect from your set?

It’s been amazing. I’ve been working with Wave for a long time now, and it’s crazy to see how much the platform has evolved. The creative possibilities are pretty limitless, which makes it incredibly fun to collaborate with the team and dream up what a show could look like.

This time around, I’m doing a special set of unreleased music. It’s surreal to say that out loud. But I’m excited to see what fans think of the new music. 

When I’m in the Wave environment, seeing people’s usernames pop up and their avatars dancing around—it’s honestly energizing. It helps me lock in and perform like I would on a real-life stage. Sometimes it takes a minute or two to flip that switch, but once I’m in, I’m all in.

How does a platform like Wave help you connect with your audience differently?

The biggest thing is that not every fan can make it to a live show, especially when you’re not touring internationally every year. Wave gives people from all over the world a chance to connect in real time, and for independent artists like me, that’s huge.

It breaks down the barriers between artist and audience. You can literally see who’s in the crowd, interact with them, and create this shared space that feels intimate, even in a virtual world.

Catch Haywyre live in Wave on April 24 at 6PM PT as he debuts unreleased music live on Wave Beta. Sign up here for access.