I first heard of the Toronto based singer-songwriter Hayden when I went to see Feist at the Academy of Music this past April. Hayden’s unflappable character onstage, as well as his folky-acoustic-rock, drew me into his 2008 release, “In Field & Town.” For the past 15 years, Hayden has been creating music and touring across his native Canada, as well as the United States, Europe and Japan. He recently concluded a few tours supporting popular acts such as The National and Feist, as well as a sold out theater tour of Canada.  In his most recent visit to Philadelphia, Hayden sat down to chat a little bit about his past, the City of Brotherly Love, and his musical idols.

The Triangle: Most musicians say that their careers began when they picked up their first musical instrument, started singing or even began writing songs. When do you think your musical career began?

Hayden: My career probably began when I entered a song into a radio contest in Toronto. And I wrote the song and recorded it, but I got two of my friends to sing it because I had never sung before.  On the entry form it said “name of band” and I wrote Hayden down because it’s my middle name and I thought it was sort of ambiguous enough to sound like it might have been a band. It got on this CD and then started getting some radio play.

T: When was this all taking place?

H: I’d say ’93.

T: Who inspired you to make this music?

H: At the time, I really loved people like Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, and Tom Waits.  And bands like Sebadoh, Airstrip, and Sonic Youth. It was a combination of older influences and what was good at the time.

T: Was that always your lifelong dream to create and produce music? Or did you have another career in mind?

H: I wanted to try to do something that had something to do with music.  I went to college for three years studying media/television.  I had a college radio show for a while, and then I got into making music videos for various bands.  None of that satisfied me like writing songs.

T: I saw you open for Feist at the Academy of Music here in Philadelphia back in April.  How was it touring with developing pop-rock artists like Feist and the National?

H: Yeah it’s exciting touring with those two bands in particular. The outside people probably just think of Feist as the girl from the iPod commercial. But she is so much more. And the National too, they work hard and they are great artists who create beautiful music. It’s a great thing to be a part of that.

T: You’ve been to Philadelphia a few times now. Have you gotten a chance to go sightseeing or experience anything in America’s birthplace?

H: Over the past 15 years, I’ve probably been here every three to four years.  I like it more and more every time I come. I ran the “Rocky” steps at the Art Museum.

T: I know you just released the album “In Field & Town”back in the spring, but do you have any plans for an upcoming album?

H: I might try to record.  I have the month of August off so I might try to get something happening then.

T: Last question, if there was one artist/band you could tour with, who would it be and what venue would you kick off the tour?

H: Venue first. I’ve never played at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.  I always hear people say it’s awesome. It’s where the first “Phantom of the Opera” used to be.  So that’s the venue.  And then maybe Tom Waits. That would be pretty great.* photo taken by Alysson Cwyk