Daily Inspiration: Meet Amaya (Jaree) Hardin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amaya (Jaree) Hardin.

Hi Jaree, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I think I became Jaree before I ever really knew what being an artist meant. Music was always the place where I could be the most honest, even when I didn’t fully understand what I was feeling yet. I never wanted to just make songs. I wanted to create a world people could step into.

My journey really started in 2019 when my vocal coach, Lewis Ray, encouraged me to write my own song. Before that, I loved music and performing, but writing gave me a completely different relationship with it. It taught me how to take my own experiences, emotions, thoughts, and ideas and turn them into something that could live outside of me. That was really the beginning of me seeing myself not just as someone who could sing, but as a songwriter and an artist with my own perspective.

A lot of my journey since then has been about learning not to water myself down. The more I’ve grown, the more I’ve realized that the things that make me different are probably the most important parts of my artistry. Jaree is unique, emotional, confident, a little unpredictable, and always evolving. I want my music to feel like a reflection of that. I want people to be able to hear a song and feel like they are entering a specific world, mood, or moment rather than just listening to something that sounds like everything else.

At the same time, I’ve always been interested in creativity beyond just music. In 2024, I started growing as an influencer and content creator, which gave me another way to express myself and connect with people. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to partner with brands like Shark Beauty, Prada, Maison Margiela, and others. I love being able to bring my own personality and aesthetic into those collaborations while still making the content feel natural to who I am.

My friend Kristian Williams and I also created Solace Social together, which is another part of my story that means a lot to me. Solace Social is about creating intentional spaces where people can come together, connect, be creative, and simply enjoy being present. Building that community has shown me that I don’t just want to create things for people to watch or listen to. I also want to create experiences that people can actually be part of.

I think all of those parts of me connect. Music, content, fashion, beauty, and community are all different ways I express the same creativity. I don’t really see myself fitting into one category, and I don’t want to. I’m still becoming the artist and woman I see in my head, and I actually love that part. I don’t think you ever fully arrive. You just keep discovering new versions of yourself and giving people a little more of the story each time. I want people to be able to grow with me while still never knowing exactly what I’m going to do next.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, but I think that is where a lot of my growth has come from. Writer’s block has been one of the biggest things I’ve had to learn how to move through. I used to think I had to force myself to create, but now I understand that sometimes the most creative thing you can do is stop. I meditate, journal, sit with myself, and give my mind space to breathe. A lot of the time, the inspiration comes back when I stop chasing it.

I’ve also had to become comfortable with things not going according to plan. I think there is so much pressure to make every move the right move, but life does not really work like that. You are going to mess up. You are going to take a risk that does not turn out how you imagined. You are going to have moments where you question yourself. I’ve learned not to let one moment define me because your next move matters more than your last mistake.

For me, life is about allowing yourself to change. I am endlessly evolving, endlessly creating, and constantly meeting new versions of myself. I do not want to be so afraid of failing that I miss the chance to experience something real. Sometimes you have to trust yourself enough to jump without knowing exactly where you are going to land.

I think that is what keeps me inspired. I am not trying to become one final version of myself. I am letting myself grow, change my mind, make mistakes, disappear for a moment if I need to, come back inspired, and create from wherever I am in that moment.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m an artist first. I write all of my own music, and I love being able to move between different sounds depending on what I’m feeling. I’ve written R&B, pop, Afrobeats, and other styles, but I never want to feel trapped inside one genre. I think my music is more about creating a feeling than fitting into a category.

I just released my new song “Faded Away,” and that song feels very close to where I am creatively right now. It has this ethereal, euphoric flow to it, but there is still a lot of emotion underneath the surface. It was produced by T. Lee, who I met at Georgia State University through the MTM Standard music program. I love that the song came from a relationship that started in school and grew into something creative. That makes it even more special to me.

One of the things I am most proud of was attending the GRAMMYs this year and being on the red carpet. That was such a surreal moment for me. I remember being there and really taking it all in because it felt like one of those moments you dream about before you ever know if it will actually happen. I was beyond grateful to experience it, and it is something I know I will never forget.

What sets me apart is probably the fact that I do not see myself as only one thing. I make music, I write, I create content, I work with brands, and I throw events. I am also building Solace Social and creating spaces for people to connect in real life. My style, my ideas, and the way I move through all of those different worlds are all extensions of who I am.

I think people can feel when something is genuinely you. I am not trying to build a version of myself that is easy to explain. I would rather be remembered for having my own world. My music, my style, the events I create, the brands I work with, even the way I present myself all come from the same place. I think what makes me different is that I am not afraid to let all of those sides exist at once.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is not to give so much of my energy to things I cannot control. My dad taught me that, and it is something I understand more and more as I get older. You can spend all day worrying about what might happen, what someone might think, or whether everything is going exactly according to plan, and none of that worrying actually changes the outcome.

I’ve learned to care deeply without trying to control everything. I can do my part, move with intention, and trust that whatever happens next is something I can handle. Some things will work out exactly how I imagined, and some things will take me somewhere completely different.

I think peace comes from knowing the difference between what deserves your attention and what deserves to be released. I still have moments where I overthink, but I remind myself that I do not need to solve tomorrow today. Sometimes you just have to let life unfold, trust yourself, and keep moving.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jaree.hearnow.com/faded-away
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaree_theofficial/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.light.12
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/messaging/thread/2
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIOd1sSbdRtziwy0oxv0mpw
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/amaya12987
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/solacesocial__/