Gemma Claire Hayes (born August 11, 1977) is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician, producer, and composer from Ballyporeen, County Tipperary. Primarily a vocalist and guitarist, she also plays piano and harmonica. Her music combines elements of alternative rock, indie rock, folk, and atmospheric pop, often pairing intimate songwriting with layered, spacious arrangements.
Hayes grew up in a large family in rural Tipperary and was introduced to music through her siblings and her father, who played keyboards in a local band. She later attended boarding school in County Limerick before moving to Dublin, where she studied sociology, psychology, and history at University College Dublin. She left university to pursue music, performing around Dublin while supporting herself with part-time work.
After several years of live performances, Hayes signed with Source Records, an imprint associated with EMI, in 2001. Her early releases, the EPs 4.35am and Work to a Calm, established a sound built around acoustic instruments, restrained vocals, and increasingly detailed production. Her debut album, Night on My Side, appeared in 2002. The album received strong critical attention, earned Hayes the Best Female Artist award at the Hot Press Awards, and was nominated for the 2003 Mercury Music Prize. Its songs also brought her to major European and American festivals, including the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Following extensive touring, Hayes stepped away from the music industry for a period. She later described the break as a reaction to exhaustion and overexposure to music. During this phase she recorded a version of Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" with Norwegian artist Magnet for the soundtrack to the 2005 film Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
Hayes returned with The Roads Don't Love You in 2005. More direct and rhythmically varied than her debut, the album included the single "Undercover" and reflected a broader, more polished approach. Hayes spent part of this period in Los Angeles and received the Best Irish Female Artist award at the 2006 Meteor Ireland Music Awards. She also co-wrote "Hazy" with Adam Duritz of Counting Crows.
Her third album, The Hollow of Morning, was released in 2008 through her own label operation. Working again with producer David Odlum, Hayes made a record that emphasized texture, electronic detail, and a more self-directed production style. The album marked an important step toward the independent career model she would continue to develop. She also contributed an Irish-language version of "Ran for Miles", titled "Rith Me Go Crich", to the Ceol compilation series.
Let It Break followed in 2011 after a lengthy recording process in Ireland and France. Hayes also wrote songs for the independent film Janie Jones, including "Just a Game", "Fight for Me", and "Hurricane". Her cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game", released in connection with Pretty Little Liars, became one of her most widely recognized later recordings.
In 2014, Hayes released Bones + Longing, a fan-supported project recorded with David Odlum. The album continued her movement between folk-based songwriting and atmospheric studio production. She has also worked collaboratively, contributing vocals to projects involving The Cake Sale, Printer Clips, Paul Noonan, Lisa Hannigan, and electronic group Above & Beyond, with whom she recorded "Counting Down the Days".
After several years of intermittent activity, Hayes began work on a new album in 2020. The resulting Blind Faith was released on September 27, 2024. Produced by Odlum and recorded between West Cork and Dublin, it extended the reflective, textural qualities of her earlier work while marking her return to a full-length album cycle. Across her career, Hayes has remained known for an understated performance style, carefully developed arrangements, and a preference for artistic longevity over conventional pop stardom.