Colorado-based indie-folk musician Haley Harkin released her newest album, Befriend The Beast, this past Friday. Including 15 raw, emotional singles, Befriend The Beast is an ode to becoming oneself. “The beast is the part of ourselves that is hard to love, our shadow or parts we don’t like.”

“These songs are about those parts that want to hide and the joy I’ve found once I started to love them.” Haley’s lyrics are healing. The unraveling and re-puzzling of the human condition, like looking inward at yourself and back out the other side. Her thought, love, and passion is felt through each song. 

Following the release of her album, Haley had the chance to debut some of her new music at Fort Collins local music festival, FoCoMX. She played songs like “Mountain Song” and, my personal favorite, “Living Our Life Away.” Her set includes playing instruments like the guitar and the harmonica, and she does a live looping of her song “Waters of my Soul.” Haley is currently making her way in and around Colorado, playing stops in Taos, New Mexico, on May 9, Nederland, Colorado, on May 16, Fort Collins, Colorado, on May 23, and Breckenridge, Colorado, on May 30. Haley is an artist to her absolute core, and I am excited to see where her music will go in the future!