Hazlett Finds Harmony Between “Valley Low” and “Doing My Best”

Hazlett might just be 2025’s modern-day troubadour. Since 2016, the Australian-born, Sweden-based folk artist has embarked on successful European and U.S. tours, released five EPs and one full-length record, and garnered over 2.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify. But at the heart of it all, as he writes in his artist bio, he’s “just one heck of an emotional, stubborn, simple, romantic guy” who is “a little broken,” like all of us. Candid in his lyrics and expert in his ability to create addictive folk tunes, Hazlett’s relatability keeps his worldwide fanbase coming back for more.

While waiting to board a flight to start his North American headline tour (on which Salt Lake City is his first stop), Hazlett took the time to answer a few questions about his latest release — Goodbye to the Valley Low — getting emotional on stage and his belief that everything happens for a reason.

SLUG: Hey, Hazlett! Where are you at right now? How’s your day going?

Hazlett: I’m actually about to board a flight to the U.S. to start the tour. Running on two-and-a-half hours of sleep, but hanging in there. 

SLUG: You’ve been playing music for some time. How did your love of music begin?

Hazlett: I’ve always loved music but never really sang. I did write a lot, though. Music became the way I’d take that writing and sort through the things in my head. 

SLUG: I read in The Line Of Best Fit that you were about to quit focusing so much on music and commit to an office job, specifically as a copywriter. Instead, here you are. What do you think finally lit the spark and boosted your music career?

Hazlett: It was actually my mum. I think she noticed I was trying to do the right thing — you know, growing up and getting a real job — but it wasn’t making me happy. She told me to give it one more shot. The moral of the story is: mum knows best. 

SLUG: Would you say your days playing in pubs influenced your performance style? How do those early experiences still impact your approach to live shows?

Hazlett: I was a terrible pub performer, to be honest. It’s such an art form, really. I would just turn everything sad and slow. Truth be told, I got fired from my pub shows for not being entertaining enough and far too sad, but I don’t regret the years [I spent] doing it. They taught me a lot of tangible on-stage skills and how not to get rattled easily. I’ve had beers thrown at me and even worse. Once that happens, you can usually handle anything. 

SLUG: You’ve mentioned that living in Sweden transformed your music-making process, specifically in connection to working with your friend Freddy Alexander. How has your sound evolved since collaborating with him?

Hazlett: We’ve done everything together since the start. Without him, this little musical world doesn’t exist. Because I got into singing late, each album has just been figuring things out on the fly and wearing the mistakes on my sleeve. Each body of work feels like one step closer to understanding who I am sonically and even personally. In that sense, it’s quite surprising to look back on everything and see how much it’s evolved from the beginning.

SLUG: I loved this YouTube Short you posted — “What if Bon Iver, Noah Kahan and Hazlett started an a capella group?” — because that’s exactly the combination that popped into my head the first time I listened to “The First Train Home” from your newest EP. It’s my favorite song on the record. Could you tell me about the inspiration and process behind it?

Hazlett: It’s one of my favorites, too, but it’s tough to pull myself together and sing it most nights. It dances around the idea that the people who mean the most to you in life might not ever see themselves the way that you see them. There’s something sad about that but also quite romantic. There are a handful of songs that make me tear up on stage when I’m missing my family and home; that’s definitely one of them.

SLUG: Speaking of your latest release, Goodbye to the Valley Low, what prompted the decision to release it as two connected EPs rather than a full album?

Hazlett: The intention was to just go out to the cabin and write an EP. When I came back to the city, I was ready to move onto the next era — but the more I tried writing, I found myself getting pulled back to the cabin like there was some kind of unfinished business. I went back out and sifted through what was left in my head that needed a voice, to bring some kind of closure to that whole project.

SLUG: You’ve talked about fighting against being labeled “just a singer-songwriter.” How do you push beyond those boundaries in your newest work?

Hazlett: It probably sounds quite arrogant or stuck up, but I want to leave a legacy as an artist with whatever I do. I want to build a world that people can find themselves in, and I guess I sometimes put pressure on myself that it needs to be more than just a guitar and a song. That’s also what I always hope for with each body of work: that it has its own world to it, it evolves, and anyone who’s been listening can feel and see the details.

SLUG: Having toured both Europe and North America, what differences have you noticed in audience reception across regions?

Hazlett: Both have been super lovely to me, but I think the biggest thing is [that] North American audiences tend to really let you know how they feel about you. With European audiences, sometimes you have to do a little searching to figure out whether they liked your set or not.

SLUG: The theme of “everything happens for a reason” seems important to you. How does this philosophy shape your approach to career setbacks?

Hazlett: I got a birthday card when I was younger that had that phrase on it. Since then, it’s just been something I’ve lived by. I think music is a very routine-less and often nonsensical kind of industry. For me, “everything happens for a reason” is about controlling what you can control. Don’t be afraid of making decisions. Find something in the bad, and appreciate everything in the good. 

SLUG: Finally, what excites you about the future?

Hazlett: The last year has been tough for me personally, but the new album has been something that I’ve been able to pour myself into. Working on bringing it to life became the first time in a while where I’ve been genuinely hopeful for what’s to come.

Kick off Hazlett’s North American tour at The Depot on Saturday, February 15, with support from Hayden Everett. Follow along with Hazlett at thisishazlett.com and on his Instagram, @thisishazlett.

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