Today we’d like to introduce you to Hayley King.
Hi Hayley, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up, I’d always managed to feel like an outcast. I was born in MI and moved to Memphis when I was four, then when I hit elementary school my family and I moved up to Maine. Moving around the regions made me extremely adaptable at a young age and followed me into my adult years.
For a good time, I was a good student in school. I was gifted in the arts and writing and for a long time, that was my passion. Of course, high school changed everything. My family life seemed to disintegrate before my eyes during my senior year. I am luckier than most for the parents I have, but my home was in a 10-year-long civil war and my sister was my everything.
I moved out when I was 17 and took her with me until she and my mother moved to Memphis the summer after my 18th birthday. Taking care of my sister, I threw away my scholarships and the prospect of college. It had been pressed onto me and I hated the idea of studying another four years, not only that, but I’d hoped I would be able to take care of my sister to lead her better than I’d led myself. seeing as that would not be the case I decided to set off and find a passion. I worked so many different jobs.
I worked in various restaurants, a bakery, a sailboat, farms, and finally nannying. I was most in love with farming. I tried community college to study agriculture, but due to a failed and dangerous relationship I’d gotten myself into, I dropped out after 3 months. My best friend Elona took me in and brought me to the surface of happiness a couple of months later and then COVID hit.
It felt like the end of the world for everyone but me. I traveled all over the U.S. and made wonderful connections at that time. Eventually, I ran out of money and I lost hope of finding a career that I could be passionate about. I’d bounced state to state and after a summer of farming in Maine, I was out of ideas. summer turned into fall and fall turned into winter and at that point, I was depressed and angry.
I drank from morning till night and one day I woke up sick of it. I called my mother after years of avoiding her, flew to Memphis and I turned 20 in the city. My mother had been a talented hairstylist for 25+ years and eventually convinced me to go to Paul Mitchell the School of Memphis for education and training in cosmetology. In the time that I have been in Memphis, I’ve made amazing friends and reconnected with my family.
I am due to graduate in a couple of months, but I’ve got quite more than just that on my plate these days. I’ve been modeling, poking about the music and fashion industry, and building up my reputation as a stylist. I’ve had a model walk in LA fashion week with my haircut, and I haven’t even graduated.
For much of my life, I lacked self-confidence and I think I’ve reached a point where I’m happy with the person I am.
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?
My life was far from smooth. My parents and I were always angry at one another and I broke my relationship with them early on. there was much abuse in my life, especially physical abuse and sexual assault. I was never able to make female friends and because all my friends were boys, I was the pretty girl everyone gossiped about.
I’ve struggled with my mental health since I was 14 and attempted suicide then and again when I have 16 and 17. I was sexually assaulted by wealthy and older men later into my teens and was never able to speak a word of it because I was scared to stand up to them. I got myself into abusive relationships, one after the other because I was never able to see the red flags.
I never knew how men were supposed to treat their women or vice versa. People knew I was kind and naive and that I would do anything to help out a stranger, and so many took advantage. I love people and I love to care for and help them more than I love them. That hasn’t quite changed, but I am less naive and ignorant, I hope.
Growing into my adulthood with COVID everywhere I turned, made my whole world shift into a perspective that was almost blinding for me. I couldn’t ignore that life was short and that the world doesn’t stop turning for anyone or anything on it.
Getting over my pride and getting myself into a trade where I could make people feel good about themselves, partake in art, science, and the theory of hair has kept me on my toes and opened up a path to success that I felt I hadn’t had a chance at before I came to Memphis. I’ve never had a wealthy family, Hell, I haven’t had more than $2,000 to my name in my life and I’ve been working since I was 12.
I’ve struggled with it especially throughout school lately. I’ve had a good friend die, I’ve lost friends and I may never see people from my childhood again, but those are the true growing pains of growing up that every human being must endure and grow stronger from.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m known as the rockstar hairstylist. whether it’s a mullet or dread to retwist, I can do it all. I am obsessed with color and layered cuts. I specialize in fashion pop color and design, but because of my strengths in adaptability, communication, and visualization, I’ve never had a mad or upset client and I pride myself on that fact, as well as my ability to connect with my clients and care for them individually.
At school they call me Hollywood and I’ve had someone say to me, “you’re a celebrity, you’re just not famous yet.” and I do hope they’re right. I work hard and I play harder and one day I hope I reap the benefits of that. I’ve been working with the underground community alongside music talents with help from my partner ZayM.I.A. and with amazingly talented photographers like Sixomo, Darius Anderson, and Subii.
I’ve been assisting Sleepy Knockz and many others to create the brand Liquid Chrome, which we hope will bring the creative community together. We want to put this city on in a memorable, fun, and positive way. I want to place my hands and feet into different creative scenes and be a jack of all trades. Modeling has helped me to make most of my connections and I love to do it.
I love the confidence I feel and the hype that comes with it. I studied business management in high school and it’s proved to be helpful with organizing events, promotion, networking, and so much more. Hair will always be my deep passion, but I want to give myself access to several outlets and help/ educate people on personal and business growth from what I’ve learned in the past.
I’m talented and like any 21-year-old, I’m hungry for success.
So maybe we end by discussing what matters most to you and why?
My sister and my career matter to me more than anything these days. My sister is my best friend and the reason I grind every day. I want to be a good role model for her and the youngers. I feel that gen z has lost faith in the world we live in, and for good reason.
We’ve been overlooked and judged by the older generations and the world has changed too fast for us to wrap our brains around. We want to hope that our government and political powers will help clean up the mess that they left for us, but we’re slowly realizing that until we’re in power all we can do is sit tight and watch the world around us burn or fight for ourselves.
So many have lost friends and family to illness and violence propelled by fear and anger and I hope one day we can all agree that we must change the world ourselves to make it what we want and need for our future. I want to be an example that no matter what life throws at you, you can get up and fight another round.
My career is where I can touch the hearts and minds of so many and I hope my clientele finds a way to love themselves more after seeing me. My goal is to help as many people as I can by spreading positivity.
Contact Info:
- Email: Kingstala11@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/hayleyxking?utm_medium=copy_link
Image Credits
sixomo subii
