Debuting on Sirius XM Hits 1, breakout indie pop-punk star Hayes Warner has joined forces with fellow NYC-native and rapper Billy B (“Don’t Play With It”) and songwriter, producer and legendary guitarist Kevin Rudolf (“Let it Rock”) to deliver a fresh new female power anthem reimagining the 90’s No Doubt hit “Just a Girl.” The single artwork for the song was designed by UK new media artist, Christos Alamaniotis (@christos.jpeg). You can stream/download “Just A Girl” by Hayes Warner and Billy B ft. Kevin Rudolf HERE.
With powerful lyrics that rail against societal norms for women, the all-star group is releasing the single timed to International Women’s Day. A portion of the single’s proceeds will be donated to Supermajority, an organization dedicated to building women’s collective political power by providing the information, training, and resources needed to take meaningful action at the local, state, and national levels.
Just as the No Doubt hit tackled themes of gender roles and autonomy, this new take captures what it’s like to be a woman in 2024 and shares similar yet different frustrations with the world. Hayes’ lyrics “nothing new to say about it, nothing’s getting through. I’ll just sing the same old chorus ‘cause that shit’s still true” showcases that while the world may look different now, women will continue to be resilient and overcome the challenges that they continue to face. Pair this with Billy B’s clever rap verse, “the boys do it good but the girls do it better,” the classic hit becomes a modernized pop-punk anthem reminding the world that women will continue to empower one another in a world that often refuses to empower them.
“Ever since I can remember, I’ve been a fan of No Doubt and Gwen Stefani,” said Hayes Warner. “Their tongue-in-cheek lyric writing and high energy performances has had a huge impact on me and my own artistry. With this new reimagined version of “Just A Girl” I wanted to honor that while creating a version that reflects my 2024 perspective. I’m so excited to collaborate with amazing artists like Billy B and Kevin Rudolf, who both add their own levels of brilliance to the track. Our version ‘Just A Girl’ was made to remind the world that women are strong and resilient. Partnering with an organization like Supermajority to release this song on International Women’s Day feels like the perfect way to bring that to life in a meaningful way that uplifts female voices.”
“We had so much fun recording this track,” noted Billy B. “When I was first approached about this collaboration I knew immediately it was something I wanted to be a part of. I’ve been inspired by so many strong women in my life and I’m thrilled to be a voice that contributes to supporting and uplifting them.”
“I’m beyond excited to work with these amazing women and uplift their message in this impactful anthem,” said Kevin Rudolf. “Hayes and Billy are brilliant artists and I cannot wait for the rest of the world to check them out.”
Hayes has had a meteoric rise, recently signing an international publishing deal with Glassnote Records and touring with the likes of Flo Rida and Fetty Wap. In 2023, Hayes delivered a viral girl-powered breakup anthem “Breadcrumbs” which featured artist, Loren Gray. Additionally, Hayes’ single “Dead to Me” hit over 1 million streams, proving that fans are connected and resonating with her music. Up next, Hayes is looking forward to dropping her debut EP later this year.
To find out more on Hayes Warner and to stay up-to-date on new releases, please visit HERE.
Billy B Q&A
Can you tell us a bit about how this collaboration came together with you, Hayes Warner, and Kevin Rudolf?
So, one day I’m on IG, being that I’m an indie artist. I check my dm’s like clockwork, lol, and I see a dm request from Hayes. She hit me up like, “hey girl, we should collaborate,” or something of the sort. Once I heard her track “Breadcrumbs” I was sold! The rest was magic!
You came through on this song with some really fun bars! What was your writing process like, and which lyric was your favorite?
Thank you! My writing process has changed over the years. I used to get wasted and vibe out to the beat until I came up with my cadence for my flow and went from there. Lol! Now that I’m in my soft girl era. I write my verses while I’m doing my morning workout once my pre workout kicks in, lol. for this specific track, I wrote it on the elliptical at LA Fitness. Since this was more of a pop track, I wanted to make sure I bring that hip-hop flare but still keep it very girly, girl. My fav lyric is definitely, “The boys do it good, but the girls do it better!”
The song samples the 90s No Doubt hit, “Just a Girl.” Did you know the song prior to working on this? If so, do you remember the first time you heard the original?
I honestly didn’t know the original song. I was in the studio with a producer friend of mine and I was telling him about me hopping on the track with Hayes and when I played it for him he was like “OH SHOOT THATS NO DOUBT JUST A GIRL SAMPLE” lol and that’s how I found out.
What is it about this song that resonates with you?
I resonate with the mellow dramatic vibe of the song. Us women literally deal with a tone of adversity daily from balancing our careers with our personal lives to figuring out what we want to eat for the day. Sometimes it can be overwhelming and you just wanna scream out “IM JUST A GIRLLL” like leave me alone loll. But we manage to get things done all while looking absolutely stunning.
Why do you think this song is still so applicable to today, and what do you hope people get from this new version?
Well girls will be girls today, tomorrow and even a 100 years from now. It’s been proven! I hope that other girls get to feel soft, girly, and completely liberated while listening to our modern twist to this classic track. Me and Hayes have an authentic bond that we’ve built off of doing something that we both love and are passionate about. I hope it inspires more women to link up and create.
The song is being released on International Women’s Day and a portion of the proceeds from the song will be donated to the organization Supermajority, which is committed to advocating for female leadership and providing women the information, training, and resources needed to take meaningful political action at the local, state, and national levels. Why was this important to you?
Supporting other women and building a community to help us all get ahead is very important to me. I am excited that some of the proceeds will be going towards a good cause.
What type of impact would you like to accomplish with this release?
Honestly I hope to have a global impact with this song! I always feel empowered when listening to it and I hope other women feel the same.
Do you have anything else upcoming our readers should look out for?
I’m working on my EP right now and planning to drop it around top of summer. I am super excited about that.