Hayley Watson – Rock Choir Darlington
For years, Hayley had been carrying more than anyone should have to.
The loss of her Mam in a tragic car accident, followed only months later by the loss of her Grandma, changed the course of her life. Years of legal proceedings meant repeatedly reliving the circumstances, while much of her time and energy was spent caring for those around her rather than herself.
Then, in 2024, tragedy struck again when her brother passed away unexpectedly.
Looking back, Hayley says she had completely lost herself.
“I realised I needed to do something for myself.”
She just didn’t know what that looked like.
An unexpected discovery at the Edinburgh Fringe
During what was supposed to be a short break in Edinburgh with her partner, Hayley decided she wanted to watch either an a cappella group or a choir perform.
While browsing the Edinburgh Fringe programme, Rock Choir caught her attention.
She booked tickets to see a performance, without really knowing what to expect and what followed was more than just an enjoyable afternoon. Watching hundreds of people singing together with such energy, warmth and happiness sparked something inside her that she hadn’t felt for a very long time.
As they walked away afterwards, her partner turned to her and simply said, “I could see you doing something like that.”
Back at their hotel that evening, Hayley booked a taster session with Darlington Rock Choir.
The hardest step was walking through the door
Although she had booked her place, arriving at that very first rehearsal was another matter entirely.
Sitting in the car beforehand, she questioned whether she should go inside at all.
After a few anxious minutes, she took a deep breath and walked through the doors.
The warm-up felt unfamiliar, but everything changed when the choir began learning “Flashdance… What a Feeling”.
“I was really starting to enjoy myself, and I was hooked.”
She signed up that evening and has never looked back.
In only her second rehearsal she met another member, Rana, and over time the pair became close friends. It was the beginning of a whole new support network.
Finding herself again
Little by little, Hayley began recognising herself again.
Rehearsals became something she genuinely looked forward to each week, and the friendships she built extended far beyond choir nights. Performances became days out filled with breakfast, coffee, laughter and shared memories.
Over the following year she lost five stone, something she says has helped both her confidence and her singing.
“I finally feel like I have found me again.”
Her Mam and brother had always loved music, and together they had shared concerts, gigs and musical films throughout the years.
Because of that, joining Rock Choir somehow felt meant to be.
“Rock Choir just feels like it was the medicine I needed.”
From the audience to the stage
Perhaps nothing illustrates Hayley’s journey better than what happened a year later.
After first discovering Rock Choir while sitting in the audience at the Edinburgh Fringe, she returned the following summer as one of the performers herself.
“My favourite performance with Rock Choir is the Edinburgh Fringe performance we were lucky enough to do.”
Standing on stage in front of an audience, exactly where she had once sat watching and wondering if she could ever do the same, became a genuine full-circle moment.
“It was a fantastic buzz to share with friends.”
To make the experience even more memorable, comedian Patrick Monahan, a family friend, came to watch the performance before later mentioning Rock Choir during his own show.
An unforgettable day at Abbey Road
Another experience Hayley never imagined she would have was recording at Abbey Road Studios.
Known throughout the world for its connection to The Beatles and countless legendary recordings, the famous London studio represents a lifelong dream for many musicians.
For Hayley, simply walking through its doors felt surreal.
“It was an out-of-body experience.”
She shared “I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity and ever so grateful to everyone for an unbelievable day.”
A whole new lease of life
Today, Hayley’s partner jokes that whenever she comes home from rehearsal, she is “like Tigger”, full of energy and excitement.
It is a simple observation, but one that perhaps says everything.
Rock Choir has brought friendship, confidence, purpose and joy back into her life at a time when she needed it most.
After years of putting everyone else first, she finally did something for herself and is always happy to share that “Rock Choir has given me a whole new lease of life.”
