When Jayli and Hayden Wolf moved to Toronto a few years ago they were making a giant leap from small-town life, a necessary move to pursue careers in entertainment.
READ MORE: Creston grad and husband recognized by Rolling Stone as new performers of note
To the surprise of no one who knows them, the move has been a success. They have kept busy writing songs and making videos, and Jayli is carving out an acting career, too.
When they spoke to the Advance by telephone from Toronto last week, they had recently returned from a month in Ottawa, where Jayli was acting in a movie written by a writer from The Simpsons, working with “an Academy Award-nominated director” and a cast that includes This is Us star Justin Hartley.
“My biggest job yet!” she said.
But what they really wanted to talk about was a video that will be released later this month—watch the Advance for when and where it will be released—that was filmed in and around Yaqan Nukiy School.
Worth, according to a press release, “is about inward perception and how society, our peers, and social media can affect self-image. We place so much value in these external factors that we often write our story around the judgments and projects of others.”
The video, shot last year when the couple returned to Creston, features many Yaqan Nukiy students and staff. One student plays a girl who is bullied at school but eventually stands up to the bully in defense on another student. The central figure is shown as a blue-faced monster, which is “a visual representation of the inner belief system she has built from exterior judgments.” It is a powerfully-depicted story and ends on an uplifting note.
“Coming back to Creston to work with some of the community’s youth on this project was an amazing experience for us!” Hayden said. “The students and staff at Yaqan Nukiy School were such a blast to work with and made our job so much easier.
“Jayli and I shoot the majority of our music videos on our own, but this was definitely the most intensive one yet. There were many moving pieces, so we were so grateful when Renee Phypers and Amanda Miller offered to help coordinate with the school as we were trying to plan this all from Toronto. We couldn’t have pulled it off without them!”
Bullying is an important issue that many young people are faced with, and Hayden was no exception.
“I was bullied throughout most of elementary and high school. Everyone has dealt with bullying to some extent growing up, but some advice given to me early on is that those who bully others are most often projecting their own insecurities to gain back some kind of power that they feel is missing in their life”.
“Bullying doesn’t end after high school,” Jayli said. “You have to be really self-aware to avoid becoming a victim.”
While Hayden and Jayli no longer reside in Creston, they have family and friends here, and they are quick to show gratitude for the support they continue to receive.
“We want to say a big thanks to Ray & Amanda Miller, Renee Phypers, Trevor Marzke, Devan Coward, Corene Collins, Cherie Luke, Stacey Loberg, Jennifer Huscroft, Yaqan Nukiy School, Lower Kootenay Band, and all the wonderful students,” they said.
Follow Jayli and Hayden Wolf at www.onceatreemusic.com, or on Facebook and Instagram.
editor@crestonvalleyadvance.ca
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