Comedian and viral sensation Danae Hays made her Grand Ole Opry debut on Tuesday, March 4, fulfilling a lifelong dream. An Alabama native, Hays grew up listening to country music legends like Vern Gosdin and Conway Twitty. She launched her stand-up comedy career just one year ago and was invited to make her Opry debut by country superstar Lainey Wilson during the Opry NextStage Live event on December 9, 2024.
Before stepping onto the iconic stage for her Opry debut, Hays chatted with Music Mayhem backstage about her big night.
An Answered Prayer
The night before her Opry debut, Hays received a message from a friend about a prayer from two years ago.
“My best friend Harper, I didn’t know that she had done this, but she had written down a prayer that she prayed for me back in 2023 before I’d ever done standup or anything,” Hays shared. “And in that prayer, she said that I was going to have a Grand Ole Opry debut. She’s like, ‘I’ve been waiting to share this with you, but this was a prayer that I wrote down talking to God about you and your career, and I’ve put so much energy and belief into you, and I just wanted you to know that I’m just so proud of you.’ And I’ve read that prayer four times because friends like that are hard to come by, and she truly wants what’s best for me.”
Lainey Wilson Invited Hays To Make Opry Debut
Hays recalled how she was shocked to be invited to make her Opry debut by Lainey Wilson. “I was as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof,” she laughed. Hays was backstage and was told she needed to go on stage with Lainey. “I went back out there, and I was like, I don’t know what we’re talking about. I’m talking to Lainey. And then when she asked me, I think I literally went into a weird meditative state where I don’t even remember exactly what I said. All I know is I was crying.”
That moment opened up a connection to her late grandfather, who passed away 12 years ago. “It was just the most I’d ever felt him since he was on earth, just because he’s the one who introduced me to country music, and he’s always played the greats.”
Outfit Inspiration
Hays’ stunning red western suit was inspired by late comedian, Jerry Clower. “He would always wear a cherry red suit on stage. And so when I took it to my stylist, I said, I want Jerry to be with me. I would always listen to him growing up.”
The suit also included a special hidden message, inspired by her late grandfather. “I haven’t shared this with anybody, but I got his favorite song ‘Play Guitar Play’ stitched on the inside of my jacket. And then the Opry Band is going to be playing me out to ‘Play Guitar Play,’ so I know he’s here tonight.”
Debut Performance Included Comedy and Music
The “Broken Condoms” comedic singer took the stage and immediately addressed her family’s concerns about having any “clean” songs to perform. “I had so many friends and family calling me, they were real concerned because as you just heard, one of my song titles is called ‘Rode Hard,’” she told the crowd. “They were saying, oh, Danae, what song are you going to sing on the Opry? You got any clean ones? They were real concerned because this stage means a lot to me.”
She dove immediately into her comedy bit, telling stories about growing up as a Southern Baptist and her experiences with other denominations. She also shared how she and her friend took DNA tests to learn about their family history, and how her friend’s DNA results inspired a song.
“I was sitting with her and her phone went ding, ding, ding. You have a match? I said, sister, we weren’t looking for a match. It said, ding, ding, ding. You have a match again. And then again and again. And she found out in that moment that she had multiple half-siblings.”
Hays then performed a comedy tune inspired by the DNA testing company 23andMe that describes discovering half-siblings across the country, ending with the hook, “That’s how daddy ended up with 23 and me.”
She received thunderous applause from the audience and took a moment to thank her friend Harper for her encouragement over the years. “You’ve always believed in me and I love you so much.”
Before exiting the stage, Opry host Kelly Sutton spoke with Hays about her career and aspirations for the future. “I’d like to book my first role in a movie or a TV show in the comedic space,” said Hays. “And one of these days I’d like to sell out Bridgestone Arena.”
She expressed her gratitude for the chance to fulfill her life-long dream at the Opry. “Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. We finally arrived.”
Comedy Tour And New Music On The Way
Hays is taking her comedy tour on the road throughout the U.S. and Canada through May 31 and has plans to add dates in Australia. Fans can also expect Hayes to release new music regularly this year, about every 50 days. For complete tour dates and ticket details, visit danaehays.com.
“Writing country comedy music is the coolest thing in the world because it’s two things that I love,” says Hays. “It’s making people laugh, and it’s country music, and I think it scratches an itch for a lot of people.”
What The Opry Means To Her
Hays loves how the Opry approaches bringing people onto its iconic stage.
“I’ve always held the Opry to such a high standard just because that’s what they do. And call it old-fashioned, if you will. But I love that the Opry has standards. They’re very picky and choosy with the people that they let on the Opry stage. It’s, ‘How do you live your life? How do you treat people? Are you a respectful person?’ And they look into your morals. And I think that’s a standard that a lot of other institutions have gotten away from, and I really value that about the Grand Ole Opry, is it means something when you come out here, and you get to stand in that circle.”
