Actress, singer, and songwriter Hayley Orrantia says she wishes she had more projects to talk about. In reality, the 21-year-old Texas native is pretty busy.
Orrantia plays Erica in the ABC comedy series The Goldbergs, a family sitcom set in the 1980s that premiered in 2013. She is also preparing for the release of a new EP this summer. And this month, she’ll appear at the RealtopiaTV Festival in Fort Worth.
The festival, one of the first of its kind, features celebrity meet and greets, panels on what it’s like to be on reality TV, and special performances from stars past and present. According to its website, “RealtopiaTV was created to connect reality television fans with the celebrities and stories they admire and are inspired by.”
We can’t personally vouch for the inspirational quality of all reality television, but it is nice to hear the success story of a young star from our own backyard.
Orrantia was born in Arlington and grew up in Highland Village. She was a singer and songwriter from an early age, singing back up on several Disney-curated albums. Some might remember her from the first season of the X Factor, where she competed as a solo artist, was eliminated, and was then brought back by Simon Cowell to compete in the group category. The all-girl group, Lakoda Rayne, made it into the top nine. Eventually, Orrantia decided to pursue acting alongside her music.
While she enjoys appearing in the cast of The Goldbergs, Orrantia says that music is what she puts her heart and soul into.
“Music is my first love,” she says. “I got into acting because of music…Every single song on my EP is from a personal experience.”
Her new EP has four original songs, with one in Spanish called “Haste Verte,” which she wrote in memory of a family friend who passed away. Orrantia says growing up in Dallas left its mark on her music. For one thing, it’s why her new EP has so many country influences.
“I was never really into country in the beginning,” she says. “I listened to a lot of R&B…but country was always around me in Dallas. I soaked enough of it in that [my music] turns country.”
Orrantia now lives in Los Angeles, but says she is excited about coming home for the reality TV festival.
“There are a lot of things that LA lacks that Dallas has that I miss,” she says. According to her, this festival is one of those things. “I do want to emphasize that this festival is taking place here because a lot of Middle America really loves reality shows.”
There’s no denying that America has a bit of a love affair with reality TV. The fact that this festival exists at all is proof of it. Sadie Robertson (Duck Dynasty), Sean Lowe (The Bachelor/Bachelorette), and Mark Ballas (Dancing with the Stars) are just a few of the stars making an appearance and sharing their stories.
“I’m going to be performing all of my original songs for the first time,” Orrantia says. Knowing where she comes from – and the inspiration for her music – we’d say this festival is a pretty great way to spend a weekend for any fans or Orrantia or reality TV. It also promises to highlight the charities and causes that these celebrities support.
Plus, if it’s been your dream to find your fame on television, the master classes and panels might just give you the secrets to success.
