Keith Richards’ Pie Calmed Rolling Stones’ Backing Singer

Chanel Haynes revealed how she stayed focused as the most-featured backing singer in the Rolling Stones’ history, with some help from Keith Richards’ favorite meal. She made two guest appearances before being invited to join the band’s North American Hackney Diamonds tour, which ran from April 28 to July 21.

Haynes delivered Lady Gaga’s part in the Hackney Diamonds song “Sweet Sounds of Heaven” during each performance. She also joined Mick Jagger on the catwalk for “Gimme Shelter,” marking the first time a supporting vocalist had two leading moments.

Discussing the tour’s opening night in Houston with Rolling Stone, Haynes remarked, “It felt like a party with my friends… everyone came together so I could feel included. I’ve never felt disconnected from the band. Obviously, I’m the only girl, so there’s this awesome extra layer of protection. They’re like, ‘Are you okay; do you need anything?’”

She added, “You can imagine the Rolling Stones fans. I’ve been singing my whole life, and I’ve had my own fans, but dude, this is otherworldly. And so sometimes, when it was a little bit too much for me to process or handle… I’d have what I call my red room parties.

“And whoever was also sort of in the same mood, it was like, ‘Let’s just hang back.’ My room is always red. I always travel with red light bulbs, and we’ll just have snacks, drink wine, hang out, and listen to music. It has really been a blessing.”

Watch Chanel Haynes Sing ‘Gimme Shelter’ with Rolling Stones

Being close to Jagger and his energy was exhausting, said Haynes. “It’s not just the physicality. It’s the mental pressure. It’s the responsibility that’s on his shoulders,” she noted. “And it’s like, ‘Okay. You stand before your people, and you lead them strong. You take care of them, and they take care of you.’ It is beautiful to witness, and it’s very inspiring for me.”

In another reflection, she mentioned a learning moment with Jagger. “I did a note one night in rehearsal, and I was kind of just being lazy. I’m like, ‘No, he’s not going to notice this note.’ I just did a lower note when I should have done a higher note. He totally caught it. He said, ‘Yeah. Next time, can you…’ I was like, ‘Oh yeah. You’re right.’ I learned, in that rehearsal, he’s going to catch every single thing, so you might as well lock it down, girl.”

Interviewed about bonding with Richards, she enthused, “I can’t even go into the details of how much he’s touched my heart. I had a little routine before the shows, where we’d have a little bite of shepherd’s pie with him. He always has it, and I’m sort of a foodie.

“Sometimes there’s a lot going on backstage, and it can be a little unsettling, but Keith is the calmest… whenever I’m around him, I just really feel so grounded. Watching him strum his guitar, while I totally devour his shepherd’s pie, is one of my favorite memories.”

While Haynes didn’t offer any inside information, she expressed hope that rumors about a European tour in 2025 would turn out to be true. Reflecting on the experience, she shared, “The greatest reward, truly, at the end of the show, is to be in the arms of everyone else.

“When we bow and we say thank you, that’s what the bow is for, thanking everyone else, and simultaneously thanking each other for getting us here. It’s just such a beautiful reward at the end, all that hard work that we did. And we did this together.”

Source: Rolling Stone, UCR