Kayla Thompson
Kayla Thompson is a beautiful talent with such a magical and angelic voice. I’ve been listening to her previous releases and I instantly fell in love with her songwriting, her vocals and the emotion she delivers in her songs. “Honest” is one of her best songs, “Younger” is an incredible ballad, and her new single “The Remains” introduces a new direction for her sound with an alternative approach. Co-written with Solomon Headen, “The Remains” is about past relationships and reminiscing about them.
I love guitar tracks and this is what caught my attention when I first heard this new song. It is beautiful. Thompson is continuing to deliver stunning songs with real stories.
“The Remains” is now available worldwide :)
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
I’m Kayla Thompson! I’m 26 years old and I’m an independent artist. I have been pursuing music for around 5 years now and it has been a journey of self discovery and major personal growth. I grew up in a musical family but I was very afraid of singing in front of people. I finally started overcoming my fear, doing open mics and writing music. And I have specifically written a lot about those fears and overcoming them.
What did you grow up listening to?
I grew up in a Christian household, so gospel and CCM was a staple. My parents were music lovers and had a wide range of genres and artists they listened to from Shania Twain and Elton John to El DeBarge, Michael Jackson and Rick James.
Do you remember a specific time in your life where music made a huge impact?
When I was in middle school, my Dad showed me James Taylor and that was the first time I really recognized songwriting and acoustic guitar. Next thing I know I am asking for a guitar for Christmas.
When did you know you could sing?
I think when I was around 8 years old I recognized that I had a nice singing voice. But my parents say that at 2 years old I would sing in the car and sing to myself in the mornings until someone would get me from my crib.. I remember singing for my family and felt that stage fright and ran from it up until I was 17.
When did you realize you had to be an artist and release your original music?
When I was 19, I went to see Tori Kelly perform live and felt so inspired. It was more than just a great performance but she was affecting people and ministering to them. I had never seen that outside of church. I remember getting in my car and just repeating, “That’s what I want to do.” So I left college, started my journey and began releasing my own original music.
What biggest lesson have you learned since the beginning of your career?
I quickly learned that comparison is a killer. I never dealt with self-doubt or comparison until I started doing music. It took me a while to just find my own voice or my own sound because I was constantly looking at what other artists were doing.
"The Remains" is your new single - what's the inspiration behind this song?
This song was inspired by a few past relationships that I ended but would often find myself reminiscing about. I realized I wasn’t reminiscing about a specific ex, but the feeling of being in a relationship.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this single? Who helped you create it?
My friend and co-writer, Solomon Headen sent me this guitar loop and melody. He started saying it “sounded like me” and we finished it in one session. It reminded me of this song by SHY Martin called “Slow” that was mainly guitar and vocal so that is what I went for production wise at first. Then I started listening to a lot of Clairo and Phoebe Bridgers and producers Isaia Huron and Tilman Acker suggested the double vocal effect. Then when my producer Carrie K got her hands on it, she added pop beats and really cool alternative textures.
What did you feel when working on this song? When did you start working on it?
To be honest, I mainly felt excitement! We had such a strong melody and it felt like we were writing something special. We started working on “The Remains” in the fall of 2020. It took a minute but she’s finally ready to be released.
What made you want to release "The Remains" as a single?
I think “The Remains” marks a turning point for my sound as an artist. I think it was a bit more alternative and singer/songwriter at its core than my previous releases. So I wanted it to stand on its own as a single.
What do you want people to feel when listening to your music?
I want people to get lost in the song and the story. I hope that the melody and production feel immersive and it gives the listener an experience.
What does singing make you feel?
Oooo, that is such a good question, I love it. Singing makes me feel more like myself sometimes. It reminds me that I have something special and unique on the inside of me.
As an artist, what is the most challenging part? And what is the best part?
The most challenging part of being a rising independent artist is constantly putting yourself out there when you aren’t sure if you’ll get anything back. The best part for me is the songwriting, producing and creating visuals. Bringing your ideas to life and seeing them flourish is the best feeling.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
Oh wow, another great question. I think that the music industry is in an interesting place for rising artists. You have so much more opportunity to make a career for yourself because of social media. At the same time social media can feel like a black hole where everyone is trying to go viral and be noticed all the time; it can feel a little like a lost cause to try to stand out and make true fans and not just try to go viral.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
It sounds so simple but, if people were more selfless, the world would be a better place. I think independence is so praised nowadays that it becomes second nature to prioritize yourself over anyone else. If we had more of a collective mindset I think we could do better for the world.
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
When I started doing music I would have anxiety sometimes, and my mom would always tell me to just take a deep breath and just take one foot in front of the other and take things moment by moment.
What message do you want to deliver to the world?
If I had to give the world one message it would be that there’s always light at the end of every tunnel and even in the darkest nights, there is always dawn. I try to send that message in all my music. If I am writing about a break up, or being fearful or just a song about quirky little moments in life, I try to weave in flecks of hope. It’s never truly the end.
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