Jul 21

Jul 21 Kayana: Trippin' (Feature/Interview)

I understand you have a family background in music! Can you tell us about that?

I grew up in a musical family. My mom is a classical and jazz pianist and my father is a former reggae/dancehall producer. They joined forces in the early 90s as jazz concert producers, providing a platform for up-and-coming jazz artists from around the globe to perform in New York City.

My mom taught me piano starting at age 3 and since then, I have taken on several instruments including the clarinet, oboe, mellophone (an upright French horn), baritone saxophone, and guitar. I’ve performed on countless occasions with both my mom and my sister, who is also a multi-instrumentalist. Our humble apartment was always filled with music, often all of us practicing different things at the same time!

What is the story behind the song?

Trippin’ is my 2023 summer jam! The song shifts from a fantasy world of playful, sensual lyrics about a lover, to reality in the bridge of the song, when you realize it’s all a tease (at least for now). The music video, coming out Aug 11, captures this double sighted world with contrast lighting, bright outfits, and choregraphed dancing. Trippin’ is the lead single in an upcoming album coming out in 2024.

When and how did you start making music professionally?

I've been a performing artist since high school, where I sang with a jazz trio at local bars and cafes. I recorded my first single in 2017. Like many, I leveraged the 2020 pandemic as an opportunity to hone my craft and taught myself how to produce my own tracks using Ableton and Reason. I worked with Vince McCartney from Goldheart Studios in NYC to record several of my songs. Since then, I’ve built a home studio and recently completed a 12-track album in partnership with producer and mixing engineer LowKeyBeatz. I plan to release singles off the album throughout the next two years.

Why do you make music?

Music is a means of story-telling for me. My upcoming album walks the listener through my journey of reflecting on difficult past experiences, seeking love, experiencing heartbreak, learning to love myself, and ultimately finding love. My hope is that my music is relatable and inspiring to my listeners.

Who are the biggest supporters of your music?

Mama’s always my #1. Aside from her, my best friend is incredibly supportive by acting as my manager, supporting me with marketing, sourcing collab partners, and even being my costume/hair/makeup stylist for music videos, among many other things.

Vince McCartney from Goldheart Studios played an important role in getting me to where I am today. He saw the potential in me as we recorded my first few singles. Most recently in my upcoming album, I worked in partnership with LowKeyBeatz. He was a phenomenal partner who produced my tracks, mixed my vocals, and engineered each song on the album from beginning to end. I could not have done this entire project without him.

Lastly, my boyfriend has been a huge support for providing me the space to be creative, and also for being the inspiration behind many of my songs. There are many others whohave been a part of my journey, and I am beyond excited for everyone to hear what I’ve been working on!