MIA: One of my followers recommend me to you and your music and I’m so glad they did! What would you say out of all your posts and songs has had the best response?
KAIYA: I’m really appreciative of how my music has been received across the board. Streaming wise, I was really shocked that ‘Forget About It’ had the reach it did despite it being my first official solo release. Since then people have seen me through so many sonic changes and have been really accepting throughout. I am really grateful for the people for being that way.
M: You have an album called Mama. Were your parents/your mother significant in your journey with music?
K: Both of my parents are artists. My mother is a dancer and performer, also a professional dominatrix. My dad was a working multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer up until the day he passed. Music and emotional expression through it is definitely in my genes. ’97 was written as a tribute to my dad and of course to follow up I had to make a tribute to my mom, which was ‘Mama’. My mom has always supported my music career unlike a lot of my family members and I’m sure if my dad was here he’d be chill with it too.
M: I can see that you have a Kurt Cobain post in your feed. Is Nirvana, and the genre they’re beneath, a large inspiration for you?
K: I was never that Nirvana fan with the t-shirt from Hot Topic or the Kurt wallpaper but I think Kurt Cobain was not of this world or somehow before his time if that makes sense. The way he spoke about being ardently against agents of white supremacy such as racism and misogyny has always been intriguing for me especially as he ~presented~ as a heterosexual white male in the 80s. Nirvana’s music is definitely a dig, my favorite song is “The Man Who Sold The World”. I also love the ending mantra section of “All Apologies” because I resonate deeply with the statement “All in all is all we are.”
M: You’ve done a few shows. What has been your best experience performing live
K: I love any opportunity I have to actually see what my listeners look like. The deeply gratifying part about becoming an artist was realizing the excitement artists feel to see their supporters. I’ve been a fan of many artists and I never really thought about how when we go and see our favorite people live, they actually do observe what their audiences look like and how them and their art is received in person. I also love when people ask me for a hug despite me being sweaty after I perform! I hope live music returns in a safe and timely matter for sure.
M: What is your next big goal for you and your music to achieve?
K: I hope the music takes me somewhere where I can remain independent and in charge of my art and process but while being able to take care of myself and my loved ones. I hope I’m also able to create more opportunities for people far and wide using the resources available to me.
M: Youve taken to a b&w theme for your IG feed. Is social media important for promoting your work?
K: Social media is totally important for promoting my work, although to be honest I don’t enjoy doing it. I’ve never considered myself much of a visually artistic person, I’m a sound specialist. I hope to one day have the opportunity to pay someone to design and post for me, with my permission of course.
M: You’ve been using your voice a lot for women, poc and the lgbt+ community. Is it important to you that you use your platform for things like this?
K: I think it’s important for anyone with social media or with an opportunity to express their ideas and morals should use those things to uplift others. I’m a Black Indigenous genderqueer bisexual musician blessed with people who don’t mind hearing what I have to say, but with that I recognize the people who may also identify with any of those labels who do not have the space to voice those things or who also don’t have access to the same information. I think that making information accessible to anyone no matter the size of your audience is so valuable.
M: What has music opened you up to? Is it easy to be vulnerable with it?
Music has opened me up to new friendships, romantic opportunities, opportunities to feel in general. It’s easy for me to be vulnerable to an extent because I’m a big heart-on-your-sleeves type of guy. I’m grateful I’ve gotten to meet so many new people with new ideas and advice on how to traverse this very scary industry.
M: You’re based in CA, but is there anywhere you’d love to visit especially to perform?
K: I hope to do a US West Coast tour when this pandemic is over! I love road trips! I’d also really like to perform in the UK just because growing up I’d watch a bunch of UK tour diaries for my fav artists and geek out over the venues they’d perform in. Definitely a dream I’m working towards!
M: What is are three words you think best describe your music?
K: Safe-space, emotional, fun!!! (does that count as 3?)
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