Kayla Silverman’s “Tell Me How” Is Glam Pop at Its Dreamiest

Photo by Lena Nugent and Eli Eisenstein

If you've ever locked eyes with a stranger and mentally planned your wedding before even exchanging names, Kayla Silverman just wrote your theme song.

The NYC-based glam-pop artist is back with her newest single, "Tell Me How," a disco-tinged daydream about falling hard and fast for someone you barely know. It's not love. It's not lust. It's that irrational infatuation that hijacks your brain and makes you believe fate just walked into your subway car. And honestly? We've all been there.

Floating on shimmering synths, cheeky harmonies, and Kayla's signature powerhouse vocals, "Tell Me How" captures that exact split-second moment when a stranger becomes everything. It's the musical equivalent of romantic delusion—cinematic, intoxicating, and just the right amount of unhinged.

But don't get it twisted, while her vocals sound like they belong in a cathedral, her music videos live in a completely different dimension.

For this release, Kayla teamed up with director Eli Eisenstein to create an over-the-top, hilariously awkward 80s JC Penney-inspired visual fantasy. Think: exaggerated lip-syncing, cringeworthy posing, and polyester-fueled seduction. It's sexy, it's absurd, and it's perfect.

"In the end, it doesn't matter how sexy you actually look," Kayla says. "What matters is that you feel sexy. That you're caught up, that you're fantasizing, that you're completely in the moment."

With roots in opera and a deep love for glam rock icons like Queen, Kate Bush, and Chappell Roan, Kayla has carved out her own universe—equal parts romantic renaissance painting and chaotic girl crush fever dream. Her music blends theatrical storytelling, rich harmonies, and glossy pop production, while her visuals often lean toward absurdist comedy and maximalist camp.

"Tell Me How" follows her critically-received EP Sophisticated Lady and kicks off a series of new monthly releases from the rising alt-pop star. Known for her explosive live shows and East Coast tours, Kayla is quickly becoming a name to watch, especially if you like your pop dramatic, glam, and just a little bit unhinged. And if you're still thinking about that one stranger you never talked to... consider this your sign.

"Maybe I'm feeding into the delusion," Kayla says, "but if you're hearing this song, take it as your sign to ask that person out. You know exactly who I'm talking about."

You’ve described your style as “glam pop.” What does that mean to you, and how do you think “Tell Me How” fits into that identity?

I’ve always been dramatic. Whether it’s through a gloriously rich arrangement, a theatrical outfit, or an over-the-top performance. Sonically and visually, I’m inspired by glam rock legends like T. Rex, Kiss, and especially Queen. But while I love their larger-than-life aesthetic and emotional intensity, I’ve never quite fit into the rock world. So, I coined my own term: glam pop.

“Tell Me How,” produced by Dean Gray, is a heart-on-your-sleeve, lust-fueled disco track that plays with that sense of drama. It leans into obsession, fantasy, and infatuation, but with a little sparkle. Visually, it’s just as bold. The music video takes place in a cheesy JC Penney-style photo shoot, where the campy glamour contrasts with the song’s emotional intensity. It’s all very seductive, tongue-in-cheek, and dripping with drama.

The music video for this single is hilariously over-the-top. What made you lean into awkward 80s photo shoot energy instead of going full romance fantasy?

This is one of the first intentionally sexy songs I’ve ever written, and for some reason, the word that kept coming to mind was “Vogue.” I wanted something glossy and glamorous, but the reality was that I didn’t have the infrastructure to pull off a fully polished, high-fashion music video.

So, I flipped the concept on its head. I thought, What’s the least sexy way to try to be sexy? And immediately, a JC Penney-style photo shoot came to mind. I brought the idea to my dear friend Eli Eisenstein, who directed the video, and he ran with it in the best way possible.

The result is this hilariously awkward, hyper-staged fantasy that plays with the idea that feeling sexy and looking sexy aren’t always the same thing. But honestly, that’s what I love most about it. Because in the end, it’s not about perfection; it’s about having fun and being fully present with the person you love. That’s where the real romance lives.

Your roots in opera definitely shine through in your vocals. How do you balance the theatrical with the comedic in your music and visuals?

Opera was truly my first love. I remember being eleven, sitting on the train, listening to the ballad Du Bist Die Ruh, and thinking, This is what it feels like to be alive. What’s always drawn me to classical music is its emotional range, how it can swing from sweeping, tearful arias to laugh-out-loud comedies that I still watch on rainy days.

That sense of range deeply inspires my work. I want my visuals to feel like they could be pulled from a fine art museum, dramatic, regal, and timeless. My photos and cover art are where I tap into that seriousness and intensity. But my music videos are where I let the absurdity shine. They’re my way of saying, yes, this may sound dramatic, but don’t take it too seriously.

Each video is a chance to turn the glamour on its head and remind people that even the most theatrical emotions can come with a wink. It’s all part of the balance: the high drama and the humor, the fine art and the photo booth.

What’s one irrational crush moment from your real life that could’ve inspired this song but didn’t? 

This is a great question! I have these moments constantly. Pretty much anytime I see a man on the subway reading a book. I love them literate; what can I say? I play that game of trying to make prolonged eye contact without it actually being creepy, but I haven’t reeled any of them in yet. 

If “Tell Me How” could soundtrack any iconic movie scene or pop culture moment, what would it be and why?

I wrote this song with NYC in mind, so I have to say Sex and the City. Unfortunately, I’m a Carrie cosplaying as a Samantha. “Tell Me How” lives in that space between lust and obsession, but with a wink. It’s self-aware, it’s dramatic, and it’s kind of making fun of itself the whole time.

I also think of that scene in 500 Days of Summer when they’re in the elevator, and she says, “I love The Smiths.” It’s such a fleeting moment of connection that instantly spirals into fantasy. I wrote this song hoping it could soundtrack those exact moments when someone falls in love just because the other person’s on the same elevator and also listening to Kayla Silverman. That would be cool.