The Calgary-based musician provides some nostalgic beach vibes for the summer.
Drawing inspiration from legendary late 70’s artists like Toto, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, and the Doobie Brothers, Calgary-based artist Kayla Williams explosively burst onto the music scene with an uncanny ability to connect with her listeners. Impressively managing to capture the attention of every audience she comes across immediately,
Williams has quickly amassed a buzz for herself with her soulful vocals and ability to create captivating melodies that stimulate the imagination of her audiences, enveloping them in warm soundscapes and creating one of a kind listening experiences.
As expected, a musician of Williams’ caliber has not gone unnoticed, and her peers have recognized her artistic talent. In 2021, she won the prestigious Red Deer Emerging Artist award; her music has been featured on TSN. Never afraid of bright lights and the big stage, she’s performed at many festivals throughout Western Canada, even being commissioned to write a song for the 2019 Canada Winter Games (performing it to an audience of over 8,000 people).
Williams, a seasoned musician, and 10-year vocal coach, has lived and breathed music, which shows in her craft. Williams has something you can’t teach; intangibles that can only be formed through pure love of music.
“In Your Paradise,” Williams’ latest release, is an enticing bundle of visual and listening bliss. A refreshing offering that fearlessly heralds the rise of the quickly emerging yacht-pop genre, Williams’ “In Your Paradise” offers a stimulating and modern take on the retro-inspired genre.
The music video features Williams as a mermaid, her disco balls, flamingos, and the beach. The video has an instantly comforting, retro feel to the shading and green screen use, which blends perfectly with the audio itself. Dropping lyrics like “What’s it like in your paradise? / A cool sip of lemonade / When you’re thirsty on a summer day”, Williams instantly soothes and draws you into her world, captivating listeners with a standout vocal performance. “In Your Paradise” also serves as a tantalizing glimpse of the good to come on William’s upcoming album “Retrodelia,” if it’s any indication of the future, we can’t wait for it to drop.
“In Your Paradise” is a glittery, enticing glimpse into yacht pop and the magical world of Williams’ expansive yet compelling soundscapes. Whenever you’re ready, tap in and stream Kayla Williams’ new release, “In Your Paradise,” available now on all major streaming platforms.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Kayla Williams! We loved "In Your Paradise," but we might have to start checking out yacht pop more! What were you envisioning when you decided to make this track? Could you take us through your creative process?
When writing "In Your Paradise," I went on a walk and had the song finished when I got home; I wanted to create a playful summer song that was upbeat and musically reminiscent of the soft '70s yacht-rock classics I love! I knew it would need some serious horn parts and tons of harmonies when we recorded it. It was the first song from my EP that I wanted to release because it represents the feel-good vibe I wanted to showcase from the project…and the music video had to be super cheesy/silly/fun!
What inspired you to first get into music, and what inspires you to keep making music today?
I've been singing since I was about three years old, and I always said growing up that I wanted to be a singer. I went through a music program in college, and afterward, I never stopped writing, recording, and performing! The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson inspired me in my teens, and I wanted to write songs with layered harmonies and make pop music that had depth like his. Today, I still get the same feeling when I hear a new song or go to a live show that I did when I was super young…chills and a flood of dopamine! Music makes me feel things deeply, and singing/songwriting flows naturally for me, so I'll keep doing it as a career as long as it feels like this!
What was your favorite part of bringing the vision for the music video to life?
An artist created a logo of me as a mermaid with a disco ball, so I knew I wanted to bring this to life in the music video for "In Your Paradise!" I have a videographer friend who has a green room space, so I pitched the idea to him, and he got it. I bought an actual swimmable mermaid tail, and…BAM!...we made the most ridiculous music video of my life (so far), and it's everything I wanted. Seeing the disco mermaid realized in a music video was too much fun! Filming it was also hilarious because I was propped in different positions with no idea how the final music video would turn out! Ryley Surian, who shot and edited the video, did great with the green screen work. I laughed out loud watching it for the first time.
How would you describe your music to someone who hasn't heard it before?
Glittery goodness with an oldies vibe! Yacht-Pop is a throwback to the soft '70s and yacht-rock royalty like TOTO, Boz Scaggs, and the Doobie Brothers. It's inspired by nostalgic feel-good music of that era but with a modern pop twist and feminine flair! I intended to make music that's upbeat with a serious groove.
What's next for Kayla Williams? You're working on your upcoming album "Retrodelia," right? Any projects you're incredibly excited to share with your fans?
Yes! "In Your Paradise" is from RETRODELIA, the four-song EP I have physically released (as a CD) at my June 2/3 release shows. Digitally, I'm slowly rolling out each song as a single to give each track a chance to exist and have its moment in the spotlight. These songs feel so special to me; I'm excited to release each and have a slightly different visual campaign. I'm super busy playing live shows and sharing this music at tons of events and festivals over the summer, and I'm looking forward to recording many more feel-good jams and bringing this music back in a yacht-pop revival!