Finding Her Voice: How Kayla's Journey Led to Phantom

Long before moving to Los Angeles and building a following online, Kayla Rae was writing songs in Colorado Springs, often using writing as a way to process whatever was happening around her. Music was part of who she was from an early age. By the time she was a teenager, songwriting had become second nature, giving her a creative outlet that felt both personal and instinctive.

Growing up, she was surrounded by the sounds of Whitney Houston, Aaliyah, Boyz II Men,  Beyoncé, and Christina Aguilera. Those artists helped shape both her musical tastes and her understanding of what music could do. Whitney Houston's vocal ability inspired her as a singer, while the emotional honesty of R&B resonated with her as a writer. Even now, she points to many of those artists as the foundation of her musical identity. "I grew up on really good music," she says, crediting her mother for introducing her to many of the records that would later influence her own sound. Kayla's mother also played a major role in encouraging her pursuit of music.

One of the earliest signs that songwriting could become something more than a hobby came when she recorded a Mother's Day song for her mom at age 13. Her mother's reaction was immediate. She proudly played the song for coworkers, neighbors, and anyone willing to listen. More importantly, she encouraged Kayla to keep writing and creating. That support reinforced something Kayla was already beginning to realize herself: she had a gift for putting emotions into words.

Like many artists of her generation, Kayla found opportunity during the rise of SoundCloud and YouTube. She uploaded self-recorded music, created homemade videos, and slowly built a community of listeners who connected with her songs. Those platforms allowed her to reach audiences beyond Colorado and introduced her music to fans who continue to support her today. Eventually, her ambitions brought her to Los Angeles, where she entered a new chapter of her career. The city introduced her to collaborative writing sessions and a fast-paced creative environment filled with producers, artists, and songwriters. For several years she embraced that process, working with others to sharpen her craft and expand her perspective. But while collaboration helped her grow, she often found herself returning to the same approach that first made her fall in love with songwriting.

That realization became the foundation of Phantom. Much of the album was written in solitude, away from the energy of the studio and the influence of other writers. Many of the songs began as journal entries, poems, and scattered thoughts she needed to get out of her head. Over time, those words evolved into melodies and eventually became the album. The process reminded her of the way she used to create as a teenager, alone in her room, writing simply because she had something she needed to say.

That return to her roots is what makes Phantom stand apart. Tracks such as "Never Tell," "True," and "Little Miss Sunshine" explore heartbreak, self-reflection, forgiveness, and growth through a deeply personal lens. Rather than focusing solely on what happened, the album examines how those experiences changed her and what she learned from them. The result is a project that feels less like a collection of songs and more like a snapshot of a specific chapter in her life.

The deeply personal nature of her songwriting is also what has allowed listeners to connect with her music over the years. Fans frequently share stories about how her songs reflect their own experiences, particularly when it comes to heartbreak and relationships. While Kayla appreciates those connections, she admits they can be bittersweet. She often finds herself feeling sorry that people relate so closely to some of the pain behind the music. Yet that's also what makes songwriting so powerful. Through music, complete strangers can find comfort in knowing they are not alone in what they are feeling.

Now preparing for the album's release, Kayla hopes Phantom serves as a point of connection between her experiences and her listeners. She is eager to perform the new material, and continue building on the audience she has cultivated since her earliest SoundCloud days. For an artist who has spent years evolving as a songwriter, vocalist, and performer, Phantom isn't just another project. It's the product of every lesson, risk, and creative leap that brought her here.

 

Written by Thiisiiscyn

Photographed by Chris Rouse