For Californian based artist Bella Kaye, music has always been a huge part of her life starting at a very young age. Highlighting how she has loved singing and performing for as long as she can remember. We caught up with Bella, following the release of her latest entry “Highlight Reel”. Her first single from her upcoming seven song concept EP focused on the journey of being in a dark place mentally and moving to a place of health and healing.The artist goes onto highlight how Highlight Reel is her most vulnerable song to date. A belief that as she has matured through her songwriting, she has learned to be more open and share more personal aspects of her life and struggles.
Highlight Reel
Highlight Reel is a song that addresses the negative effects and illusions of social media from Bella persepective. She explains that she wrote it when she caught herself falling into the social media delusion trap and realized it was hurting her mental wellbeing. Bella feels it holds a powerful and meaningful message to those of us who have grown up or become frequent users in the digital age. “I feel a lot of people use social media to display this perfect image of themselves, which is a distorted version of reality”. She points out how it can be so easy to fall into the trap of comparison, wishing you were someone else and feeling jealous and not good enough. Learning how to navigate this, feel confident with who you are and understand what’s real and not real is a struggle she believes a lot of people face.
Life before Southern California
Bella was introduced to music when she was a baby, she explains. She recalls one her favourite things
to do as a child was to put on shows for her family. I loved having an audience, she beams. “My mom recognized my passion early on and got me involved in musical theater and the Chicago Children’s Choir”. After spending several years with the Choir, her path as a singer-songwriter became more serious when she moved to Southern California. She explains how she started recording in a music studio each week and began posting covers to her YouTube channel and Instagram account. From 2018, Bella began the road of writing her own music and in 2019 released her debut original single “Heartache”. Since then she has gone onto release her debut EP and seven additional singles. Highlighting that she chose this path as singing, songwriting and performing are her passions. As she got older it became obvious to the artist that this is what was destined to do. Feeling at home and in her element when she is doing anything related to music.
The artist describes her music as lyrical, emotive and rich with harmonies and textures. “I tell stories through my songs by creating clear imagery and a world within my lyrics, while also focusing on melodies, harmonies and emotions”. With an inner confidence that her music has become so relatable to her peers, but in addition to young adults as it has a universality connection within it.
Bella highlights that ultimately she wants her listeners to connect at some level with her music. With the hope that listeners can resonate with her music and use it to help them process whatever is going on in their life. She explains that her mother has been pivotal in inspiring her to continue to follow her dreams and to not let other’s opinions halt her pursuit of her vision.
Perseverance of a Dream
Bella opens up about going through periods of what she would call darkness. Referencing her time in 9th grade where she found herself in a dark place and was not herself. “I just felt unmotivated and really lacked focus and drive. I felt like I lost myself and the things I cared for”, she explains. Going onto point out that her upcoming concept EP, releasing later this year, touches on this period in her life and how she got out of it. She highlights how when she started writing the EP, she was not expecting it to be about her life but through the writing process, it naturally told her story. She openly admits that whilst she is not in the same place today as she was back in school, she still struggles with anxiety and OCD. “I am always learning how to best navigate and manage these feelings. I think life is a journey and there will be ups and downs throughout with continuous learning and growth”.
Bella believes it’s crucial to work with people you feel comfortable with and people who understand your vision, whilst at the same time encouraging and supporting you to become the best version of yourself. A team that will be honest, challenge you and help bring your vision to life! In addition to this, she notes the importance of practicing your craft at every opportunity you get. Highlighting how you will always face challenges that will be hard to overcome but it’s important to stay true to who you are!#watchthisspace
