Spotlight: Coming-of-Age Songs Shot in Film: Kaiyah Mercedes and “The Days We Remember”
TALKING OF BACK TO SCHOOL – Kaiyah Mercedes is not your regular teenage student. At only sixteen, between completing her education and participating in open mic performances, she’s already had a few singles to her name, not to mention her upcoming debut album.
She’s currently based in Melbourne, Australia, where, besides going to high school, she’s building her career from the ground up: earlier this year, she released her very first singles “After Summer Ends” and “I Don’t Know Who You Are Anymore.”
I first got in touch with Kaiyah to write a review of her third single “New Year’s Resolutions” for my blog Art Kills. However, her songwriting abilities impressed me so much that I decided to ask for more, and that’s how this interview happened.
I wake up at 7 a.m. EST (9 p.m. Melbourne time) to get a chance to discuss her career, the inspiration behind her music, and her plans for the future. “The Days We Remember,” dropping on August 25th, is the last single before her debut album is released.
Kaiyah Mercedes has been writing songs since 13, but she actually learned to make music during the pandemic, when she taught herself the piano and the guitar, ultimately perfecting the two instruments.
Her songs fit the coming-of-age genre very well, and there’s a reason for that: during and after COVID, her generation was perhaps the one that suffered the most from frequent lockdown and extraordinary restrictions.
“It’s important for people to realize that we’re struggling and we need a voice somehow,” Kaiyah states, mentioning the hardships of remote education, providing less support than one would need, and being exposed to the internet and the media 24/7.
However, her music isn’t exclusively tailored to teenagers. “Adults are still figuring things out just like teenagers are,” the artist believes.
Her potential success at such a young age makes me wonder how she balances her everyday life versus her artistic life. She says it’s not really that strange for her. In the future, she would love to collaborate with other artists and go on tours, something she’s putting on hold until she finishes high school.
Alongside her sound, Kaiyah is also developing a very specific aesthetic: all of her photos look like they were shot on film, and they convey that feeling of nostalgia and introspection also encountered in her music. She’s particularly inspired by the 80s and 90s look, just like one of her favorite artists ever.
Before our interview, I had noticed this post bearing a Taylor Swift quote from “August,” so I’m not surprised when she tells me that she’s one of her biggest inspirations. “She’s just amazing, honestly,” Kaiyah says.
Besides looking up to other singer-songwriters like Dave Grohl and bands like Cigarettes After Sex and Pacific Avenue, her music is inspired by all sorts of pop culture products: though The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is her favorite novel ever, she’s stimulated to write a song about almost every book she reads.
Next, we discuss tv series and movies. I ask her if she watched Sex Education. She has. Though Ezra Furman’s soundtrack perfectly matches the feel and humor of the show, I would really like to see one of Kaiyah’s songs included, even just a 30-second extract.
What about Call Me By Your Name? She hasn’t watched that one yet but, when we touch upon her latest single, “The Days We Remember,” I tell her it reminds me of this movie.
But first, let’s talk about “New Year’s Resolutions,” a song based on a fictional story she made up in her mind.
This single represents a milestone in her career because she was able to produce a music video for it. Having a clear storyline in mind, her director, Adam Jordan from Main Street Studios, perfectly understood what she wanted and brought that story to life. Kaiyah had no words when she saw the final product: she was simply astonished by how special that video felt. Looking back at things in the most cinematic way.
And that’s what her first album is all about.
Her debut album is entirely produced by Chris Wilson who brought new elements to her songs that she would’ve even thought of. He understands her vision, almost as if he was reading her mind, Kaiyah believes.
“I knew instantly that he was the person I wanted to produce my album with,” the artist says. “He has 30 or 40 years of musical experience, a range of different instrumental and time periods of musical genres.”
There’s only one single left before her upcoming album: “The Days We Remember,” inspired by very specific memories she has with some of her friends. Pictures of a classical–almost cliched–teenage summer, filled with feelings of nostalgia, romantic love, friendship experiences, simplicity, and beautiful memories. Hence, my previous reference to Call Me By Your Name.
Sounds like the perfect material for a second music video, but is she really working on it?
“It’s definitely happening,” she promises. “I’m very, very excited about it.”
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