Q&A: R&B Siren Kayla Rae Digs Deep on New Single & Video “Blue”
FINDING BEAUTY IN THE STRUGGLE — Kayla Rae’s latest single, “Blue,” is all about making the best out of a dire situation. Produced by Grammy-winning duo Stargate (Ne-Yo, Beyonce), the mid-tempo track contains atmospheric production reminiscent of Club Nouveau’s “Why You Treat Me so Bad,” setting a solemn tone for Rae to harmonize on picking up the pieces after watching a loved one move on with someone else. Equal parts sultry and vulnerable, “Blue” is a cathartic addition to Rae’s growing discography.
Alongside the track’s release, Rae is featured in the track’s music video, directed by Daniel Choi, visually capturing its bittersweet and sleek mood. Laden with vivid blue and red lighting and mountainous imagery as Rae harmonizes in a futuristic nightclub, the video’s aesthetic strikes resemblance to Hype Williams’ video collaborations with ’90s R&B titans TLC and Aaliyah.
“Blue” marks Rae’s return, as she plants her flag on the female R&B scene. Hailing from Colorado Springs, Rae soaked up inspiration from legends such as Boyz II Men and SWV, using the energy to drop early singles “Practice” and “Get Close.” Gaining steam with performances at KS 107.5’s Summer Jam and opening for Doja Cat, Tyga, and Ashanti, Rae blossomed with her 2020 debut project, Pressure. Amassing 100K monthly listeners on Spotify and a 780% growth in visibility on Instagram with 53K followers, Rae’s rise is just beginning.
Read below as Rae goes into detail on the creation of “Blue,” her musical evolution, and ambitions for 2023.
LUNA: Congrats on your new single, “Blue,” and the music video! Given how sleek the visuals are with its colors and cinematography, how did you try to make sure it balanced the nostalgia from ’90s and 2000s videos you grew up on while remaining modern?
RAE: Thank you! I’ve always loved the look of videos from the early 2000s. I sometimes draw inspiration from that era without realizing it. But I didn’t tell the director I was going for a nostalgic look because I wanted him to shoot the video how he would shoot today, not how it would be shot 20 years ago. So incorporating some nostalgic elements [into] the video and letting the director have his creative freedom helped with that balance.
LUNA: Do you see this video as a hint at even bigger and ambitious videos to come?
RAE: Absolutely. We shot this video in about four hours with our friends. So I know the following videos will be even better with a little more time and planning. I always want to elevate each piece I create.
LUNA: Knowing that this track is produced by Stargate, who work with R&B greats such as Beyonce, was there any pressure in collaborating with them?
RAE: I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous at first. I’ve been a fan of Stargate for a long time and I’m so honored to work with them. I also feel right at home with this collaboration. I’ve been manifesting this for years! They wrote and produced some of my favorite songs that I would sing at my live shows or cover online. So I knew that being in the studio, doing my best, and being myself was all I had to do — a little pressure is good for you anyway :)
LUNA: It sounds like there’s a sample of Luniz’s “I Got 5 on It” on “Blue” and it definitely brings back some nostalgia! How did this influence you to make such a vulnerable track on heartbreak?
RAE: It’s funny, I thought the same thing about the sample. “Got 5 on It” is actually sampled by an older Club Nouveau song called “Why You Treat Me so Bad.” Crazy (laughs). I found that out when it came time to clear it. However, Bibi Bourelly and Stargate did an amazing job at capturing that vulnerability over heavier production. When I heard it I immediately thought it was brilliant. The initial openness of the song made it easy for me to go in and finish with lyrics that were personal to me.
LUNA: I noticed the lyric “Baby I have been feeling like my heart is turning ice blue / Like a Colorado winter it’s been frozen so soon,” which is really interesting. With your upbringing in Colorado, has the environment shaped your approach to R&B in a unique way?
RAE: Referencing my hometown in “Blue” was important to me. I definitely feel like it’s shaped my approach to not only R&B but music as a whole. There isn’t much of a sound in Colorado so that gives me the freedom to create it or at least experiment with what I think is cool. As far as my family and home environment, I was always isolating myself in my room and expressing my feelings by writing songs. That allowed me to take a more honest approach to my music and sing about what I’m feeling.
LUNA: After your move from Colorado to LA and your recent time at the LAAMP program working with the likes of Ant Clemons and Ne-Yo, how much of a leap is this toward your confidence as an artist, compared to your early experiences at the Berklee College of Music?
RAE: At LAAMP, I felt supported, and I had a place to grow for nine months. I was being heard as an artist and challenged as a writer. I left feeling like I could go into any session and really hold my own. Berklee was like being thrown into an ice bath (laughs). I immediately knew I had no time to mess around and there was sort of a pressure to be better than everyone else to feel seen. The two experiences are very different but both shaped me into who I am today, and I’m just grateful to have had those opportunities.
LUNA: Recalling your debut project, Pressure, and how it was a very emboldened record that dropped during uncertain times in 2020, how do you want your upcoming work to resonate with your fans in 2023?
RAE: I want to continue putting out honest music that sparks feelings in people who listen to it. I think Pressure helped people during the pandemic because the music just felt good and was real. I always want that. I want my music to be a reflection of my reality but also an escape. I want listeners to go somewhere for three minutes and come back and be like, “Damn, I want more!”
LUNA: What’s the biggest goal you want to accomplish musically for 2023?
RAE: I want to start my album by the end of this year. I told myself I would release an album when I’m signed. So while I love being independent, I’m also welcoming the idea of signing to a major label if it’s right. I also want to go out of the country for the first time and [for] it to be for a show! I can’t wait to start performing all over the world.
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