There is finally light at the end of the Melbourne lockdown tunnel, and local artist Kaiya has just the track to carry you over the last few hurdles. Her newest single ‘Introspect’ channels r’n’b energy and hip-hop beats into an attempt to disarm the fear and emotions associated with the pandemic-induced lockdown by encouraging us all to embrace and plan for brighter days and new opportunities.
Kaiya is inspired by artists such as 50’s jazz-powerhouse Ella Fitzgerald all the way to current r’n’b/pop icons Frank Ocean and Sza. She also dips her toe into hip-hop and neo-soul when creating music, flavours that are strongly apparent in her new single. Kaiya’s lyrics are born out of her life experiences, a notion that is clear when listening to ‘Introspect’. The young artist clearly connects with Melbourne’s pulse and is using her musical talents to contribute to the city’s comeback
“When I gazed out at the city I almost felt a sense of relief that it was finally on pause. We’re always trying to go somewhere and to just be there in silence with no beeping of cars was magical.” - Kaiya, on Melbourne’s stage 4 lock down
Relaxed, ‘No-Scrubs’-esque guitar plucking gently invites you into this tune, with a dense, pillowy drum beat that kicks in on the first verse to remind you that we are in cool, r’n’b territory. Kaiya’s voice slides effortlessly from more spoken word moments through to airy, top notes. Her gorgeously smooth tone puts you at ease, her delivery optimistic without being reductive. Lyrics like “Close your eyes and take deep breaths/Prepare for what’s ahead/Take the time to care” making everything seem a bit more manageable, a little step by step guide to changing your mindset in the smallest of ways.
The feeling of being in stage 4 lockdown is incredibly unique and hard to pinpoint. The experience captured by Kaiya in ‘Introspect’ is one that acknowledges the hardship as an opportunity for growth and regeneration. It’s the small touches that make this song a delight to listen to; the sparse but perfectly placed vocal harmonies and echoes, the positive words in digestible clusters all supported by a tender, refined backbeat.
Lockdown or not, pop this tune on when you have the 3pm blues; the times you could so easily turn a nap into a full 18-hour sleep in the same trackies you’ve had on for 5 days. This is the soft push you need to pick yourself up and see the best in the world around you. Let’s get as excited for post-lockdown future as we are for new music from Kaiya.