Hey Y'all it's Kayla
Kayla Hawkins is a singer/songwriter born and raised in Lake Geneva, WI. She spent her youth riding horses with her family and found an early fascination with music & lyrics. She fondly recalls reading through the lyric booklets of country artists and asking her Dad if he thought the stories in the songs were true. She began writing songs in her bedroom and picked up her dad’s old guitar in an attempt to learn to play.
When Kayla was 13 and her mother passed, she turned to songwriting to make sense of the emotions running through her head. She began to understand the power that lyrics and storytelling through songs could hold. Kayla credits Taylor Swift for showing her she could write songs about her real life and things took off from there.
She began performing at local fairs, festivals and talent shows, showcasing songs from artists such as Sara Evans, Taylor Swift, LeAnn Rimes and P!nk. She spent her high school years opening for local cover bands, playing at Midwest Horse Fair, and performing a Taylor Swift Tribute show in 2011. She leaned into performing her original music wherever she could.
At 18, after graduating high school, Kayla moved to Nashville, TN to attend college and pursue music. She began playing writer's rounds throughout Nashville and even played shows in SouthEast Florida while traveling for work.
In 2018 Kayla released her first single, a stand alone project, called “Song of the Caged Bird”, in the wake of the #metoo movement. The song was created as a reminder that we will not be silenced and that standing together we can fight for change.
With the boom of Covid in 2020 Kayla moved back home to Wisconsin to be closer to family. Since the return of live music, Kayla has played a handful of shows showcasing solely her original music, including a slot on the Ground Floor Stage at Summerfest.
In 2023 Kayla launched an Indiegogo campaign that successfully raised enough to fund a debut EP. Release of the songs will happen over the course of 2024.
Kayla is also taking on the role of leading a Taylor Swift Tribute show mirroring The Era’s Tour and is excited to celebrate Taylor with all her fellow Swifties.
“I can’t wait to sing & dance with you all and share this new music I’ve been working on. 2024 is going to be a yeehaw good time. Much love.” -Kayla
“Songwriting was very therapeutic for me, and I think from there I knew how I was going to make it through life, one song at a time.”
“I’ve had quite a few people tell me my voice reminds them of Ashley Monroe and I think that is such a HUGE compliment. I adore her. Her voice is amazing.”
