Bella Kaye Missing You Interview

Bella Kaye (16 years old) is an up-and-coming pop singer-songwriter from Southern California. Drawing on influences from artists such as Taylor Swift, Madison Beer, Bea Miller and Nina Nesbitt, Bella brings her own style, intensity and emotion to the music she performs. Bella is a gifted, young storyteller creating a world within her songs, writing lyrics that are engaging and moving in a way that reflects her unique style. Her music is lyrical, emotive and rich with harmonies and textures. In 2018, Bella started publicly performing covers at local coffee shops, festivals, and county fairs and began writing her original music in the summer of 2018.

Born in Chicago, Bella's innate love for singing and performing started at the early age of three. As a young child, her favorite activity was performing musical shows for her family. Starting in third grade, Bella spent several years performing as a featured member of the Chicago Children's Choir, as well as singing solo performances with her school and musical performing camps. The confidence and ease she demonstrated on stage at such a young age was captivating and impressive. In 2015, Bella and her family moved to the Golden State to pursue her musical endeavors.

In early 2017, Bella started learning guitar and by December that year, she performed her first open mic show at a local coffee shop that is well known in Southern California for launching talented artists. Immediately after getting off stage, she was approached by the booking manager who asked if she would perform at the upcoming Christmas show. Since that evening, she has been a regular performer at this coffee shop, as well as other local coffee shops, festivals and county fairs. In the summer of 2018, she performed several shows at the San Diego County Fair, which became a significant turning point in her musical aspirations. Performing on a big stage in front of a large audience was an exhilarating experience for her and one she couldn't wait to experience again.

Bella began releasing her original music in 2019. Her first single, 'Heartache', is an emotional ballad that captures the pain of a broken heart. Released in November 2019, her debut EP 'Reflections' touches on themes such as heartbreak, hope, drama and daydreaming. In 2020 Bella released her latest original single 'Missing You' and a chill, somber cover of the 60's classic 'Happy Together'.

Interview with Bella Kaye

Question: How would you describe your music?

Bella Kaye: I would describe my music as lyrical, emotive and rich with harmonies and textures. I tell stories through my songs with a focus on emotions and melodies. I think my music is relatable to my peers but also has a universality that young adults and beyond can get behind.


Question: Can you tell us about Missing You?

Bella Kaye: I wrote "Missing You" when someone was taken from me unexpectedly, and I wasn't able to see them. Being under a stay-at-home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic accentuated my feelings, and I spent a lot of time reflecting. I wrote this song as a way to process my feelings and find comfort in being separated. Songwriting is always a great way for me to cope with my emotions, and it definitely helped me in this case.


Question: Is there a particular message you hope listeners take from your music?

Bella Kaye: I don't think there is one message in particular. When I write songs, I take inspiration from things in my life, sometimes things that have impacted me directly or from what I observe is happening around me. I hope listeners can resonate with my music and use it to help them process whatever is going on in their life. It's a great feeling when I know my music connects with someone.

Question: What was your first performance?

Bella Kaye: There have been a lot of "first" performances for me. There are a few in particular that stand out. When I was in third grade I performed in front of my entire school when I sang a cappella to The Lorax's "Let It Go". On the day of the performance I woke up and was so nervous I actually begged my mom to let me skip school. However, when I got on stage, I loved it. The nerves settled, and I had so much fun. Another memorable time was when I went to my first open mic at a well known coffee shop in Southern California. This was also the first time I played an acoustic set with my guitar. As soon as I got off stage I was approached by the booking manager who asked if I would perform at an upcoming show. Since then I have performed many times at this coffee shop. The last ones that stand out were during the summer of 2018 as they were my biggest performances to date. These performances inspired me to start writing my original music. Performing on a big stage in front of large audiences is such an exhilarating experience, and I can't wait to do it again.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?

Bella Kaye: I love them both for different reasons! Recording is always so much fun. When I'm recording vocals for a song, I focus on little details and will record many takes and different parts such as harmonies and backgrounds. Performing live is a lot different obviously since you're performing in front of an audience. For performances it's important to not get too caught in the details and instead live in the moment and be present with your audience. I enjoy recording because I get to create every piece of the song and hear it all come together, and I enjoy performing live because you feel the audiences' energy and it's such a magical feeling.


Question: If you could have anyone, in the world, attend a show, who would it be?

Bella Kaye: A notable person in the music industry that could help take my career to the next level.


Question: What motivates you most when writing music?

Bella Kaye: I write music because I love to do it. Situations from my life motivate me to use songwriting as a coping mechanism to process my own feelings and emotions. Being a singer-songwriter is also what I plan to do for the rest of my life so that motivates me as well.


Question: Which music/artists are you currently listening to?
Bella Kaye: My go-to music is always changing and varies based on different factors such as my mood and what I'm experiencing in life, but currently I'm listening to Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Charlotte Lawrence, Nina Nesbitt and Madison Beer.


Question: What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Bella Kaye: I've always loved to sing and perform for as long as I can remember. My dream has always been to be a singer-songwriter and performing artist. I grew up listening to Taylor Swift and pop music, which definitely inspired me even more.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Bella Kaye: I like to start my day with a workout. When school starts in a couple weeks, I will do schoolwork until mid-afternoon. Once that is done, I am usually either practicing, writing songs or recording.


Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Bella Kaye: Creating art has been my favorite part. I love being able to take an idea in my head and use lyrics, chords, melodies and production to create a final product that people all over the world can listen to. It's a great feeling when people tell me they can relate and resonate to one of my songs that started as an idea in my head as a way to help myself cope with a situation.


Question: How would you describe your personal style?

Bella Kaye: I would describe my style as trendy, cute and casual.

Question: What's next, for you?

Bella Kaye: Since "Missing You", I have released two additional songs, a chill and somber cover of the 60's pop song "Happy Together" and a raw and emotive original single titled "Empty Promises". In regards to what's next, I recently finished recording vocals on my next original single. This one has a more edgy, "over it" type of vibe than my other songs. I'm not sure when it will be released yet but I'm hoping for early fall. Stay tuned for an exact release date.


Question: Can you share your socials? (links please)

Bella Kaye: Definitely. They are:

Instagram  
Website - here you can sign up for my mailing list where you will get updates on any new music and latest happenings.  
Facebook  
YouTube  


Interview by Gwen van Montfort