At 19 years old, Kaylee Lauren is already making waves in the music industry with her unique blend of dreamy pop and introspective lyricism.

Based in Los Angeles, this singer-songwriter has captured the hearts of a rapidly growing fan base, drawn to her angelic aesthetic and emotionally resonant songs. In this interview, Kaylee opens up about the inspiration behind her music, her creative process, and how she’s forging a distinctive path in the dark pop genre with influences from the 1960s and contemporary sounds.

Nicolle: Hi, Kaylee, could you introduce yourself and the kind of music you make?

Kaylee: Hi, I’m Kaylee Lauren, I’m a 19-year-old singer/songwriter based in Los Angeles. My dreamy pop records and angelic aesthetic have connected me with an adoring and rapidly growing fan base. My songs are a captivating blend of modern pop and introspective lyricism, often marked by emotional depth and a polished production quality. 

Nicolle: Your music resonates deeply with your generation. Can you share the inspiration behind your songs and how you choose topics to write about?

Kaylee: I fall into inspiration within the depths of my life, relationships, and my mind's inner workings. I always plead with myself to create the most vulnerable and self-reflecting records, even if it takes a lot out of me to find them. Songwriting is like digging into my brain and trying to find the deepest darkest secrets, writing it down on the notes app, and then releasing them for millions worldwide to see. It’s truly such a fascinating experience and I am so lucky to understand it and call it my job. 

Nicolle: You've achieved over 2 million streams at just 18. What do you think sets your music apart in the dark pop genre and appeals to your listeners?

Kaylee: Yes, I am so grateful for all the angels who consistently listen to my heartfelt records. I believe my music has a unique pairing of dark pop sounds, deep lyrics, contemporary and alternative beats, as well as dreamy, angelic, 60s-inspired sounds. My lyrics are deemed, by my fans, relatable, gut-wrenching, and the perfect escape into a world of deep understanding and a space to feel seen by their favourite artist. I honestly believe all of this is what the fans recognise and why they are drawn to my music and my artistic projects.

Nicolle: How did your debut song "Not Enough" shape your career, and what was the journey like from releasing your first song to recording your upcoming work?

Kaylee: “Not Enough” is my first baby to do remarkably well on the streaming numbers on Spotify and has tied me to most of the fans. The record is so special to me because it deals with inner struggles and feelings I couldn’t even express to my family, at the time, without feeling misunderstood. I’m so happy the song, time and time again, has given so many young humans who feel so insecure and so fragile, a space to feel seen. I’ve been cooking in the studio, creating the best music I’ve ever made, and truly so excited for the fans to get a taste of what’s to come next. I released my first single at 16 years old “Rollercoaster” in 2021 and have never looked back. 

Nicolle: You’ve mentioned that your music is an honest portrayal of teenage experiences. How do you balance personal storytelling with creating something universally relatable?

Kaylee: The best advice I’ve heard in the music industry is “If you speak honestly about any experience then someone is going to find truth in it”. That is so, so, true when I think about the writing process from the perspective of an artist. Obviously, it’s harder to be so vulnerable because I even said to myself the other day when writing, “What if the guy I wrote this song about, could tell it’s about him, and it ruins the friend-relation situation, well whatever it is… But at the end of the day, I will always be honest, It’s too hard for me to record a song if I don’t feel it throughout my veins when I’m singing it. 

Nicolle: If you could write a song with someone dead or alive, who would it be?

Kaylee: Taylor Swift. Need I say more? 

Nicolle: What would you be doing right now if it wasn't for your music career?

Kaylee: I love marketing and entrepreneurship. I’m not sure if people know this, but at 11 years old I had a slime business called “Slime Rabbits” (named after my bunny) where I would literally make $500 a week selling creative slimes on my Etsy shop. I would come home from school and go into my slime room and create sugar cookie dough slimes and Snickerdoodle cream slimes. I laugh at it now but back then I was a little businesswoman. I also was an “influencer” around 2020 before I started releasing music. I had brand deals, made dancing videos, and did the GRWM/Day in My Life videos at the ripe age of 15. I had around 60,000 on TikTok and was doing pretty well. I learned the marketing strategies and business sides of social media from a young age. I would continue influencing and creating online businesses. 

Nicolle: In addition to singing and songwriting, you also direct and edit your music videos. How does this involvement influence your overall creative process?

Kaylee: I love making music videos, especially since they’ve all been $0 budget. It’s been so amazing to try new ideas, that I come up with in my head, and see them come to life visually. I feel such a new profound sense of creativity when directing and editing those videos, I keep a notebook on my living room table filled with music video scripts. I could sit there for hours thinking of ideas, and it’s fun to piece together how exactly I’m going to do this without spending a crazy amount of money. 

Nicolle: Your songs explore themes like heartbreak and self-doubt. How do you approach these subjects to ensure your music remains authentic and engaging?

Kaylee: I am honest, that truly is the key to the songwriting treasures. I have to be, or else it doesn’t feel real to me and it would be apparent in the recording. It’s hard to express how I feel when a lot of the subjects I write about are feelings that most people in my life don’t quite understand. But songwriting is not about writing for others to accept you or understand, I see it as understanding myself, letting others in on this understanding, and creating a family of all beings that understand this writing. 

Nicolle: Can you give us a glimpse into what your fans can expect from your new body of work currently being recorded, and how it differs from your previous releases?

Kaylee: This new music is so different from what I’ve been releasing, it is 60’s, but fresh and modern pop, while also having influences of Lana, but also Roy Orbison. I can’t say too much but are you ready for it…?

Nicolle: You have a new song out called Killer in Disguise. Tell us a little bit about it and the process of writing it and producing it.

Kaylee: Yes, of course. My new record “Killer In Disguise” is a sad story set to an ethereal & evocative melody with a 60’s beat, its charm lies in a blend of melancholy and mainstream sounds.

I was sitting in the park writing the song, about a relationship in my life, that felt as if they were trying to kill me in disguise, ruin me in secret, and somehow call it love. I am heavily drawn to records of the early 60s with inspirations such as Lesley Gore, Skeeter Davis–, and The Beatles. Drums in the 60s were often recorded with a punchy, upfront sound, and organic electric guitars, which my producer and I placed throughout the entirety of the song. The song has a timeless quality due to its universal theme of heartbreak and the emotional depth of its delivery. 

As Kaylee Lauren continues to evolve as an artist, her commitment to honesty and vulnerability remains at the core of her music. With a new body of work on the horizon that promises to push the boundaries of her sound, fans can expect to be drawn even deeper into her world of emotional storytelling and nostalgic yet modern melodies. Kaylee’s journey is just beginning, and it’s clear that she’s poised to leave a lasting impact on the music industry.

You can follow Kaylee on Instagram here and you can stream her latest single Killer in Disguise here.

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Nicolle Knapova is a 30-year-old young adult writer and freelance blogger from the Czech Republic. She has a master’s degree in Creative Writing and Publishing at Bournemouth University. She loves to write about music, books and TV shows. If she’s not writing her fan fiction, she’s writing her poetry and sharing it on her Instagram @elisecaverly.