At just 19, Kayla Oh is establishing her sound and making a name for herself as a songwriter. Influenced by Joni Mitchell and Phoebe Bridgers, Oh’s storytelling is unapologetically honest about the reality of womanhood today. Her music navigates themes of first love and heartbreak, grappling with insecurity and the ever-unattainable teenage dream. As she continues to grow as an artist, Oh reflects on how she first began making music.
“I first began writing songs in my journal in eighth grade. A lot of the songs that I first wrote were really awful, and I wouldn’t want anyone to ever listen to them. But by the time I hit sophomore or junior year, I really got into my stride,” Oh said to WSN. “I was writing a lot during quarantine in 2020. When I applied to music programs for college, I wasn’t really confident in anything I had written so far — but now that I’m here, I feel really good about my writing.”
With her debut single “See Through,” Kayla Oh opens her diary to the world. Beginning with tender guitar twangs and dreamy vocals, the indie-pop track leads into an addictive chorus. The confessional lyrics and emotive melodies make the song painfully relatable. “See Through” explores the vulnerability of self-discovery and the feeling of hanging onto love that no longer exists. The singer-songwriter pours her heart into each verse — effortlessly capturing the confusing, nonlinear journey of emotional healing.
Oh is currently studying vocal performance in her second year at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development. A benefit of this major is its small size, giving students the opportunity to collaborate with their peers and build a strong foundation for a career in the music industry.
“This year, I’m in a songwriting analysis class. The course involves a lot of critique and correction from my classmates and listening to everyone else’s work in real-time as we’re working on it,” Oh said. “It has helped me understand other musicians’ creative processes and think about the way I draw inspiration.”
Living in the heart of New York City is a major inspiration for Oh. The city’s dynamic and creative landscape has connected her with many new artists and musicians to collaborate with. She is often inspired by going to concerts throughout the city and getting to know other young musicians. Moving to New York City for college has given Oh access to an abundance of resources to jumpstart her music career that were previously unavailable in her New Jersey hometown.
“It’s such a thriving music scene, and it feels like half of my friends here are also creatives. Going to a school like NYU, making these connections is pretty much built into the curriculum,” Oh said. “Being in New York City definitely keeps me busy, but I’ve found that it also keeps me writing more. Writing songs and making music grounds me the most when being in a space like this gets overwhelming.”
With the release of “See Through,” Oh has proven herself to be an artist to watch. Her ability to write songs that echo with her listeners stems from the fact that she writes from personal experiences and emotions as a teenage girl. She is confident in her direction as a musician and her maturity as a lyricist is demonstrated in each verse of the track.
Contact Roksaneh Salartash at [email protected].