Local musician Kayla Marque talks with KGNU’s Indra Raj about her new album Midheaven, released on August 29th. She also discusses her recent tour, which began in London, and her musical journey. Kayla performs several songs from Midheaven, including “Slow Burn” and “Insecurious” (Interview date: 9/18/2024)
Indra Raj: I am very excited. to introduce Kayla Marque, who is a local musician here and has a new album out called Midheaven. Very excited to have her in the studio. Welcome, Kayla, to KGNU.
Kayla Marque: Greetings. Thank you for having me.
Indra Raj: It’s so great to have you here. We have lots to talk about, but I think it would be great for everyone to hear a bit of music from you and then we’ll get into talking about the new album, your tour, and all the rest.
You are listening to Kayla Marque live in the KGNU studios. That was awesome. Was that from your new album, Kayla?
Kayla Marque: It is. That’s the single and the first song on the album. It’s called “Slow Burn”.
Indra Raj: Nice. And that’s off of the album, Midheaven, which came out on August 29th. So less than a month. How has it felt to get this album out? And the immediate aftermath of that must be exciting.
Kayla Marque: Yeah, it’s weird, though, always when the thing is done. But I think this project is the thing that I’ve been most excited about that I’ve ever created. It came out on the 29th, which is also my birthday. It was just a really special day. And I’m so thankful to have this transmission out in the world now.
Indra Raj: Yeah, absolutely. I was looking and, correct me if I’m wrong, but your last album came out in 2016.
Kayla Marque: That was my first album. So my last album came out in 2020 during the pandemic, actually.
Indra Raj: Okay. Very different vibes now. Were you able to tour with that album in 2020? Probably not.
Kayla Marque: No, I didn’t even get to do an album release show or anything. It was just all digital.
Indra Raj: Yeah, so it must feel very different now to be out and about.
Kayla Marque: Yes. I’m so thankful.
Indra Raj: Yeah, how are people receiving it? What have you heard from fans and people about it?
Kayla Marque: My fans in particular, they’re very drawn to my lyrics and so that’s one of my favorite parts: people sending me their favorite lyrics. Also, just hearing a lot of good feedback as far as the vibe of it and the soundscape. It has this satisfying pop element, but it’s also progressive. So that is giving my heart all the warm tingles I couldn’t want anymore, actually.
Indra Raj: That’s wonderful. And you just played a couple shows here locally in Denver, but you’re about to go on tour elsewhere in the states. So tell us a little bit about your tour right now.
Kayla Marque: So my tour started actually on August 30th, the day after the album. My first stop was in London and that was amazing. I have been on the road and I’m only in Colorado because I had two shows here this past weekend, one at Mishawaka which is gorgeous and special and then Levitt Pavilion on Sunday. And then I finish my tour, starting the second leg on Friday in DC.
Indra Raj: How did it happen that you started your tour in London? That’s amazing. What was it like out there? How was it different there from coming back to the States?
Kayla Marque: Oh it’s very different. Very different. That was my second time in London. I haven’t spent a lot of time there, but it’s a big city. It’s everything that you think it is. It’s everything that you see in film and cinema. I am doing a Sofar Sounds tour, and London is where Sofar Sounds started, so it was special to get to kick off the tour there in the birthplace of Sofar. My first show was a 300 person sold out show in this old, almost ancient, church that’s been turned into a music venue. So I couldn’t honestly have asked for a better way to start it off. I did get robbed later though.
Indra Raj: Oh, no.
Kayla Marque: Yeah, the pickpockets in London. I was in Paris before that for my birthday. I got pickpocketed in both places. So watch out.
Indra Raj: Yeah. That’s amazing. Cool to know about this Sofar connection. That makes so much sense. All right, why don’t we hear a couple more pieces of music and then we’ll talk a little bit more.
Kayla Marque: Sounds good. This song is called “Retrograde”.
Indra Raj: You are listening to Kayla Marque live in the KGNU studio. Let’s hear another one.
Kayla Marque: All right. This song is called “Nights”.
Indra Raj: It’s Kayla Marque live in the KGNU studios. Her new album Midheaven just came out on August 29th. Kayla, I would love to hear about your story as a musician. How did you get to where you are now? I can tell you’ve had a long past and I’m always so interested to hear about how people get to where they are now.
Kayla Marque: Yeah, it wasn’t a foreign thing to me, although I tried to avoid it a little bit, I think. But I grew up in a creative family, my mom being a writer, my dad also dabbled in music, my sister is a musician and dancer and actress, my uncle Larry, as I’m sure you know, of Earth, Wind, and Fire. I grew up submersed in the sounds and the art and it was just normal for me. But I also grew up as an athlete and so that’s what I did most of my youth and adolescence.
I went to college and had this epiphany moment. There was a canned food drive that I went to, and it was also a talent show where you bring some canned food and perform. I was missing music and so I covered this song acapella because it was actually before I really played instruments. After that people were crying in the audience and I was like, what am I doing? What am I doing here? So I ended up dropping out of school. I was going to CSU, Fort Collins, and dropped out and started writing songs and playing in little dive bars, having X’s on my hands because I was too young to actually be in there. I just kept doing it, kept writing, kept performing, stayed consistent, even though I wanted to quit quite regularly. And now here I am with five projects under my belt and I think a little bit seasoned at this point.
Indra Raj: Yeah, absolutely. A lot of great messages in there. I think when we’re young, this happens a lot where we tend to pigeonhole kids into, you’re good at this. So you should do that. And it’s easy to do that because you’re good at it. So it takes a lot to be able to realize, this is making me happy, right?
Kayla Marque: Yeah, I’m so thankful to my younger self. I thank her all the time because she had the courage to do it. I think if I was trying to get into it now I would not have the bravery to do it.
This industry is cutthroat, and just bearing your soul in front of people and offering it to them is a very scary business. So I’m very thankful for my 18-year-old self who just had the heart to venture into the unknown and follow that call.
Indra Raj: Absolutely. And like you said, being vulnerable, taking risks and keeping at it. Sometimes the easiest thing is to quit, but you want to keep going.
Kayla Marque: Glad I did.
Indra Raj: Yeah, absolutely. So your record actually has a band on it?
Kayla Marque: No, it doesn’t. It is fully produced. But it’s not a band. The band that plays with me, I love them. They’re incredible musicians based in Denver. So they play live with me, but myself and my producer, Glenn Sawyer, recorded at the Spot Studios up in Evergreen. So he and I did everything. And my sister also was a co-producer on about half of the album.
Indra Raj: That’s amazing. That’s wonderful. And so this entire tour is with a band, though.
Kayla Marque: No. So I’m doing the Midheaven Acoustic Tour this round. And going out with the band in 2025.
Indra Raj: That’s even more brave, I think.
Kayla Marque: Trust me, I’ve had many meltdowns beforehand and called on my friends. Thank God I have the village that I do because they uplift me and encourage me and remind me of who I am, Kayla Marque, the opener of portals and the keeper of the keys. And yeah, I’m doing it even though I’ve been terrified.
Indra Raj: So 2025, you will be with a full band. Is that whole tour fleshed out yet? Or is it still coming together?
Kayla Marque: No, it’s not yet. Yeah, I don’t have details for you at this time.
Indra Raj: Okay, that’s fine. We’ll let people know how to keep up with you. But we want to hear one more song before we finish up today. So let’s hear it.
Kayla Marque: All right. This song is called “Insecurious” and it’s probably my favorite on the record.
Indra Raj: Thank you Kayla Marque so much for coming into the KGNU studios today. I’ve been hearing from listeners in the email, they want to know more about how they can keep up with you and your new album Midheaven and your tours and all the rest.
Kayla Marque: Absolutely. I’m pretty active on Instagram. If you want to follow my journey on tour too, I post a lot of stories and things there and also tour dates and ticket info. And my link tree is in the bio there also. My handle is @iamkaylamarque. Also for people who are non social media users, I have a website and that’s just kaylamarque.com.
Indra Raj: Kayla Marque here in the KGNU studios. Lovely studio session today. Her new album is Midheaven, which came out on August 29th. So very new. And thank you just so much again for coming in.
Kayla Marque: Thank you. Gratitude.
