Meet Lina Kay

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lina Kay.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Music was the only thing that made sense to me growing up. I wasn’t a great student; sports or extracurriculars never appealed to me, but I always loved listening to music. That was and is my greatest joy for as long as I can remember. I always wished I was one of those kids that had been singing since childhood, but I was a kind of a late bloomer to it all. I started playing clarinet around ten, and played for nearly seven years until a friend of mine said, “I think I’m going to take voice lessons”. I still don’t know what prompted me to join her in that endeavor, but I did and I certainly don’t regret it.

I started learning guitar to accompany myself around the same time, and began writing when I was about 16/17. Growing up I never initially saw a future as a singer/songwriter, but as my love for it grew, I thought I’d keep pursuing it. Fast forward a bit, and I was attending Berklee College of Music. I left after a couple of years to come back home because Boston made me miserable, and I feel like LA is where I really belong. Throughout this whole process, I was introduced by my guitar teacher (Scott Goldbaum) to a producer named Scott Gordon.

He’s an older cat and has engineered for some really amazing artists like Alanis Morrissete, Ringo Starr, and plenty of other greats. I played him a couple of tunes and he loved it, so we started working together when I was 18. Gordon and Goldbaum really helped me develop my sound and figure out what it was that I wanted to say, and what/who I wanted to be. They heavily encouraged me to pursue my artistry, and have been huge influences on my style and sound. Here I am at 22, pursuing artistry, and music is still the only thing that makes any sense.

Please tell us about your art.
I am a songwriter! I write songs! I write because the human experience is so beyond bizarre, and no one talks about it nearly enough. I kind of feel a duty to normalize the range of human emotions and all the uncomfortable things and thoughts that come with it. I’m just documenting my findings as I navigate the rabbit hole of life and all of it’s complexities!

I don’t expect anyone to take anything away from it, because it’s not up to me; but if they do, I hope that when they listen, that person feels safe and the feelings they have that may seem inappropriate are perfectly valid. I want my songs to wrap around you like a warm blanket when you’re in need of a safe space and a good cry. We all could use a good cry from time to time.

Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national or international events and issues affect your art?
You know, in a way it’s both easier and harder for artists these days. The DIY route has become a lot more accessible, and achieving professional results has become easier than ever before. On the other side of the coin, there’s a lot more people who have access to making great content, and the pool of artists grows exponentially by the second. The more people that get involved, the harder it is to stand out.

That being said, I’m not exactly upset by it. I’m happy people are getting involved, and that the LA music community is always growing. While more people makes it hard to stand out, more people also means more opportunities. Whether it be another set of ears on your work or playing shows with friends, there’s something to be said for building a thriving network.

The best way to help artists is to support when you can. Going to a show, sharing a song via social media, telling your friends; it all goes a long way. Having a platform like this to share and connect other artists is also a fantastic way of supporting (thank you for that)! It’s a hard industry to be in, but you have to give love to get love. That’s what makes it all work.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
You can find my work on just about any streaming platform! Wherever you listen to music, just look for “Lina Kay” and you should find me. The best way to support me is by listening and sharing with your friends, or coming to one of my shows if you’re in the LA area 🙂

Contact Info:

• Website: www.iamlinakay.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlinakay/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamlinakay/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlinakay
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2dKd3VydaBtag7p7Ze24q0?si=gtkkayC6SyK7VPOX14cxcg

Image Credit:
Ryan Watanabe, Margaret Leyva, Kellee Moran, Devin Butler

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