When wronged, it feels most natural to point fingers at the culprit. However, Brisbane-based singer songwriter Layla Kay is focusing more on the victim's part to play.
Her latest single 'Supervillian' was initially inspired by a bad date in her early 20s, but progressed into a self-reflective piece about there being two sides to every story."It began with an abstract line about one person who presented as a gentleman, but ultimately revealed to be more like a super-villian. It was a really weird date – he was shouting at me in the car. I remember thinking, 'Oh my god. This person is not okay,'" she says with a laugh.
"I didn't want the song to come from the perspective of the victim projecting innocence, because I do believe that all humans are capable of light and dark. Different people bring out the best or the worst in us, and when you're young and in the middle of certain situations, your inner-strength and sense of self can be overshadowed by noise.
"Ultimately, 'Supervillian' is a woman's perspective on complex relationships, and the acknowledgement that sometimes it really does take two to tango."
Producer Ady Parzentny of Hit The Road Music Studio breathed new life into the track, the demo of which Layla recorded on Garage Band with the help of her husband. "My husband Richard is a heavy metal guitarist and the total opposite to me in terms of musical style and preferences.
"So he gave the song a certain sense of energy. I have a tendency to create melancholic tracks, so it was exciting to watch the piece transform into something new for me," Layla explains.
"My producer Ady works around the world – Africa, Morocco, etc. – to bring music to underprivileged communities. He's a really amazing person, and his studio is mobile. The song was then mixed and mastered by Alex L'Estrange at Sound Aquarium."
'Supervillian' is accompanied by a frenzied film clip highlighting the manic confusion in figuring out that sometimes, it can also be yourself to blame. "It was shot at the Photo Studio Australia in West End, by Thomas Calder. He's very interesting to work with because he leans into disturbing imagery and weirdness – he has a creative genius way of steering away from the 'literal'."
This is Layla's first song since 2021, the indie artist having released her first album 'Misinterpretations' when she was just 15 years old. Since then, Layla has performed at Queensland Music Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, and Caloundra Music Festival.
These days, she also teaches music to kindergarten students. "I actually started songwriting when I was seven – I wrote my first song 'Opposites' in grade two, with a cassette recorder from Target. I then learned to play guitar when I was 11, which opened up a whole new avenue.
"I've always loved music – the ability to express thoughts through sound. Music makes people feels things quickly, and that has always excited me," Layla reveals. "Now, I've got two boys! I'm a mum. You pick up a guitar, and you hear, 'Mummy! Mummy! I want a drink!'"
Layla says that what many people don't realise being an emerging musician or artist is the process in its entirety can be expensive. "When I was questioning whether I should even bother putting out another track, somebody said to me 'if it's something that makes you feel like you, then that's a wonderful thing'."
Layla is currently sifting through more original demos with her husband to determine her next release. Her advice to fellow indie artists? 'Don't burden yourself with worrying about how your work is going to be received.
"It should be less about making art for external validation – you need to be true to yourself, and what you love, and what you want to create. Ultimately, if you like what you're doing, there's a good chance that somebody else will like it too."
