A fearless escape from an endless cycle: ‘Summer Song’ by Kayla Grace
Right on the heels of the summer solstice, singer-songwriter Kayla Grace has released another single, Summer Song.
Gracing streaming services on June 27th, the single is all heartfelt and vulnerable lyrics set to upbeat instrumentals, with her signature acoustic sound weaving in and out of the melody.
From a bird’s eye view, the song is carefree and fun like summer is supposed to be, but the nuanced lyrics are from the perspective of someone in an unhappy relationship - and how a feeling of obligation can force someone to stay, but how sometimes pulling the trigger is inevitable.
Ever direct, the first verse sets the scene, “Was a long September, like all the other months / Bled into each other, stuck in a love that I didn't want”. The singer is disappointed, confused and maybe even a little depressed as she realise a romantic situation isn’t right for her. Stuck in trivial routine with the love interest, days blur together until one becomes indistinguishable from the next. Frustrated, she lashes out at those around her, “Guess I hurt some people”, and calls it “collateral”.
The song’s hook is self aware, “Maybe my walls were high to keep me dry but now it's time to swim.” After staying out of fear that she’d hurt the other person and of being alone, she’s learned that you can only stay unfulfilled for so long before a need for change becomes unavoidable.
Fast forward a year later, the second verse sees Kayla on her own again: “I'm alone in bed / but my house feels full with nobody in.” Being in a relationship doesn’t always mean you stop feeling lonely; feelings of emptiness, isolation, or even resentment brew if you’re having to contort yourself into something you’re not to keep up appearances. Now, she’s getting to know herself again, and what it’s like to embody her space the way she wants. She goes out, rebounds and “Started kissing strangers”, but isn’t in the mood to be “somebody's anyone”.
A loud, catchy chorus swoops in with short, punchy lyrics summarising up the breakup: “Cold blood killing / Took a while to bite the bullet / Lost all feeling / Jumped the gun, I had to do it”. In an Instagram Reel, Kayla broke down each lyric of the chorus:
The whole song is punctuated with, as Kayla puts it, “nihilistic humming”, framing the single as a free and easy summer listen, but only on the surface. Summer Song is a fearless release of repressed feelings listeners can relate to whether they feel stuck in their own unhappy relationships or not.
Through her music, Kayla creates flawed characters who know they need to do better, not just for themselves but for those around them, and struggle with how to do that. Life is messy – just because a relationship that was bad for us ends doesn’t mean we walk away unscathed and squeaky clean, ready for the next one. Kayla’s work exudes a wisdom about love and life gathered from personal experience, and it’s no doubt why her fan base continues to grow - because she’s real and understands that her listeners are, too.
The release of Summer Song was celebrated with a picnic for friends and fans in a North London park in early July:
To stay tuned with what’s next for Kayla Grace, make sure to follow her on Instagram and stream the rest of her discography on Spotify. For those who need recommendations, our favourites songs are: fifteen again, woe is me and of course, Summer Song!