Kaiya Campbell

Which musician has influenced you the most?
I would say Sam Fender's songwriting has had quite an impact on me the last 6 years, I really take inspiration from his songwriting and performance skills.

What can you teach me on your instrument better than any other teacher?
I think I have a very good grasp of emotive singing and songwriting, I am extremely driven by storytelling when I write, which I think really sets me apart as a teacher, tapping in to your emotions.

How did you learn to sing?
I was always a singer, I taught myself when I was young, mainly just by seeing what felt good and what sounded nice! I only started taking lessons when I was 14. I went through 4 different teachers who didn’t really understand me or my style. Once I found the right teacher I really found it easy to improve, I took my grade 7 within 6 months of starting and haven't looked back, I took singing as apart of my Bachelors program and continued to enjoy learning different styles, artists and techniques that I have adopted in to my singing.  

How do you go about writing a song or composing a piece yourself?
I generally start by coming up with a hook, concept or story, I then start building around that. I generally write lyrics and melody together, some people prefer to start one way or the other, but I find that one informs the other and as you write they develop together and the lyrics help to shape the melody as you rewrite and change things. 

What equipment do you play on today?
I have a sony keyboard that I use during lessons for warm ups, accompaniment and to help learn melodies, depending on the track I also use backing tracks for accompaniment.

What personal trait has helped you most in your practice?
I think determination, once I set my mind to something I am very determined to see it through to the end. 

What does your instrument have that others don't?
I think the voice more than any other instrument can evoke certain feelings within you, goosebumps, tears, they are all very extreme reactions that a voice can produce and I think that that is really special. 

What do you pay particular attention to when teaching?
I pay attention to confidence, technique and enjoyment, I think that generally a student should feel confident when they are singing, and that comes from a combination of good technique and enjoyment. If they believe what they are saying and they can sing it well then they will have confidence when they are singing and performing.

How do you structure your music lessons?
I generally let the students lead the lessons. I always start with a warm up, some shake outs and stretching to start and then warm the voice up with some fun exercises. Then I generally ask the students what songs they would like to do, depending on what skill level they are at and what they are looking to achieve then we will start learning the songs or similar songs that I feel will push their skills and work together on techniques and performance to nail the song.

How do you approach teaching with children?
I generally follow a similar structure no matter how old, however with younger children I don’t focus so much on technique it’s more that I want them to gain confidence, sing songs and enjoy the benefits that singing can bring. 

What has been your greatest experience as a musician so far?
I think so far, my greatest experience has been organising a songwriting camp, being able to bring musicians together to create something new and knowing that I facilitated new songs being made, new friendships and helped inspire others. 

What was the biggest stage you've played on?
I have played for a 3000 people festival in my hometown.

Which musician would you like to play with one day?
I would love to play with Griff or Holly Humberstone as they match my songwriting and performing style well. 

Which record would you take with you to a desert island?
Sam Fender - Seventeen Going Under because the songwriting, performance and arrangement are all immaculate, the mastering and mix is in my opinion perfect and I could listen to it forever. 

Which stage would you most like to play on, or do you most like to play on?
I would love to play at Reading and Leeds festival in the UK 

What else is important in your life besides music?
I love running, spending time with friends and travelling.