Pop singer/songwriter Khya is on the hunt for anyone who needs a reminder that it’s okay to feel happy, full of joy, angry, resentful, or any emotion that occupies your mind and heart. If that sounds like you, then you’ll probably find comfort in her latest single “Witching Season.”
From quite a young age, Khya had an interest in musical theatre. She appeared in her very first production when she was 7 years old, and the experience made her realize being on stage was her calling. One of Khya’s favorite productions was Into The Woods, where she got to play Cinderella.
“It sounds so silly, but that was one of the best things ever,” Khya said. “I just really love that musical, it’s one of my favorite musicals of all time. I think it’s really beautiful! Musical theatre played a huge part in my life and who I am.”
Once Khya entered high school, she began to test the waters of different aspects of the music world by participating in her school’s choir, and joining a rock band. Khya was also a huge fan of Lorde, and she remembers being inspired by Melodrama when it was released.
“I was like, I wanna do that,” Khya said. “I thought that was so cool. She had such a unique way of telling stories and creating emotions in her songs, so that kinda inspired me to start writing my own songs.”
Khya ended up moving to Nashville to attend Belmont University, and was able to receive additional vocal training at school and develop her songwriting skills. However, she often looks back upon her musical theatre days, as her experiences really helped her create a new approach to her creative process.
“I feel like a lot of the skills I learned in musical theater definitely carried over into my music,” Khya noted. “A lot of my songwriting style is influenced by musical theater. Not that it sounds like musical theatre, but just from the emotional standpoint, being very honest and saying exactly what it is.”
Khya released her first single “city lights” in 2021, and shared a handful of songs with the world since then. Her latest release, “Witching Season,” is a total alt-pop banger with gorgeous melodies and honest lyrics about experiencing emotions that society often encourages us to hide. The song came into fruition this past summer, as Khya spent some time alone and reflected upon many scenarios in her life that weren’t always the most pleasant.
“I kind of pulled inspiration from a lot of different things in my life, which I think makes the song feel really cool and special to me,” Khya said. “Instead of it being about one specific situation, it’s kind of me analyzing all of these things that have happened to me in my past and putting them in a more clear view. I also (at the time) had seen a video resurface of Lorde at one of her shows, explaining that she writes pop music because it feels like she’s creating a safe little room for these emotions you might not feel comfortable experiencing. I thought that was really cool. Guilt, resentment, and anger, I feel like sometimes those emotions are uncomfortable for us to feel and process. We might start to feel guilty for feeling those things. I was like, what if I create a song that has all of those things and says it’s totally okay to feel all of those things? “
In a world that often pressures young people to hide negative emotions, Khya hopes “Witching Season” will help break up some of the stigmas that surround letting certain emotions be visible. After all, we’re only human, and recognizing these emotions can be a huge step towards the healing process.
“I feel like, yes – it’s important to be kind and forgiving, and have those qualities as a person,” Khya said. “But I also feel like it’s important to admit to yourself, hey, it’s okay to feel resentment towards someone that did something bad to you.”
“Witching Season” is out now, so give it a listen below! You’ll also want to keep up with Khya on Instagram @justkhya. If you love “Witching Season” as much as I do, make sure you give her a shout out!
