Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaylin Roberson
Hi Kaylin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I moved to Nashville from Raleigh, NC a little over 6 years ago with a big dream and a broken guitar. Music was a part of my life growing up since my dad put me and my sister in piano lessons at the age of 6 years old, but it wasn’t until the age of 9 that something occurred in my life that helped me discover the healing power of music. I was visiting my grandparents in West Virginia and they had just taken me to a local fair where I got my face painted like a green butterfly. When we came back to their house, everyone was sitting in the living room and their dog was laying on the floor sleeping. I went down to pet him and the next thing you know I was being attacked. He had ripped off the right half of my lip almost entirely, and tore off the skin on the side of my eye exposing my cheek bone. With multiple weeks of recovery ahead of me, I decided to make videos of myself dancing and singing on my dads camera to keep myself entertained. I didn’t know it at the time, but this traumatic event would later become the reason why I write songs and perform for strangers.
A company reached out to me when I was a freshman in high school because they had heard about my story and wanted me to share it with other kids ranging from elementary school to 12th grade. It was called the “Teen Nation Tour” and their goal was to put an end to the bullying epidemic that infects a lot of our youth through the power of music and storytelling. This was the first time I experienced playing live shows and just as much as some kids needed to hear my story, I needed to share it for my own healing.
Fast forward to college, I put together my first band and went from playing in schools to playing in local restaurants and bars and I began trying to write my own songs. I had no intention on moving to Nashville, TN until a stranger on the internet was looking for a roommate and reached out to me. I took this as my sign from God to pack my things and give it a shot. While finishing my online classes at ECU, I started meeting people around town at songwriters rounds and through social media. 300-plus songs later and 3 years into me living here, producer Michael Knox signed to my first publishing deal with Peer Music down on music row. Although I’ve learned to appreciate the nights I played 4-hour shifts on Broadway, I am grateful I get the opportunity to make a living doing what I love which is writing and playing my original music.
While writing songs for other artists, I’m also currently working on my own project with the talented Matt McVaney who has written and produced songs for artists like Kane Brown, Lauren Alaina, and Dalton Dover. Matt does an amazing job at capturing the pop-country sound I’m going for while maintaining the integrity of a clever lyric. You can find music my music on all streaming platforms.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I moved to town without really knowing a single soul. This can be a super intimating feeling when you’re in your early 20’s in a big city like Nashville. Luckily the girl I moved in with already had a community of friends that she introduced me to, and while my community here is constantly growing and changing, I will forever be thankful for my early years of living here cause it taught me how to put myself out there and find the people I want to surround myself with. I try to pass it forward whenever someone is new to town and doesn’t know anyone, by introducing them to people I know that they might bond with.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a country-pop artist and songwriter for not only myself but for other artists looking to find their sound and tell their stories. There’s nothing I love more than crafting a song that perfectly captures the emotion of the listener. I am most proud of my first major outside cut with country artist, Michael Ray. I had a part in writing the song “Hate this Town”, on his last EP “Dive Bars and Broken Hearts”. I think what sets me apart from others is that because I’m an artist myself, I know how to write songs that cater specifically to each artist I write with. I try to put them first in the room, because if they don’t love the song or feel connected to it, they’re less likely to release it.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My best advice is to be pleasantly persistent and just be present. Sometimes just being present somewhere is enough to make a connection with someone. You never know who you’re going to run into at a birthday party or a show, so just go out and treat everyone as if they have the key to helping you progress your career because you never know who’s going to end up where.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kaylinroberson.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylinroberson/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kaylinrobersonofficial/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/kaylinroberson
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0AywuUmKBjTTsU4ZrVf7JS
