Meet Kayla Dunbar

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Dunbar.

Hi Kayla, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I am trying to remember when I didn’t have a passion for music. My dad is a recording musician, so I grew up watching him play guitar, sing, and work in the studio. We lived in Cleveland, Ohio, where I started singing with him in church. Then I soon enrolled in the Beck Center for the Arts Honors Choir, the Baldwin Wallace honors Chorale, and finally, Strongsville High School honor chorales, Women’s Chorale, and Cantorum. During my senior year of high school, I began discovering my interest in songwriting. I was told about Middle Tennessee State University and its great songwriting department. While figuring out how to get to Nashville, I attended my first year of college at Tiffin University in western Ohio, receiving a music scholarship that enabled me to continue singing, songwriting, and learning how to play guitar.

In 2014, I finally moved to Murfreesboro, TN, where I enrolled at MTSU. In 2018, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in the Recording Industry- Songwriting with a minor in Entrepreneurship. I worked 4 internships during my final two years of university: Warner Music, Collective Artist Management, Combustion Music, and Hori Pro Entertainment. These internships helped me see not only the general workings of the music industry but, more specifically, a fair amount of detail regarding how the publishing side of things operates. This let me discover more about the business side of songwriting and not just the creative aspects.

I currently have two full-time jobs. I work at Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), helping songwriters receive payment for their performed works and working full-time as a songwriter. I write and perform writers’ rounds and attend networking events whenever possible.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have had some setbacks during my songwriting journey. It took me 5 years to graduate college since I was a transfer student. Once I graduated, I had to work in sales and was not all that happy, but I plugged away while trying to find a music industry job. I knocked on quite a few doors before getting the BMI job. The pandemic was hard on everyone. I was playing fewer live shows and networking as much as I would like. But I used that time to focus on my craft, writing songs via zoom and also setting up a good home studio, and learning the ins and outs of Pro Tools. I began recording demos for myself. I’m still not exactly where I want to be in my songwriting career. I thought I would have a publishing deal or more cuts on artists’ records by now, but I love the journey. I might not be making millions, but I get to live in Music City, where I’ve developed some great friendships – and I still enjoy being a part of the music industry daily!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

I am a member of NSAI (Nashville Songwriter Association), which allows me to meet other songwriters and music industry professionals while getting advice on advancing my songwriting career. I was awarded their “Ones To Watch” (Songwriter to watch) for the second time in October 2022. My song “If Whiskey Stopped Working” (written by Kayla Dunbar and Kinslee Melhorn) is featured on a YouTube live video podcast called “The Whiskey Round Table.” I also had the honor of playing The Listening Room in Pigeon forge this past august 2022 with my 2 very talented songwriter friends, Caroline de Lone and Kinslee Melhorn. I have played frequent writers’ rounds at The Commodore Grille, The Local, and Winners, to name a few famous songwriter spots in Nashville. I specialize in Sassy but truthful pop-country songwriting. I am best at creating pop melodies with fun, relatable lyrics.

What do you think about happiness?
Spending time with my family and friends makes me the happiest. As much as I love songwriting, I would only have a little to write about if I had experiences with my friends while hearing about or participating in their life stories. My journey would be different without all the supportive people around me, both here in Nashville and those in my corner back at home. Again, I cherish how songwriting led me to make lifelong friends at MTSU and the Nashville music community. My sister has always been my number one fan. Not only does she go to almost all of my shows, but I also go to her to get feedback on my songs. I trust her opinion on what she loves and what she thinks I should change about the song. My parents have always supported my music dream, and I am forever grateful. I’m happiest when I speak from my true heart in a song and do it in a way that compels others to listen and gather joy. Nothing can happen in the music profession until a song is created. And great songs are the true lifeblood of the entire industry, so I want to place myself there at ground zero. Nothing is more beautiful or worthy of my life’s full, soulful dedication.

Contact Info:

• Website: Kayladunbarmusic.com
• Instagram: kayladunbarmusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KDunbarMusic/
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/kayladunbar

Image Credits
Photographers: Katelyn Glaze. Lindsay Dunbar, Jessica Luxmore