How kaiyko manages to capture tender, earnest moments in such dreamlike poetry is an ongoing mystery. Hailing from Texas but impacting vulnerable hearts all over the internet, kaiyko’s storytelling is uncomplicatedly relatable. In her newly released track, “All I Knew Before,” the keen 18-year-old discovers strength in human support by first feeling through sorrow and sadness.
The song is melancholic, but not without warm intention. Atmospheric instrumentals skillfully produced by discent and mixed by Floridian singer and producer demxntia contextualize the song’s hopefulness. “All I Knew Before” refers to the dark before the light; the bad times that cloud faith and ambition until the reminder of familiar support can finally feel real. Kaiyko summarizes it well:
“Saw your face and your voice reach outed and said
I’ll be okay and I’ll live to see the next day
And the rain washed out all I knew before
And the sun came out and it opened my eyes.”
Like the sun’s warm embrace, she now acknowledges the loved ones who cared for her before dark times ever hit, knowing they’ll be there for her unconditionally as she walks through it. The walk isn’t figurative though. Kaiyko says the song came to her as she somberly strolled by herself one night “to find some peace of mind.” Comforting thoughts of her “amazing friends and boyfriend” helped ground her when all else felt ineffective.
We all know that headspace where we tread water, our heads barely above the surface before another wave or three crashes down in suffocation. It’s unfortunately easy to feel alone when the world places obstacles between us and connection. This often manifests in depression, but both milder and more extreme forms are not uncommon. Simply knowing you are not alone is an existential comfort all deserve to experience. Since her last two “more upbeat” songs, fans are excited to experience “All I Knew Before” from the deeper sentiments in kaiyko’s heart.
It must be noted that despite her musicality sometimes described as soft or delicate, kaiyko is anything but. To come to the realization that help can be freely available, in the form of friends or family as long as you want it, is an invaluable reminder. Some spend years of their lives on the same dismal walk as she, but are not yet ready to see the light that’s been shining on their backs the whole time. Impressed with her emotional acuity and vocal facility, we’ll keep an extra page in our diaries to further breakdown the touchingly ardent music kaiyko gives us next.