Kylie Butler, also known by her stage name Me.Kai, releases her new single "Dawns on You," revealing a stripped-down introspective sound and a powerful delivery of heart and soul. Pensive and moving, Kylie glides through the song with ease and grit, despite the tension-filled emotion behind her lyrics. The song feels like a release of suppressed frustrations and bottled words that are now unstoppably forthcoming when put into song form. Kylie's lyrics explore a relationship where unspoken words and lack of communication have consumed both partners, potentially thwarting a future together. Kylie exasperates in her chorus, “I'm silently screaming at you / is it so hard to talk something through.” Kylie feels as if the pair is suspended in time, with no move forward, as long as silence hangs between them and the problems are not resolved. Kylie hopes that the relationship can return to its former state. The song acts as a yearning for urgency, as the pair have shared a vulnerability and a whole of oneself that cannot be undone.
Taking a step away from her other fast-paced electric pop and dance numbers, Kylie turns down the notch and moves towards an introspective, down-to-earth sound, while still holding traces of pop beats' power. The song amplifies simple melodious guitar-plucking patterns that are overlaid and accompanied by the familiar drums and bass reverberations found in electric pop. The two worlds of music gracefully collide, moving synchronously with Kylie's soothing voice. Her commanding voice belts out emotional lyrics that denote tenacity and earnestness for her feelings to be heard and reached. The song is reminiscent and a tone of regret follows each pluck of strings and emotive hitch of her voice. The melody, anchored by the acoustic guitar, humbles the song and lyrics as Kylie seems to be the first to surrender in this stagnancy of silence. “Dawns on You,” captures the essence of Kylie as a musical force, churning out thoughtful lyrics and moving melodies that make for a perfectly crafted sound of soul.
Performing in the electro-pop and dance-pop musical genre, Me.Kai is known for her catchy beats and soulful sound. Along with immense vocal strength, Kylie is a moving lyricist and guitarist who started on the streets of Santa Barbra, performing covers of artists like the renowned Ella Fitzgerald and modern female forces like Dua Lipa. Joining together with musical groups, she collaborated with bands such as Area 51 and Everything’s Fine. She has also worked alongside a team of talented rising producers such as Gold Man and Burko. Her music has been featured on multiple platforms, from Netflix's TV show All American to various popular Spotify playlists. Drawing inspiration from artists like Janice Joplin and Stevie Nicks, as well as her musical sound, Me.Kai opts for a collision of genres that meld complementarily together to leave her unique stamp on the musical world. Skillful and brilliant, Me.Kai is set to release an EP in the coming months which is sure to keep its characteristic energetic and heartfelt vibe.
Written By Mia Chavez
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