ON THE RISE
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ESSEX, England — The 1960s music of Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie and Woodstock left a deep impression on English singer and songwriter Kayleigh Walker, and those influences pushed her to produce her debut single and video, “Psychedelic.”
Released in August 2023, “Psychedelic” is steeped in the color and vibe of an era when music was changing and the world was changing from more black and white to a wild array of colors and emotions.
“I love the 60s, I love that whole psychedelic era and how everyone got pulled together and I wanted to write a song that represented how that music makes you feel without the influence of LSD and other substances,” Walker said. “I wanted it to be about how music makes people get up and makes you feel good. When I was writing it I was reflecting on how I was growing as a person in the music world and how I felt like a little bit of an outsider.”
Walker said she wasn’t alive in the 1960s, but documentaries and videos of that chaotic time inspired her soul and creativity.
“I watch a lot of documentaries on Woodstock and I liked the whole 60s vibe with the live instruments,” Walker said. “I wanted to do something that was kind of relevant to everyday music that we have now in this generation but I wanted to reflect on when music was at its highest where people were being themselves. When I was writing I also had that vision from day one that it needed to be that 60s psychedelic meditation of a higher self and that's what I wanted to create. I had a vision of while I was writing the song of what I wanted the video to be like.”
Walker lives in Essex, a county northeast of London, and started her music career in a cover band before branching out on her own. She has talent, style and showmanship she puts it all on display with a 1960s kaleidoscopic video to go with “Psychedelic.”
“When I was younger I always wanted to be in front of the camera or I wanted to be a singer,” Walker said. “Growing up I was doing a lot of musical theatre performances, local ones. I knew that singing other people’s songs never felt quite right for me. I always wanted to go off and improvise and do my own style on it. It wasn't until I was in my late 20s that I realized I kind of wanted to write my own songs but I wasn’t sure how to because I don’t play any instruments.
“In between that I was doing a little bit of modeling, thinking I might go down that route, but everything led me back to the music. It was definitely during the pandemic that I realized I could not put the pen down, I was just writing and writing and writing, getting melodies in my head and then taking them to the producer.”
Walker said the song is getting great traction and people are starting to notice her more and more. She’s working on more songs and an album to come out later this year and she’s looking forward to performing on stage.
“I’m a bit of a storyteller, so my songs are more story-based rather than love stories,” she said. “When I’m writing it’s like very poetic and I like to really live in a fantasy when I'm writing as well as reality. I’d really like for people to know I don’t follow music trends, I do what shows my heart’s purpose and my life’s purpose. I’m not everyone’s cup of tea but I enjoy what I do and that's what makes me me. I want more people to be like that, to think outside the box and don’t follow trends and be more unique.”
Please follow Kayleigh Walker on these social media and streaming platforms:
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Elvis Presley – ‘Mystery Train’
“My first love was Elvis, no question. In our house, we had a French-release compilation album of his songs called ‘Le Roi Du Rock ‘n’ Roll’. As a small kid, I was obsessed with ‘Mystery Train’. The way Elvis held his guitar like a gun and the percussive way he attacked the strings made me fall in love with the guitar. Many years later, I went busking around Europe on my motorbike with a tent and played my guitar in the streets. But it was all because of Elvis and those early Sun [Records] recordings – and ‘Mystery Train’ in particular.”
Blondie – ‘Autoamerican’
“There was an Our Price on Finchley Road, North London that I’d go to with my older brother and sister. That’s where I bought ‘Autoamerican’ in 1981. Blondie – what can you say? Apart from the fact that as a young boy, it was impossible not to be in love with Debbie Harry. I love the variety on this particular record – it goes through different genres. Years later, I saw Blondie play [in 2013] at a private function in New York with Kanye West. Debbie Harry was still magnetic.”
Queen, Wembley Stadium, 1986
“Queen were supported by INXS. It was before they released ‘Kick’ [in 1987]. I only went because it turned out my friend Kieran’s dad was a big-shot in the music industry and he got four tickets. I was around 17, it was a year after they played Live Aid and Queen were phenomenal.”
The Beatles – ‘Eleanor Rigby’
“All through our early teenage years, my younger brother and I were always at the top of the house listening to The Beatles. ‘Eleanor Rigby’ reminds me of the ‘80s and the views out of our house in London: looking at the grey, rain-drizzled skies. I always felt its melancholy, looking out of the window back then as a teenager. Not that I was unhappy, but I definitely responded to that in music.”
Ever meet Macca?
“I have met Paul McCartney and he was a complete gentleman. At a political party, we were watching the American election on TV and he came up to me and said [Lewis does a pitch-perfect Macca impersonation]: ‘Oh, you understand a bit or two about the TV, don’t you?’. And I just realised he’d seen me on TV and I melted. I went to bed grinning. That McCartney knows who I am is incredible. I was completely tongue-tied.”
David Bowie – ‘Heroes’
“I know 173 other people will probably also have picked ‘Heroes’ for this, but from the opening note, it’s just relentlessly brilliant. It’s the most evocative, triumphant, euphoric song – and unbelievably cool. The second album I ever owned was Bowie’s ‘Hunky Dory’ – and he’s remained a touchstone for me.”
The Rolling Stones – ‘Little T&A’
“I listen to the Stones a lot and I can never get ‘Little T&A ‘ out of my head. Keith Richards is quoted as calling the song ‘dumb’ and that it’s just about rock ‘n’ roll energy. It’s a celebration of carnality, I’m aware of that, but that’s the one that stays in my head!”
Jive Bunny And The Mastermixers – ‘Swing the Mood’
“I can’t fucking hear Jive Bunny again! But I don’t mean that in a pejorative way. When I was in my twenties, I would go out on my own dancing to old-school rock ‘n’ roll at rockabilly nights. Then Jive Bunny came out and cut up my favourite songs into snippets and put them into this endless [novelty] medley. And then it was never off the radio, so I’d have to put it into the Room 101 of music.”
Crazy P – ‘There’s a Better Place’
“It’s an ambient rave tune with a fantastic Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory sample. I’m just that age. I left school right into the dance culture of the ‘90s and that will still always get me up on the floor.”
The Weepies – ‘Gotta Have You’
“It reminds me of moving to LA as a family with my late wife Helen [McCrory]. My daughter was one year old and my son was about to be born. We were living in Venice Canals – and I was filming out there. We had a babysitter who was a 23-year-old roller-skating, already-Botoxed sunny Californian girl. We asked her, are you listening to any good music? She gave us two great bands. One is The Shins but the other was a lesser-known band called The Weepies. That song will always get me going.”
Elton John – ‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting’
“I can’t say I do karaoke but I will proudly divulge that I was at karaoke in Fulham Broadway once. I went in there with a friend and I got up and sang ‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting’ and I won a bottle of champagne for best karaoke of the evening! Very chuffed I was too. If I was back looking for another bottle of champers, I’d pick it again.”
Talk Talk – ‘It’s My Life’
“I was an ‘80s kid and I liked electronic music. I’ve always loved ‘It’s My Life’ and Andy Hollis’ vocals, as well as its slightly bombastic nature. Life’s what you make of it – seems like a good sentiment to have.”
Damian Lewis’ UK tour begins on October 2. His album ‘Sweet Chaos’ is out now via Thin Red Duke
