Kayla Avitabile
Boston, Massachusetts, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2014
Music
Press
Posted on September 14, 2017 by Gerard Longo
Artist: Kayla Avitabile
Album: The Difference Between Fine and Okay (BUY NOW)
Released: 2017
Genre: Alternative Rock
Prior to the first ever Lehigh Valley Underground First Friday Concert Series earlier this month, we reviewed Kayla Avitabile’s single “Awkward & Absent,” which gives a title to the young singer-songwriter’s debut album, “The Difference Between Fine and Okay.”
As it turns out, the single was a nice introduction to what we can expect from Avitabile, as it contains several key features present throughout the record: ambitious songwriting, profound lyrics, and a voice that may be the most powerful and seasoned among her school-aged contemporaries.
Avitabile is unafraid to experiment on “The Difference Between Fine and Okay,” mixing in tempo shifts to keep listeners captive through six dynamic and unpredictable tracks. The EP, recorded and mixed by Matt Molchany at Shards studio in South Bethlehem, brings the singer’s immense vocal abilities to the forefront, showcasing Avitabile’s range and command that makes her one to keep an ear on going forward.
Track listing:
Alternative Facts
Crystal Blue
Clueless
Good Enough
Awkward & Absent
Remember When - Lehigh Valley Underground
Artist: Kayla Avitabile
Song: Awkward & Absent
Released: April 2017
Genre: Alternative Rock
One of the best things about First Friday is the chance for our community in South Bethlehem to discover new artists. For sure, young, Phillipsburg-based singer-songwriter Kayla Avitabile is one worth discovering.
Take “Awkward and Absent,” Kayla’s most recently-released single. The tune is a pensive alt-rocker that settles into a down-tempo groove, and one on which she showcases her many talents, having laid down the bass, acoustic, and electric guitar tracks on the instrumental.
Standing out the most, however, is Kayla’s powerful voice. Kayla’s range and command of her soulful vocal instrument is clearly developed beyond her years, a fact which appears most impressive during the song’s bridge (beginning at 3:20).
Check out “Awkward & Absent” below, and hear more of Kayla this Friday at Lit Roastery & Bakeshop at 5:30 p.m. - Lehigh Valley Underground
Last issue, we shared a press release for a young singer/songwriter named Kayla who was releasing a single. This month, I had the opportunity to hear her play. I was invited to see her at East Stroudsburg, Sherman Theatre by her manager, Bob Robertson. We spoke a while about Kayla’s high school career – (she’s still in high school, and number 10 in her class) her plans for the future, (college with a degree in possibly social policy??) and her family (she comes from a family of brilliant scholars as well as musicians, her brother Michael plays flute in a classical music ensemble). She has a passion for music but a gift for maturity beyond her years. I knew by the time dinner was over, that this young lady had an amazing future before her ;regardless if she made it in the music industry or not.
Her set at the Sherman theatre was part of an alternative music showcase featuring bands such as Sad Lips, Joe Billy, and Summer Scouts. Kayla certainly held her own in a room of differently thinking, musically gifted people. Her lyrics were dotted with angst and her chords were hard and sometimes angry…quite the contrast to her amicable nature and sweet appearance. She has found a voice in her music, and it’s quite an agreeable one!
By the time she was done, I wasn’t sure what she did better – sing, or play guitar. Needless to say both were impressive. She has an alternative edge to her lyrics and her playing and her timing is impeccable. The changes and middle eights she writes into her songs have a difficulty level that you wouldn’t expect from an up and coming musician. He stage presence, although small is stature, was large in confidence.
Thanks to her manger, Bob, I’m attaching a link so you can take a listen. If Kayla is playing in your area – make a point to stop by-you’ll see what I mean. We will keep an eye on her…and I’ll update you as her career grows. I hope to have her on my live interview show this summer, and if I do, you will all certainly have a front row seat!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IQhFpG3mQk - Steel Notes magazine
Scholar Singer-Songwriter Making Her Mark
Local 17 Year Old’s Music Appearing on Compilation CDs and at National Music Conferences and Showcases
Phillipsburg High School junior, Kayla Avitabile, has been a Lehigh Valley singer-songwriter since she was 14. Ranked in the top 10 of her class, she balances the busy school life with her passion for music. Along with performing as a solo alt rock singer-songwriter, Avitabile performs in school and community theater, and sings in Pieces of Eight (a PHS female barbershop group).
Following her performance at SteelStacks on February 24 she is heading to the 2017 Millenium Music Conference and Showcase where she will be performing the next night. Even more exciting for Avitabile is that among more than 120 band submitted songs, one of hers was selected by the MMC review panel to be on its 10 song compilation CD. Avitabile’s music also appeared on a festival CD in May, 2016. “I feel so honored to have my song chosen to be on this CD”, Avitabile shared. “Being a solo alt rock singer-songwriter and performer is sometimes difficult because audiences tend to expect a band in this kind of genre or don’t expect to see a girl. Sometimes I feel some crowds will not take me seriously for those reasons, but once I’m on the stage, I gain comfort and sense appreciation for my music.” Avitabile adds, “I really love playing out but the school schedule is often pretty crazy, that’s why I tend to perform out a lot more in the late spring and summer.”
At the end of March, Avitabile will also be performing at the Cape May Singer-Songwriters Festival which she describes as “very special because I’m so young and it’s surreal to realize that I am starting to play at festivals now, the kinds of places I go to see bands. I take it as recognition that my songwriting has improved and I hope will continue to do so.”
Avitabile’s first big gig was opening for MegaJam in 2013 when she was 13. Since than she’s played many festivals including Mayfair, Riverside, ArtsFest, Heroes of Dirt (movie premier) Festival, Muses in the Vineyard, and has performed at national conferences in Phoenix and Philadelphia. She was a Discovery Lehigh Valley Best New Artist nominee at age 14 (2014) and was a Youth Artist in Residence (2014 -2015) emceeing, performing, and interviewing other Artists as part of a Martin Guitar Foundation funded Singer-Songwriter Series.
“I’m especially excited with my music on the MMC CD because the tracks are being played on rock radio 92.1 in Harrisburg. It’s another first for me.” As a final thought Avitabile adds, “2017 seems to be a good year so far and I can’t wait to see what more will come.”
To learn more about Kayla Avitabile or to listen to her music go to her Artist Facebook Page at https://facebook.com/kaylaavitabile , her YouTube Music Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO_2Xxo7oJ3TPmDB9QtII4w, or her Sonicbids EPK at https://www.sonicbids.com/band/kayla-avitabile - Steel Notes Magazine (page 89)
Michael Phoenix, Editor of A Valley and Beyond, does a video review of her 2014 performance. - A Valley and Beyond
Dan Mowdy, host of Community Spotlight interviews Kayla Avitabile, regarding her role as Youth Artist in Residence, the national attention regarding her music, followed by a 2 song performance. - RCN Community Spotlight Show
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Kayla Avitabile is an eclectic alternative singer-songwriter and guitarist with soulful and powerful vocals...and she's only 14! She joined WFMZ's Eve Tannery for Music Monday to show us what has people raving about her in and around the Lehigh Valley.
Read more from WFMZ.com at: http://www.wfmz.com/musicmonday/music-monday-kayla-avitabile/27069222
Connect with us... Facebook/69WFMZ or @69News - WFMZ
September 17, 2015 by MANY
Kayla Avitabile is a 15 year old eclectic alt singer/songwriter. Her powerful vocals and soulful interpretations set the stage for a year of big performances in a variety of festivals, and TV appearances. (Nominated for the Best New Artist for the Lehigh Valley Music Awards, alternative music artist in the Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation/VYH Singer/Songwriter Series as part of Valley Youth House Youth Artist in Residence Program, TV appearances on Music Mondays and Community Spotlight, coverage in the national publication Youth Today) She also co-authored and co-presented her Youth Artist in Residence work at a national conference and performed at the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act in Phoenix, AZ. - MANY
Kayla Avitabile presents at the RHYTTAC national conference in Phoenix, Arizona and performs during their 40th anniversary celebration.
Title of Workshop: Youth Artist in Residence as an Effective Therapeutic PYD Model
Summary: Effective PYD is more than just youth showing up; it is about creating meaningful opportunities for youth to lead each other and participate and contribute in opportunities that matter to them. The Valley Youth House 'Youth Artist in Residence Program' (YAIR) celebrates the natural fit of music and youth through therapeutic performance and youth‐led processing by 14‐year‐old alternative rock singer/songwriter, Kayla Avitabile in VYH RHY and other programs. Experience the YAIR through this interactive educational experience.
Presenter(s):
Bob Robertson - Executive Vice President, Valley Youth House
Kayla Avitabile - Youth Artist In Residence, Valley Youth House
Recommended Audience:
BCP ‐ Shelter, BCP ‐ Host Home, SOP , TLP, MGH
Clinical/Case Management. Experienced in the RHY field - RHYTTAC (Runaway and Homeless Training & Technical Assistanc Center
30 minute performance by Kayla Avitabile, VYH Youth Artist in Residence and nominee for Best Lehigh Valley Music Awards New Artist prior to the debut of the short documentary "yes i can, yes i will, yes i am" at Martin Guitars (Nazareth, PA). Includes recognition of Martin Guitars for support of the YAIR and food. - Facebook
Music Program Helps Homeless, Runaway Youth Follow their Dreams
By Stell Simonton | July 21, 2014View as "Clean Read"
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Kayla Avitable
Valley Youth House
Kayla Avitable, 14, performs as part of a concert series created by Valley Youth House, which serves runaway and homeless youth in Pennsylvania. Performers tell about their own lives and struggles and engage the youth in discussions.
She steps up to the microphone. She strums her guitar and sings out “Tell me why we live like this / keep me safe inside.” It's the song “We are Broken” from the band Paramore.
At 14, Kayla Avitabile is the artist-in-residence at Valley Youth House, which provides shelter and services for homeless and runaway kids through 13 offices in eastern Pennsylvania.
The eclectic alternative musician is the featured artist in the first of four Valley Youth House concerts. She’ll introduce the musicians in the upcoming concerts and she’ll meet with kids in small groups and one-on-one to talk about their music and their aspirations.
“These kids are so into music,” said Bob Robertson, vice president of Valley Youth House. Many are talented but are too shy to perform at open-mic events.
On July 21, Kayla will lead a workshop called “Open Mic Maybe” at the organization’s Philadelphia independent living center. It’s for kids who might like to perform, but don’t feel ready. She’ll also work with some of them individually.
Robertson said kids often say “I want to be a rock star” when asked what they want to do in the future. But there’s a very big gap between dreaming about something and taking actual steps toward it. Kids often have little idea of how to begin closing that gap.
Kayla Avitabile performs at Riverside Park, Easton PA.
Kayla tells them it’s like being on a sports team: You have to go to practice.
“It’s a lot of hard work,” she said. So many people are trying to get into the music business. “Exposure is very important.”
“You’re going to have to get the people skills,” she said.
Part of the process is seeking mentors, Robertson said. “You have to be vulnerable enough to allow people to help you.”
Homeless and runaway youth, however, do not have the support other young people have. Nearly half of homeless and runaway kids report that conflict at home is a major problem, according to the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). Eighty percent of runaway and homeless girls report having been sexually abused. More than half of kids in shelters and on the street report that their parents told them to leave or didn’t care that they were leaving, according to NRS.
And figures show that young people ages 12-17 are more likely than adults to be homeless, according to NRS.
Valley Youth House’s goal in the concert series is to connect kids with role models and encourage conversations between musician and audience about each others’ lives and struggles. It’s also to show how skills are acquired through interacting with other people.
Founded in 1973, Valley Youth House has a staff of nearly 400. It served more than 14,000 youth last year through its programs, which include behavioral health services. It served an additional 23,000 in partnership with other organizations at its camp facility near Allentown, Pa.
The artist-in-residence program and the concert series are funded with a grant from the Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation.
Performers in the concert series, in addition to Kayla, who plays gigs in the area and opens for blues musician James Supra, are:
Gospel/rhythm-and-blues artist Ian Holmes (a former American Idol contestant)
Blues musician Steve Brosky
Rap/hip-hop artist Chill Moody
The artist-in-residence program is a new initiative by Valley Youth House.
“Everyone’s job is to find your passion,” Robertson said, “and your life will be richer and fuller for it.”
“It’s a really important message,” he said. - Youth Today
Last issue, we shared a press release for a young singer/songwriter named Kayla who was releasing a single. This month, I had the opportunity to hear her play. I was invited to see her at East Stroudsburg, Sherman Theatre by her manager, Bob Robertson. We spoke a while about Kayla’s high school career – (she’s still in high school, and number 10 in her class) her plans for the future, (college with a degree in possibly social policy??) and her family (she comes from a family of brilliant scholars as well as musicians, her brother Michael plays flute in a classical music ensemble). She has a passion for music but a gift for maturity beyond her years. I knew by the time dinner was over, that this young lady had an amazing future before her ;regardless if she made it in the music industry or not.
Her set at the Sherman theatre was part of an alternative music showcase featuring bands such as Sad Lips, Joe Billy, and Summer Scouts. Kayla certainly held her own in a room of differently thinking, musically gifted people. Her lyrics were dotted with angst and her chords were hard and sometimes angry…quite the contrast to her amicable nature and sweet appearance. She has found a voice in her music, and it’s quite an agreeable one!
By the time she was done, I wasn’t sure what she did better – sing, or play guitar. Needless to say both were impressive. She has an alternative edge to her lyrics and her playing and her timing is impeccable. The changes and middle eights she writes into her songs have a difficulty level that you wouldn’t expect from an up and coming musician. He stage presence, although small is stature, was large in confidence.
Thanks to her manger, Bob, I’m attaching a link so you can take a listen. If Kayla is playing in your area – make a point to stop by-you’ll see what I mean. We will keep an eye on her…and I’ll update you as her career grows. I hope to have her on my live interview show this summer, and if I do, you will all certainly have a front row seat!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IQhFpG3mQk - Steel Notes Magazine
Review: Kayla Avitabile – Awkward and Absent
Posted on August 30, 2017 by Gerard Longo
Hear Kayla Avitabile perform this Friday, September 1 at Lit Roastery & Bakeshop at 5:30 p.m. as part of the Lehigh Valley Underground First Friday Concert Series, presented in conjunction with SouthSide Arts District.
Artist: Kayla Avitabile
Song: Awkward & Absent
Released: April 2017
Genre: Alternative Rock
One of the best things about First Friday is the chance for our community in South Bethlehem to discover new artists. For sure, young, Phillipsburg-based singer-songwriter Kayla Avitabile is one worth discovering.
Take “Awkward and Absent,” Kayla’s most recently-released single. The tune is a pensive alt-rocker that settles into a down-tempo groove, and one on which she showcases her many talents, having laid down the bass, acoustic, and electric guitar tracks on the instrumental.
Standing out the most, however, is Kayla’s powerful voice. Kayla’s range and command of her soulful vocal instrument is clearly developed beyond her years, a fact which appears most impressive during the song’s bridge (beginning at 3:20).
Check out “Awkward & Absent” below, and hear more of Kayla this Friday at Lit Roastery & Bakeshop at 5:30 p.m. - Lehigh Valley Underground
Kayla Avitabile – The Difference Between Fine and Okay
New release from the singer/songwriter speaks from the heart
CD Review by Josie Janci, Steel Notes Magazine and Steel Waves Radio
Kayla’s newly released CD could be described as the lyrical comparison to JD Salinger’s prose in “Catcher in the Rye”. Both are a descriptive and beautiful tribute to a singular view of teenage angst, complete with a touch of controversy- just to keep it uber-interesting! If I had to describe her music, I’d use the word “indie” although she prefers “alternative” but we’d both be correct.
Kayla’s songwriting is mature beyond her years with thought-provoking lyrics and musical change-ups that catch the listener off guard eliciting an involuntary “wow” response. The guitar riffs come complete with tempo variations that are unique and interesting. Kayla plays guitar on the disk and does a great job-but her musical talent lie foremost in her songwriting and vocals. Her vocal sound is unique, half indie, half grunge…Imagine Patty Smith and Jewel giving her voice lessons on opposite days. Her lyrics are smart and powerful, her music complex and fun - the result is success. - Steel Notes Magazine
Discography
Kayla Avitabile CD's
Shadows & Fate EP (released August 2018)
The Difference Between Fine and Okay CD (released August 2017)
Awkward and Absent - the Kayla Avitabile SP (released January 2017)
Kayla Songs Appearing on Compilation CD's
2018 Millennium Music Conference Compilation CD (2018 - Alternative Facts)
Cape May Singer-Songwriters Festival Compilation CD (2017 - Awkward and Absent)
2017 Millenium Music Conference and Showcase Compilation CD (track 12 - Remember When)
Muses in the Vineyard Compilation CD - (2016 - Remember When/Peripety)
DVD Documentary
yes i can, yes i will, yes i am (2014 Martin Guitar Foundation funded DVD documentary about Kayla's role as a Youth Artist in Residence)
Photos
Bio
Triple threat singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Kayla Avitabile is a fan favorite for her powerful and soulful voice, “crafty songwriting, inventive covers and beyond her years worldview”. She is a five time nominated (Industry and Fan) LVMA singer including Best Album (2018) and 2014 Best New Artist nominee at age 14 with an ever-growing catalog of music including her Shadows & Fate EP (2018), The Difference Between Fine and Okay CD (2017), Awkward and Absent SP (2017), and her songs appearing on 4 compilation CD’s. Three of her original songs appear in the 15 episode The Athena Project documentary series. She has been described by Steel Notes Magazine as “the voice of this generation’s angst sounding downright brilliant” who also reviewed her first CD as “the lyrical comparison to J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye.” Lehigh Valley Underground acclaimed her music for its “ambitious songwriting, profound lyrics, and a voice that may be the most powerful and seasoned among her contemporaries.” Her CD was named one of Modern Rock Review’s “Choice 5” in March, 2018.
Kayla has performed at many national and regional music events and festivals including the Millennium Music Conference and Showcase, the Cape May Singer-Songwriter Festival, Heroes of Dirt (world movie premier), Musikfest, Electric City Music Festival, Riverside Music Festival, Muses in the Vineyard, etc. She’s also opened for many touring bands including I the Victor (Jackal tour), Victory Dance (Let’s Get Weird tour), Sarah Blacker (Boston), AJ Croix (NJ), and played a duet with legendary blues harmonica player, James Supra, at the 2018 LVMA Awards Show. She's also trained and presented her music in national conferences in Phoenix and Philadelphia.
In addition to numerous TV appearances, Kayla has been featured in Youth Today, Steel Notes Magazine, Modern Rock Review, Lehigh Valley Underground and the subject of a 2015 Martin Guitar Foundation funded documentary “yes i can, yes i will, yes i am” about her Youth Artist in Residence role (2014 & 2015) helping connect homeless and at-risk youth with music as well as serving as the emcee of the Martin Guitar Singer-Songwriter Series where she was also the alternative music performing artist.
In addition to her solo performances, Kayla co-hosts the Black Stripes or White Keys? (alternative/indie) radio show on WMFO 91.5 FM (Boston) and has performed in many musical productions including The Little Mermaid (as Ariel), Crazy for You (as Irene Roth), Curtains (as Johnny Harmon), Carousel, and Newsies.
Currently Kayla splits her time between the Lehigh Valley (PA/NJ) and Boston where she attends Tufts University as an American Studies and Film and Media major.
Band Members
Links
