Kaiyah Mercedes

With songs that resonate beyond their years, Kaiyah Mercedes brings you her sophomore album 'Trying To Hate You', a sonic and cinematic exploration of unrequited love and heartbreak. At the crossroads of creativity and self-discovery, the 18 year old LGBTQIA+ artist brings vibrant hues of indie pop through her authentic voice, while connecting with listeners to find solace in her melodies and truth in their lyrics. Diagnosed with autism and ADHD at the age of 15 Kaiyah uses her songwriting to translate the world around them and draws sonic inspiration from an eclectic array of influences - from the introspective lyricism of Phoebe Bridgers to the infectious melodies of Soccer Mommy.
 
Taking this album to the next level, Kaiyah will be playing with their band and supported by Charlie Lane and Takoda Meadow
 
Charlie Lane is a singer-songwriter project of Naarm/ Melbourne. Her music has gained over 250,000 streams online and recently featured on Triple J’s Home & Hosed, ABC National, and JOY fm. Lane discovered her love of music at a young age, she grew up listening to her father’s favourite blues artists, becoming enamoured by the guitar work of the likes of Buddy Guy, alongside her mother’s tastes of Joni Mitchell. A queer and disabled woman in the music industry who is “looking to push boundaries, break down barriers and stigmas,” Lane has established herself as a 'formidable force' within the industry.
 
Takoda Meadow has been playing live music since the age of 15 in venues like the Bergy Seltzer, Kindred Bandroom, The Barwon Club, Piano Bar, Beave’s Bar and Mount Duneed Estate and recently her first headline gig at the Gasometer Bandroom. She believes completely that music is “the great communicator” (red hot chilli peppers) and music can express the greatest joy, the worst pain and is the best way to make friends. Her original songs, such as “YOU MUST HAVE KNOWN”, “All February Long” and “Daisy’s love song” take inspiration from a wide range of things from life events to characters from books. The genre that Takoda most identifies her music with is indie alternative, with some songs following a more folk vibe and others more rock.