Making the Right Country Notes

Songwriting runs deep into Kaylee's musical talents; for her it's more than just words. "I feel like it's the closest thing to magic we have as humans. You are literally creating something that didn't exist in the morning, like where did those melodies come from, where did the idea come from?" she says. "Ever since I wrote 'Getting Closer', a song I wrote with Morgan Evans, that was from a real life experience and I just felt a connection with people through that song like I have never felt before, and that made me really understand the responsibility of being a songwriter and having something to say."

At the age of 18, Kaylee won the New Zealand Gold Guitars awards and the moment her future was realised. After getting a real taste for the industry playing at the iconic Tamworth Country Music Festival (TCMF) in Australia in 2011, Kaylee decided to finish her studies back home before moving to Bathurst, where she lived and breathed the Australian country music scene. In 2013, she won the TCMF's Tamworth Toyota Star Maker; a massive launching pad for new country artists, placing Kaylee alongside previous winners Keith Urban and Samantha McClymont. Kaylee was the first Kiwi to win it since Keith Urban in 1990, and the first female in eight years. "Winning Star Maker opened me up to the Australian CM Industry. I had ten country number ones on radio and my music videos on the Country Music Channel broadcast across Australia," she says. "It allowed me to open for acts like Lee Kernaghan, Morgan Evans and The McClymonts and play every major festival, including Australia's CMC Rocks."

Kaylee admits one of her biggest challenges is being an independent artist and juggling it with full time work as an early childhood teacher. "It's definitely a hustle," she laughs. "It's also one of the things I'm most proud of, that I do it myself. I've learnt there is no way you would do it if you didn't love it." After working a nine hour day in the classroom teaching the younger generation, Kaylee can be up until 2am, catching up on emails. Meanwhile, weekends are a mix of working in retail and playing gigs. "It's constant, it never stops, but I feel I love that, nobody cares about your career as much as you do yourself," she says. "There is a really fine balance between believing in yourself and being proud of what you do, but also being able to step back and make sure you are happy with the quality of work you are putting out and the direction it is heading because I don't have the luxury of a label or management checking up on me, so it's a responsibility I take very seriously and take my time with."

Hailing from a small New Zealand country town never stops Kaylee dreaming of an American-based career. She confessed that America has always been, and always will be, the end goal. "My dream is to play at The Grand Ole Opry, and actually release songs to radio in America. That's still the end goal," she says. "I just love that I have a lot of goals that I haven't ticked off because there is still so much to achieve - I'll never just sit on my laurels. Music will always be something that I will do, whether it's performing or writing songs. I can't really live without music, so I know it'll always be in my life."

The move to Nashville has taken a backseat on her priority list for now though. "I think my whole view on it has changed and now I'm not in any great rush because we have learnt how to adapt and be really productive here in New Zealand, and still produce songs that are at Nashville level," she says. "We could be anywhere in the world doing this, so why not be here."