Okay Kaya September 7th at The Fairmount

On an unseasonably chilly and wet Saturday evening, a dedicated fan base turned out to the Okay Kaya show at the Fairmount Theatre. Damp umbrellas dotted the crowd that was composed of fans old and young, loud and quiet, yet all were, much like Okay Kaya herself, oozing cool fluidity. 

Kaya Wilkins, known as Okay Kaya, is a Norwegian-American musician who recently released her fourth L.P Oh My God - That’s So Me. Kaya’s lyrics have always held fresh honesty and vulnerability, making un-romantic experiences like IUD insertion and overstimulation seem tranquil and serene through delicate melody and prose. This album takes on a more philosophical tone, with songs about Sisyphus and the perception of self, yet in tune to the artist’s identity they still feel soft and silly. To me, Okay Kaya and her sounds are reminiscent of a slightly more zephyr-like Bjork. Her sincere, wise, and enchantingly awkward stage presence really cemented that for me, as well as recently learning that she moved to an off-grid island off the coast of Oslo. 

As stop number two on Kaya’s North American tour, only a day after the album’s release, the performance felt fresh, interactive and calming. The second song of the set list was “Tu Me Manques”, off her 2018 album Both, a French nod to Montreal. The stage backdrop also included videos of our beloved Canadian Geese, which felt fitting to the silly yet considered theme. The crowd came together to sing along to songs like Cher’s “Believe”, a signature Okay Kaya cover. Things loosened up even more for songs like “The Groke”, one of the singles off OMGTSM. Some impressive swamp-like dance moves were brought to the stage for this number, ones we all surely went home to practice. The night ended on a high note with the encore bringing us the classic “Mother Nature’s Bitch”, something everyone got moving to as a lovely send off. The crowd left feeling revived, meditated, and collectively reassured through her gentle songs. We wish Kaya the best of luck on the rest of her tour and look forward to bumping Oh My God - That’s So Me now that it’s released in full!