Okay Kaya Mesmerizes the Audience at Empire

Okay Kaya Mesmerizes the Audience at Empire

September 25, 2024 in Concert Reviews

by dj mangosteen

On September 11, Empire Control Room welcomed Okay Kaya for her debut performance in Austin.

Kaya Wilkins has released music for nearly a decade under the moniker Okay Kaya. Her catalog contains elements of art pop, indie folk, and jazz, blended together through her personal, intimate lyricism. Her performance at Empire included songs from four of her albums, along with a few covers, in a diverse 90-minute set.

Wilkins performs how she writes—transparent, without pretense, and a little tongue-in-cheek. A blue wash of light flooded the room as Wilkins took the stage in casual attire, accompanied by one other band member. But soon, he too became a part of the audience as he watched her in evident awe, the admiration in his eyes not unlike that of the crowd. On a screen behind the two performers, a grainy, monochromatic live projection of Wilkins played in the center foreground, overlaid atop a montage of formless shapes, colors, and textures.

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She first opened with an acapella cover of Daniel Johnston’s “Devil Town,” her lone voice pouring into the Control Room. The audience held its breath, silent enough to even hear Wilkins’ mouth click as she smiled.

The room settled into this intimate atmosphere as performer and audience became quickly acquainted with one another. “I love my Austin,” Wilkins sang in a lyric change during “The Wannabe.” The song was followed by “Psych Ward,” in which the audience became background vocalists, echoing back to Wilkins. The entire room was in on a single inside joke, laughing at the absurdity of the lyrics, which were emphasized by the simple backing instrumentals.

After a couple of songs, Wilkins paused to speak to the audience. “Picture This!” an audience member suggested in one lull of her speech. Wilkins mulled it over for a moment before ultimately giving in to the fan’s request. “What else?” she asked when the song concluded, inviting more audience conversation.

Wilkins crooned to the crowd in lullaby-like serenades for most of the evening, aside from her cover of “Space Girl,” a 1960s folk song by Shirley Collins. Wilkins’ composition reflected the one she released on her latest album, “Spacegirl (Shirley’s).” The arrangement was belty, whiny, and noisy, with two electric guitars playing in tandem. As planets spun on the screen behind the two performers, the audience shouted the lyrics along with Wilkins. It was the most electrifying moment of the night.

As the set neared its end, Wilkins performed two singles from her latest album, “Oh My God - That’s So Me,” released only five days prior. The songs, “Check Your Face” and “The Groke,” allowed Wilkins to showcase the album’s jazzy and danceable moments.

Wilkins concluded the night with “Mother Nature’s Bitch.” For this fan favorite, one microphone was not enough; instead, Wilkins held one in each hand. One microphone captured her clear, steady vocals, while the other distorted her vocal acrobatics into noise. Wilkins’ voice became an instrument, serenading the audience in a final goodbye.

As the crowd continued to chant the song, Wilkins exited the stage promptly, her guitarist in tow. On his way out, he reached down, extending a microphone to an audience member as one last parting gift.

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