When Alyssa Kayhill is not attending to matters of the heart at Brooklyn Hospital’s Cardiology Unit, she’s attending to matters of the heart in a recording studio or performance environment. Today, January 24th, 2020, she steps forward with a potent dose of vulnerable pop with her new album, Love Is What It Is. Seeding the path to this milestone release she has issued the well-received singles “Playing With Fire,” “Gone,” and “Love Is.” All of Alyssa’s offerings are available via Spotify, Tidal, Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, and other digital platforms.
“I think there is an important connection between my work as a nurse and my music,” Alyssa outlines. “Nursing has taught me so much about myself and humanity, and music has been the most amazing outlet for me to connect through stories of my struggles, my doubts, and my victories. Hopefully, my songs can help someone realize they are valued, seen, and that we are not as alone as we sometimes think we are.”
Some highlights of Love Is What It Is include “Playing with Fire,” “Time’s Up,” and the bonus track “Love Is (Duet)” featuring Bobby Berk from Queer Eye. The smoldering, piano-driven pop-rock of “Playing with Fire” explores the moments of insecurity we feel in the beginning of monumental relationships. The urban-folk swagger of “Time’s Up” is a rallying call for women empowerment inspired by the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. The song interestingly features a promising male Hip Hop artist named JAEO in support of the Time’s Up movement. “It was important to me that this song conveyed the spirit of the marches and some of the messages of the movement through the lyrics and production choices such as adding ‘Time’s Up’ chants in the background. It was equally important to me to have a male voice on this song. There are so many men who champion the women’s movement and equal rights. There are still so many conversations we should have and perspectives that we should try to understand in order to move forward,” Alyssa shares.
Today Alyssa will take part in Billboard Pride’s takeover featuring Queer Eye’s Bobby Berk to promote the single “Love Is (Duet).” “Love Is (Duet)” is a stately ballad version of Kayhill’s original single “Love Is” featuring strings, majestic piano and Berk singing alongside Alyssa with smoky sensuality. “I wrote ‘Love Is’ in an hour and a half—it flowed out so naturally. It’s a song that’s not only about the struggles of being in same-sex relationships like in my case, but also any relationship that is judged for a number of reasons. I really wanted the song to feel personal but also relatable to anyone who has ever felt judged for who they love,” Alyssa details. “Bobby was such a good sport during the sessions. At one point, during rehearsal when he was learning the lyrics, he had a teleprompter that kept speeding up or would go backwards and it was hysterical. There is no better person to champion the message of this song than Bobby and I’m so thankful to him for wanting be a part of it.”
Look out for Alyssa Kayhill’s Love Is What It Is available on all digital platforms January 24th and the LIWII tour starting late February. For more information visit www.AlyssaKayhill.com
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