Hailing from Montreal and now based in Los Angeles, Kayla DiVenere's penchant for the arts has been apparent from a very young age. She started acting at the age of six (Love Victor, Law & Order, Light as a Feather) and is now proving herself as a true double threat with a slew of captivating singles. 

Thank you for speaking with ReVamp, people who may not know you, can you describe yourself and a bit about what you do to the readers?

Thank you so much for having me! I’m Kayla DiVenere and I’m honestly just a normal girl from Canada who fell in love with the arts at a young age, moved to Los Angeles, and started writing songs about anything and everything. I've released a couple of songs since and have so many more releases in the works! 

You are an actress and artist who is very successful in your own right, what made you get into both, and what was the path like growing up?

My father was the one who introduced me to music at a young age. He played drums in his teen rock band growing up and always promised himself he would pass on the joy of music to his kids. He brought a piano home when I was 5 years old and while I had no idea what it was initially, I knew it made cool sounds. He also introduced me to a range of classic rock bands like Queen, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and The Police, and there was no turning back after that! 

My path to acting was a little more random and was mostly inspired by religiously watching iCarly every night. One evening when I was about 6, my older brother and I spontaneously decided that acting looked fun and we wanted to try it out. I had no idea what the craft entailed and little did I know I’d be in for a wild ride! 

Growing up doing both acting and music was the biggest blessing I could’ve ever asked for. It gave me the confidence I needed as a little girl, forced me to become a better human, to feel things more deeply, to understand others, and to be able to express myself. I am eternally grateful for how the arts have impacted my life for the better.

You have also done some modeling, so you do have a vast amount of creativity, was there anyone who inspired you to go into a creative industry?

It was honestly all so random, and I wish I could have a better explanation other than that I was drawn to absolutely every art form that allowed me to express myself. I find it so healing to be able to have so many outlets I can turn to. 

You have a new single ‘Small Talk’  how did the single come about?

I've had a secret crush on my brother's best friend ever since I was 14, and "Small Talk" was created in my longing to have more than 5-minute fleeting conversations with him every time he would come over. My imagination ran wild and I found myself aching for something like a John Hughes romance movie with a secret love, boombox at my window, playing his favorite mixtape type of love. After rewatching every romance movie to exist, it was absolute torture to continue entertaining meaningless small talk with my brother’s best friend, so I decided to write "Small Talk" in an attempt to pour my heart out and make sense of my craving for something more. 

How would you describe it, and what is the difference between "Small Talk" and the other singles that you have previously released?

I think that "Small Talk" taps into a different sound I haven’t fully explored yet, which is super exciting. It has so many cool bouncy melodies and guitar parts that blend so cohesively. “Small Talk” also helped me push my vocals in a way I hadn’t experimented with before. 

What is your writing/recording process like, and what do you enjoy most doing if you could choose? 

I have an endless notes page on my phone of little idea snippets, concepts, or lyric ideas I get from just living everyday life. I get most of my concepts from ranting to my friends, dialogue from TV shows or movies, or even overhearing someone's conversation in line at a coffee shop. When I sit down to write a song, I start with a concept that feels right to me in the moment, pick a couple of chords that feel cohesive, and start spitballing melodies. Then I pretty much fall into a creative hole and black out until the sun goes down and the song is finished. I'm not sure if I could choose a specific point of the process that I love the most, but I love to take a step back after the song is finished and just say "Wow... I just created that. That didn't exist before today, and that's beautiful". 

When people are listening to your new single, what do you want them to feel, and is there a message behind it that you want others to also reflect on?

I want them to hop into my vintage 80s John Hughes world and be able to fantasize along with me. I want them to feel the fun lighthearted urge of having a crush that you want to connect with on a deeper level. I hope listeners want to scream out the lyrics with me and feel liberated! 

As well as music, I'm sure a lot of people loved watching you on the TV, do you have any upcoming acting projects you can tease?

Unfortunately, I can’t discuss any of the acting projects I’m working on at the moment!

What is one film that you would love to have acted in and why?

If I was alive then, I would've loved to have acted in any 80s John Hughes movies. I think they're all such beautiful coming-of-age stories that effortlessly capture the ebbs and flows, insecurities, and charm of growing up. I would have loved to act in The Breakfast Club and become best friends with all the outcasts in detention! 

Last question, where are we able to follow your journey? 

I'm @kayladivenere on all platforms! I’d love to have you along for the journey!