Naarm/Melbourne-based 17-year-old singer-songwriter Kaiyah Mercedes has returned with her mesmerising single If We Never Speak Again – produced by Seetali Mack and mixed by Garrett Kato (Julia Stone, Ziggy Alberts).
If We Never Speak Again unfolds with enchanting sincerity and bittersweet beauty, as Mercedes’ ethereal voice gracefully soars within the electronic-pop soundscape. Commencing with an emotive voicemail, the immersive arrangement weaves pulsating beats and lush synths, mirroring the emotional turbulence within this tale of unspoken words.
Kaiyah Mercedes talks about the inspiration behind If We Never Speak Again: “If We Never Speak Again was written as a voicemail to express all my unsaid feelings about another person. I wrote the lyrics about my experiences but couldn’t think of anything for the bridge except a voicemail. This evolved into the chaotic soundscape you hear in the track’s bridge today and symbolises that feeling of helplessness and not knowing if that person will respond or even hear the message at all.”
Growing up in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, Kaiyah Mercedes is quickly showing her capability to write uniquely emotive songs, releasing an album at only 16 that gained over 250,000 streams cumulatively.
As an LGBTQIA+ artist, Kaiyah Mercedes shares that the community has “Been a huge part of my self-discovery and as an LGBTQIA+ artist, my songwriting is a pure expression of the growth and confidence in myself to be who I truly am. Although I write sad songs, my aim is to connect with others through my deep and emotional lyrics, with an intent to support others through life’s struggles. I often write about grief, mental health, heartbreak and longing, all very relatable experiences.”
With thanks to Good Intent
