Recently returned from Nashville, Southland’s Kayla Mahon (The Heartleys) , releases “ Love’s Got a Witness”.
The single is the first to be released from her work in Nashville, recording with Jay Tooke of Penny Arcade Productions x2 CCMA Nominee who has worked with Award Winning Artists Randy Houser, The Steel Woods and James Otto, and co-writer Ryan Sorestad who has written hits in Nashville Artists for Callie McCullough, Shantia and Candlebox.
“Working with these songwriters and producers in Nashville has helped me achieve a new found depth in my writing, their experience was invaluable, and just being in the capital of Country Music was inspiring!”
Kayla is planning to release the album around March 2024, with a tour of New Zealand before heading off to international shores for more shows.
With a career spanning three decades, Kayla was the Winner of the coveted 2000 and 2008 New Zealand Overall Gold Guitar Award. Other accolades include performing at CMC Rocks in 2017, reaching the top 24 on the globally recognised X FACTOR NZ in 2015 and representing Aotearoa on the Global Artist Stage in Nashville in 2016 showcasing her original song "Through Georgia's Eyes”.
Named NZCMA Horizon Award Winner in 2015, Kayla journeyed to Tennessee and recorded her first Nashville single “Do you Ever” - successfully trending on Spotify's Fresh Country Playlist, followed by her first EP release in 2015 entitled “Girl on the Move”.
Prior to her solo career, Kayla was half of “The Heartleys” - a country music duo successfully releasing two albums, winning both NZCMA and Southland Duo of the Year and appearing on the Australian Country Music Charts.
Warmly embraced in the strong southern New Zealand country music scene, Kayla has also performed to crowds in Norway, Norfolk Island and Australia.