Born in New Jersey, OKAY KAYA aka Kaya Wilkins grew up on a peninsula outside of Oslo, Norway, where she learnt to play guitar with her brothers, who were part of a local black metal group. At 23, her music explores “melancholy through melody,” a skill she developed during Norway’s brutal winters. “I write when it’s dark,” she says. “Songs about love and relationships. It feels over the top, but they’re strong emotions and when they’re written down I can relax.”