Interview - Layla Kaylif

Few artists possess the power to craft songs that feel both intensely personal and universally spiritual. Layla Kaylif is one of them. With her latest release, God’s Keeper, the acclaimed English-Arab singer-songwriter—often dubbed the “Pop Poet”—emerges with a sound that is as mystically reflective as it is musically daring. Described by critics as “genre-defying,” “authentically fearless,” and “culturally fearless,” the single marks a striking return to form for Kaylif, following her Americana-leaning 2020 album Lovers Don’t Meet. Prepare for a deep dive into the mind of an artist whose music doesn’t just echo in your ears—it lingers in your soul.

Welcome to MeloDrift. Can you tell us a little bit about your musical background?

I’m a self-taught musician. Actually, I wouldn’t even call myself a musician — I’m a songwriter, and you don’t really need to be a good musician to write songs. I’m a bit of a nerd, so I do know a lot about music theory, both Western and Arabic. They use different scales—Arabic music uses quarter tones, unlike Western music. I studied the oud for a year,  but I don’t really play it. I don’t enjoy playing instruments much. I just use them for songwriting. Same with guitar. My least favourite instrument is the piano — I have dyscalculia, so any numbering system fries my brain. 

If your life had a theme song, what would it be? 

“You can’t always get what you want.” Rolling Stones.  

Who or what have been the most impactful influences on your musical style and sound? 

It’s hard for me to answer this (I get asked it a lot). I have a lot of influences on my style and sound, and honestly, I couldn’t say there’s just one in particular. 

How do your life experiences shape your songwriting, and what emotions or ideas do you hope listeners connect with in your music? 

My life experiences are distilled in my songwriting — they’re the source of everything.  That’s what being an artist is all about, right? I think it’s the same for most artists. I’d like listeners to know that if I can do it, they can too, if they want to. I see songwriting as an art form, and I believe if more people channelled their emotions into creative expression, there’d be less conflict in the world. Any art form can help — even if it’s just for themselves. 

Each phase of music-making—writing, recording, rehearsing, and performing—has its own unique rewards. Could you share a memorable moment from each stage? 

Writing: When a lyric I’ve been wrestling with for years suddenly lands perfectly in a chorus over a simple chord progression. 

Recording: Figuring out how to record to a click track in my bedroom so I can send it to a remote producer — and not screwing up the timing! 

Rehearsing: That time my guitarist hadn’t learned the chords ten minutes before a TV spot, I  spilled coffee on my dress, and instead of freaking out, I just cleaned up, he learnt it, and we went on with a smile and a giggle. The old me would’ve had a meltdown. 

Performing: I often get the urge to laugh when performing. Once, at a charity gig at  Shakespeare’s Globe (organised by Trudie Styler), I told her I might laugh onstage. She said,  “Don’t you dare.” She’s kinda scary — so I didn’t. 

Is there a song of yours that holds particular personal significance? 

Oh, there are lots. But I’ll talk about one I haven’t released yet. The producer’s gone AWOL,  so I can’t get my hands on it. I recorded it in Miami. It’s called “Give Me the Boy, I’ll Give You Back the Man.” I love that song because it really expresses how I feel about men. It sounds cocky, but it’s a joke — I don’t think I do give you back the man. I think I accidentally ego-bust them, and they move on to another woman. Hopefully, I did her a favour. 

If you could swap lives with any musician for a day, who would it be and what would you do? 

Well, I couldn’t swap lives with him because he’s dead — but it would be Leonard Cohen. What would I do? I guess I’d be Leonard Cohen in drag, because I’d still be a woman.

What’s a guilty pleasure song you secretly love but might surprise your fans?

For Your Eyes Only by Sheena Easton. 

Looking ahead, what are some goals or dreams you have for your music and career?

My problem is that I have too many ideas and dreams. But I don’t like talking about them — I think God laughs when you make plans. 

Finally, is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers before we close?

I’d like to recommend a book: The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford. Everyone should read it and do the exercises. Or just ask ChatGPT to summarise it — but seriously, it’s life-changing. That’s all.

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