Meet Kayla Luky. That’s pronounced loo-key, not lucky. Luck has nothing to do with it. Through hard work and determination, the 19 year old singer/songwriter is quickly making a name for herself.

 

Luky was raised in Venlaw, Manitoba, a small farming community that sits on the edge of Duck Mountain Provincial Park. At around 13, inspired by the young, angsty songstresses of the day (Michelle Branch, Avril Lavigne), she picked up her mother’s old guitar and under her own guidance, learned how to play. By the time high school hit, Luky was playing shows in nearby Dauphin, putting her heartfelt folk tunes on display for the prairie punks in attendance.

 

At the age of 16, with two self-titled albums under her belt, Luky was invited to perform in Toronto’s annual music and festival conference, North by Northeast. She has since toured Western Canada, which included a stop at Vancouver’s New Music West Conference and Festival, set up shop in Winnipeg and played all around Manitoba’s capital, and hit up many a community festival around the province. Her music has been heard on the CBC, 730 CKDM in Dauphin, and 92.9 KICK FM in Winnipeg. In spring of 2008, Luky was invited back to Toronto, after making it past the Winnipeg auditions of CTV’s hit show Canadian Idol. While she did not achieve Idol status, Luky impressed judges and viewers alike, her rollicking cover of KT Tunstall’s Black Horse and the Cherry Tree making the TV edit.

 

The word ‘real’ comes to mind when considering Luky’s latest album, Story of My Life. Recorded live in one take, the lack of big time production does nothing to diminish Story’s quality, instead putting the focus squarely on its songs. Speaking of the songs, Luky shows an impressive lyrical prowess and melodic knack throughout. On I Wanna she cleverly twists “I want to make a plan to not have one”. The title track is another beauty, Luky singing “Here’s a little story about my life, it goes something like” and then a harmonica kicks in, saying more than words could ever say. Story of My Life has received plenty of good press, including very favourable reviews in the Winnipeg Free Press and Uptown Magazine. So, don’t be surprised if you hear a lot more about this prairie girl in the near future. With plenty of talent and a strong DIY ethic to boot, Luky is sure to keep making headway, and you have the good fortune of hearing about her first. Now that’s lucky.

 

- Jared Story