Biography
Pianist and composer Kayla Waters brings a classically trained sensibility to her sparkling sound, which draws from contemporary jazz and R&B. Chart success arrived quickly with her first two albums, Apogee in 2017 and Coevolve in 2018, both generating multiple Billboard Smooth Jazz Airplay number ones such as “I Am,” “Zephyr,” and “Full Bloom.” Her third full-length, the spiritually minded Presence, appeared on Shanachie in 2023 and reflected her affinity for the ocean, spotlighting the track “Undulation.”
Raised in a musical household, Waters received her earliest introduction to music from her father, acclaimed smooth jazz saxophonist Kim Waters. Classical piano studies began at age six and continued through her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance at Howard University, from which she graduated summa cum laude. Early professional experience came from performing on several of her father’s recordings, after which she stepped forward as a leader. Stage collaborations have included Patrice Rushen, Maysa, Stevie Wonder, and additional luminaries. Beyond performing, she serves as Director of Music and Worship at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., and as Music Director of the Howard University Early Learning Program.
Her debut album, Apogee, arrived in 2017 on Trippin N’ Rhythm Records and yielded the chart-topping single “I Am.” Coevolve followed the next year and produced further number-one smooth-jazz hits with “Zephyr” and “Full Bloom.”
Raised in a musical household, Waters received her earliest introduction to music from her father, acclaimed smooth jazz saxophonist Kim Waters. Classical piano studies began at age six and continued through her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance at Howard University, from which she graduated summa cum laude. Early professional experience came from performing on several of her father’s recordings, after which she stepped forward as a leader. Stage collaborations have included Patrice Rushen, Maysa, Stevie Wonder, and additional luminaries. Beyond performing, she serves as Director of Music and Worship at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., and as Music Director of the Howard University Early Learning Program.
Her debut album, Apogee, arrived in 2017 on Trippin N’ Rhythm Records and yielded the chart-topping single “I Am.” Coevolve followed the next year and produced further number-one smooth-jazz hits with “Zephyr” and “Full Bloom.”
Albums
Singles
