Publicity Campaign: Kaiyah Mercedes - ‘What Comes Next’ EP
Naarm/Melbourne based artist Kaiyah Mercedes announces their five-track EP ‘What Comes Next’, a body of work that captures both the intensity of heartbreak and the growth that follows. Written at 17 in the aftermath of a break-up, the songs capture the first wave of grief. 3 years later, these songs return fully realised, with the honesty and rawness of those original moments now enriched by the fresh perspective and matured musicianship Kaiyah now has at 20.
“It’s a project that has lived with me for quite some time.” says Kaiyah, “These songs were written as I learned to live again after dealing with a breakup. They really demonstrate the turning point where heartbreak turns into independence and strength.”
The EP announcement follows a run of singles that have begun to cut through nationally, achieving first-time plays on triple j and one even being spotlighted as a featured track by Rolling Stone Australia. These releases, ‘I’m Gonna Be Famous (How Cute!)’, ‘3 Month Blackout’ and ‘Miss Me’, trace the aftermath of love, the body’s lag behind the mind, and the kind of growing-up that leaves marks and showcase Kaiyah leaning further into indie pop-rock with their latest project, pairing gritty guitars and driving drums with belty vocals, emotional synths and lift-out ballad moments.
Based on the Mornington Peninsula, the young queer, disabled singer-songwriter moves between indie pop, folk and pop-rock, weaving sensory detail and story-first writing into music that feels like stepping into someone’s memory. ‘What Comes Next’ is the first release of Kaiyah’s new chapter of adulthood but far from the beginning of their career. Kaiyah has also released two full-length records, debuting with ‘Hindsight’ at 16 and following up with ‘Trying To Hate You’ before 18, now surpassing 1.5 million collective Spotify streams. In 2026, Kaiyah was selected for APRA AMCOS’ 23% Mentorship Program and is being mentored by Eliza Hull.
On stage, Kaiyah performs in full-band form and has played regularly around Naarm/Melbourne, supporting Leo Sayer, Joe Camilleri and Ishan. Their powerful live performances and infectious pop-rock energy has also seen them captivate audiences from iconic local venues like Palais Theatre, Bergy Bandroom and the Workers Club to festival stages at Waterfront Festival, Newport Folk Festival, Mordi Fest and more.
Continuing this momentum, Kaiyah Mercedes will celebrate the EP with a full-band launch show at iconic Melbourne/Naarm venue The Espy Basement on October 23rd with Xandri and Local Sweetheart as special guests.
SONGS:
‘I’m Gonna Be Famous (How Cute!)’ (explicit): a loud, carefree release that flips being told to be smaller into an anthem for taking up space.
‘3 Month Blackout’: a guitar-and-drum driven pivot that builds and drops without warning, mirroring the unpredictable rise and fall of moving on from a short-lived whirlwind.
‘Miss Me’ (explicit): sits in the tension between self-respect and grief, capturing the moment you know you made the right choice, even as your body is still catching up.
‘Seventeen’ (ft. Emily Moyse): a retrospective cut that returns to teenage self doubt and the heaviness of being young in a relationship that makes you feel like you are too much, with Moyse’s layered vocals adding softness and weight.
‘555’: a resolution, a tentative love song that does not rush the ending, capturing the anxious bravery of letting yourself fall again and the internal work of learning to live after loss.
