A testament to how far we can go: Kayla Grace’s latest single, ‘99 and counting’
Indie-pop singer-songwriter Kayla Grace is here to ground us all with her latest single 99 and counting, featuring soft acoustic guitar and simple, vulnerable lyrics that are gentle on the ear and spirit alike.
On the October 4th release date, Kayla explained in an Instagram post how she wrote the single in November 2023 after her grandad died at the age of 99. She said his peaceful passing gave her a “whole new perspective on living” and made her realise how far she’s “come mentally.”
The first verse is stark in its directness, with the line, “Saw a dead squirrel in my garden / Watched my grandpa die this morning” introducing the listener to the song’s inspiration. Introspection follows as Kayla sings about how, “Something profound hit me”.
Losing a loved one hits us all differently, and it’s never easy. For some though, it can be the moment that triggers an evaluation of how we’re living and can help us shift our focus for the better.
It is a truth universally known that time heals all. While that can certainly be hard to believe when we’re in the throes of difficulty, the chorus reminds us: “Some things just take time / Sometimes there’s no sign”.
Rarely does life provide us with a sign - it is ultimately up to us to gather our strength and courage and choose to move forward after experiencing a significant event in our lives, even if we don’t know where we’re headed.
Kayla reveals her growth in the second verse: “Think I'm starting to grow a backbone / Now I’m learning to let things let go.”
Easier said than done! How many of us ruminate over a hard moment in our past wishing we could go back and change the outcome?
Maybe it’s a good thing time doesn’t work like that - we’re forced to learn so that we may be better prepared for the next challenge. And because it’s in the past, what’s the use of clinging to something that can’t be changed? Often, what seems monumental today won’t even be a passing thought tomorrow.
The chorus comes in again this time with more momentum: “Somehow I chose right / So much more to life”. Existence is hard, we all learn that at some point on our journeys, and having faith in our choices is how we become who we were always meant to be. The bridge carrying the song home is uplifting and energetic - “I don’t cry on the floor / Of my shower anymore” – Kayla has come a long way and we have with her, probably relating hard to her lyrics too.
Fittingly, the single then ends with an encouraging, cathartic and full-circle confession: “I won’t type a goodbye note / And I won’t, and I won’t hit send / Till I’m 99 and counting”.
Kayla’s grandad lived a full and inspiring life, and its clear from the song that she’s looking to do the same: taking it all in, experiencing it all, the good with the bad, and inviting us to join her.
In fact, Kayla’s new releases don’t stop there, as she recently announced another single about self-destructive habits called in for the kill. Due to release at midnight tonight (November 8th), you can watch a clip of the track here:
And whilst we wait for Kayla Grace’s next single, you can find the rest of her music on Spotify: