Okay Kaya
Birth nameKaya Wilkins
Birth dateAugust 14, 1990 (age 36)
Birth placeNew Jersey, United States
OccupationSinger
Years active2015–present

Kaya Wilkins (born August 14, 1990), better known as Okay Kaya, is a Norwegian-American musician born in New Jersey.

Biography

Wilkins was born in New Jersey and raised in Nesoddtangen, four miles outside of Oslo. Raised by her mother along with five brothers, she has both Scandinavian and African-American roots.[1]

Wilkins' first release under the moniker of Okay Kaya was the song "Damn, Gravity", which was released in 2015.[2][3] Three years later, she released her first full-length album, Both.[4][5][6] The album was recorded with her boyfriend Aaron Maine of the band Porches.[3] In 2020, Wilkins released her second full-length album as Okay Kaya, titled Watch This Liquid Pour Itself, via Jagjaguwar.[7][8] The album received three out of five stars from The Guardian.[7] Her cover of Cher's Believe was featured in the HBO show Industry.[9]

Wilkins acted her first role in the Norwegian drama Thelma. In August 2020, she released her mixtape Surviving is the New Living.[10]

Wilkins has collaborated with the musical artist Baba Stiltz. In 2025 they released their collaborative album, Blurb.[11]

Personal life

Wilkins is married to the British musician Oli Burslem.[12] Together they form the alternative rock band, Beguiling Junior.[13] After spending time living in the United States and Germany, Wilkins currently resides in Norway.[14]

Discography

Studio albums

TitleDetails
Both
Watch This Liquid Pour Itself
SAP
  • Released: 4 November 2022[17]
  • Label: Jagjaguwar
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming, cassette
Oh My God - That’s So Me
  • Released: 6 September 2024[18]
  • Label: OneRPM

Mixtapes

TitleDetails
Mix Vol. One
  • Released: 28 October 2014[19][20]
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: streaming
Surviving Is the New Living
The Incompatible Okay Kaya
  • Released: 22 October 2021[21]
  • Label: Jagjaguwar

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles, showing year released and album name
TitleYearAlbum
"Damn Gravity"[22]2015rowspan="5"
"Clenched Teeth"[23]
"I'm Stupid (But I Love You)"[24]
"Durer"[25]2016
"Keep On Pushin'"[25]
"IUD"[26]2018Both
"Dance Like You"[27]
"Believe"[28]2019
"Ascend and Try Again"[29]Watch This Liquid Pour Itself
"Baby Little Tween"[16]
"Asexual Wellbeing"[30]
"Psych Ward"[31]2020
"You're Still the One"[32]
List of singles, showing year released and album name
TitleYearAlbum
"Falling"[33]
(Vera featuring Okay Kaya)		2017Good Job No Conversation
"Almost Nothing"[34]
(Silent Poets featuring Okay Kaya)		2019Death Stranding (Songs from the Video Game)
"Getting to Know You"[35]
(Onyx Collective featuring Okay Kaya & Julian Soto)		2020Manhattan Special
"Jonas Said"[36]
(Aerial East featuring Okay Kaya)		2021Try Harder
"Wife Wife"[37]
(Deem Spencer featuring Okay Kaya)		2021Wife Wife
"Win Some"[38]
(LEYA featuring Okay Kaya)		2022Eyeline

Promotional singles

List of singles, showing year released and album name
TitleYearAlbum
"Vampire"[39]2018Both
"Habitual Love"[40]

Guest appearances

TitleYearOther artistsAlbum
"Slush Puppy"[41]2017King KruleThe Ooz
"Åkeren"[42]2018PorchesThe House
"Getting to Know You"[43]2020Onyx Collective, Julian SotoManhattan Special
"One Last Time"[44]Hess Is MoreSuicide Tourist (Original Score)
"Nightswimming"[45]2021Join the Ritual

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2017ThelmaAnjaCredited as Kaya Wilkins[46]
2019Exit PlanMiaCredited as Kaya Wilkins

References

  1. ^ Kjølberg, Tor (4 December 2018). "The Norwegian Musician, Model and Actress Okay Kaya". Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  2. ^ "premiere: okay kaya, 'damn, gravity'". Vice. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  3. ^ Corrigan, Graham. "Who Is Okay Kaya?". Complex. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  4. ^ Slater, Maya-Roisin. "Okay Kaya: Both". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  5. ^ Valenti, Lauren (13 June 2018). "This Rising Artist is Getting Startlingly Honest About Depression—One Album and Instagram at a Time". Vogue. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  6. ^ Jackson, Reed (12 April 2018). "Is Okay Kaya Living in Pop Music's Future?". Vice. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  7. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (24 January 2020). "Okay Kaya: Watch This Liquid Pour Itself review – strange dream-pop tales of thwarted lust". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  8. ^ Madden, Emma. "Okay Kaya Makes Sex Jams For People With Depression And Yeast Infections". MTV. Archived from the original on 21 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  9. ^ Topham, Michelle (2020-12-24). "Listen to Okay Kaya's 'Believe' from Industry, Season 1, Ep. 7 — it's mesmerizing and mysterious". Leo Sigh. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  10. ^ Afoa, Holly (14 August 2020). "Okay Kaya releases new mixtape Surviving is The New Living". The Label. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  11. ^ Chick, Stevie (2025-01-13). "Musical duo Baba Stiltz and Okay Kaya: ‘Basically our music’s for losers’". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  12. ^ "Norwegian artist Okay Kaya on performing at the Oslo Opera House". Vogue Scandinavia. 2026-01-08. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  13. ^ "Norwegian artist Okay Kaya on performing at the Oslo Opera House". Vogue Scandinavia. 2026-01-08. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  14. ^ "Norwegian artist Okay Kaya on performing at the Oslo Opera House". Vogue Scandinavia. 2026-01-08. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  15. ^ Guzman, Ivan (11 April 2018). "The Duality of Okay Kaya". Office Magazine. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  16. ^ Goodridge, Hayden (12 November 2019). "Okay Kaya Announces New Album, Shares Dreamy Single "Baby Little Tween"". Paste. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  17. ^ Geiger, Amy (4 August 2022). "Okay Kaya announces new album 'SAP,' shares video for new single "Spinal Tap"". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  18. ^ Hussain, Shahzaib (September 6, 2024). "Okay Kaya Unveils New Album 'Oh My God – That's So Me'". Clash. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
  19. ^ "OKAY-KAYA / MIX VOL. ONE". Soundcloud. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  20. ^ "Next: Okay Kaya". Dummy. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  21. ^ Elder, Sajae (September 13, 2021). "Okay Kaya announces upcoming mixtape The Incompatible Okay Kaya, shares new song". The Fader. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  22. ^ Douglas, Rikihana (29 March 2015). "OKAY KAYA 'Damn Gravity'". Sniffers. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  23. ^ "OKAY KAYA PASSEIA PELAS RUAS DE TÓQUIO NO CLIPE "CLENCHED TEETH"" (in Portuguese). Teco Apple. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  24. ^ Bayet, Pierre (31 October 2015). "Okay-Kaya – I'm Stupid (But I Love You)". High Clouds. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  25. ^ Corrigan, Graham (5 August 2016). "Watch Okay Kaya Capture NYC's Pokémon in the Video for "Keep On Pushin'"". Complex. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  26. ^ Corrigan, Graham (20 January 2018). "Watch Okay Kaya's Riveting Video for "IUD"". Complex. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  27. ^ Farrell, Margaret (11 March 2018). "Okay Kaya "Dance Like You"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  28. ^ Russ, Waveney (28 March 2019). "Okay Kaya Signs to Jagjaguwar, Listen to New Single 'Believe' (Cher Cover)". The Label. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  29. ^ "Okay Kaya Drops New Stand Alone Single & Video". Closed Captioned. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  30. ^ "Okay Kaya Drops New Single & Video". Closed Captioned. 10 December 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  31. ^ Russ, Waveney (16 January 2020). "Okay Kaya Shares New Single/Video 'Psych Ward'". The Label. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  32. ^ "OKAY KAYA REVELA COVER PARA "YOU'RE STILL THE ONE" DE SHANIA TWAIN" (in Portuguese). Teco Apple. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  33. ^ Murray, Robin (29 August 2017). "Vera Combines With Okay Kaya On Chilled New Single 'Falling'". Clash Music. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  34. ^ "Almost Nothing (feat. Okay Kaya) - Single". iTunes. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  35. ^ "Manhattan Special". iTunes. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  36. ^ "Try Harder". iTunes. Archived from the original on 17 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  37. ^ Farrell, Margaret (28 May 2021). "Deem Spencer and Okay Kaya Hope for a Bright Future on New Song "Wife Wife"". Flood Magazine. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  38. ^ "Leya Bandcamp: EYELINE"
  39. ^ "OKAY KAYA CONFRONTA UM CLONE E DIRIGE O IMPIEDOSO VIDEOCLIPE DE "VAMPIRE"" (in Portuguese). Teco Apple. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  40. ^ "OKAY KAYA LANÇA O VIDEOCLIPE DE "HABITUAL LOVE", O ÚLTIMO DE UMA SAGA DE AMOR E TRAUMAS" (in Portuguese). Teco Apple. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  41. ^ Peters, Micah (12 October 2017). "King Krule's Rhythm and 'Ooz'". The Ringer. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  42. ^ Hahn, Rachel (25 January 2018). "Porches and Okay Kaya, Music's Latest It Couple, on Making Downtown Cool Look Better Together". Vogue. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  43. ^ Blistein, Jon (23 April 2020). "Onyx Collective Turn Rodgers and Hart's 'Manhattan' Into a Jazz Age Dreamscape". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  44. ^ "Suicide Tourist (Original Score)". iTunes. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  45. ^ Helman, Peter (1 September 2021). "Spencer Krug – "Red Dress" (Jad Fair Cover) & Okay Kaya – Nightswimming (R.E.M. Cover)". Stereogum. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  46. ^ Gore, Sydney (6 March 2018). "Okay Kaya Is One of the Most Honest Artists of Our Generation". V. Archived from the original on 9 November 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022.