Photo by Derek Carr
Kayla Dixon is a true triple threat. As the mouthpiece of doom veterans Witch Mountain and Dress the Dead, she commands a powerful voice that is both sultry and sinister. And when she's not on stage rocking out with her bands, she's still on stage, performing as a professional actor and a dancer. It's my grim pleasure to share this interview with Kayla Dixon, a renaissance rocker and a fiery front woman, on the eve of Witch Mountain's tour with Corrosion of Conformity this September.
HELL-O Kayla! How's life?Life is fantastic, thanks for asking!
You've got an upcoming tour with Corrosion of Conformity in September. What can headbangers expect to experience when they see you on the road?
They can expect to have their souls snatched, haha. No but seriously, Witch Mountain has always been the kind of band to pummel people with heavy doom riffs and insane solos so expect nothing less than the usual.
For longer tours where you use your voice every night for days in a row, how do you maintain and care for your pipes?
I have a very specific and very involved process that I go through as a result of my own findings as well as advice from my ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat doctor) and my own experience being a voice teacher over the years. But, I’ll try to break it down in an understandable way.
1. I keep my vocal cords lubricated.
2. I do breathing exercises and cardio to maintain my lung capacity and increase my stamina.
3.I warm up vocally every morning and do a short warm up 5 min, before the show.
4. I sleep whenever and wherever I can.5. I avoid coffee, alcohol and smoke of all kinds.
How did you develop your vocal style?
I’ve had the luxury of starting as an actor doing mainly musical theatre and still do that to this day, so I’ve been able to avoid trying to develop a specific vocal style. Which I think has, ironically, led me to having my own unique sound. Here’s how I think it worked for me: In theatre (specifically non- method acting techniques) you learn to embody a character as yourself and identify yourself with that character. In musical theatre especially there are a log of “dialogue pieces” in which the character is directly addressing the audience and telling story with a lot of words (almost sounding like they’re talking). So we learn early on as musical theatre actors to “sing the way you speak”. I didn’t know any other way of doing it when I first started singing in bands and it’s just carried over. Which is why you don’t notice much of difference between my singing voice and my speaking voice.
You've been Witch Mountain's vocalist for nearly 5 years, joining a band that had been established nearly 20 years prior. How did this alliance come to be?I was a fan of the band for a bit before joining and it just turned out to be good timing. I saw they were looking for a vocalist and asked if I could audition, and luckily got the gig!
What were you doing prior to joining Witch Mountain?
I was in a death metal band from Cleveland, Ohio called Demons Within. That band has since dissolved, but that experience will always hold a special place in my heart. I was also pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree while majoring in Musical Theatre at a music conservatory.
HELL-O Kayla! How's life?Life is fantastic, thanks for asking!
You've got an upcoming tour with Corrosion of Conformity in September. What can headbangers expect to experience when they see you on the road?
They can expect to have their souls snatched, haha. No but seriously, Witch Mountain has always been the kind of band to pummel people with heavy doom riffs and insane solos so expect nothing less than the usual.
For longer tours where you use your voice every night for days in a row, how do you maintain and care for your pipes?
I have a very specific and very involved process that I go through as a result of my own findings as well as advice from my ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat doctor) and my own experience being a voice teacher over the years. But, I’ll try to break it down in an understandable way.
1. I keep my vocal cords lubricated.
2. I do breathing exercises and cardio to maintain my lung capacity and increase my stamina.
3.I warm up vocally every morning and do a short warm up 5 min, before the show.
4. I sleep whenever and wherever I can.5. I avoid coffee, alcohol and smoke of all kinds.
How did you develop your vocal style?
I’ve had the luxury of starting as an actor doing mainly musical theatre and still do that to this day, so I’ve been able to avoid trying to develop a specific vocal style. Which I think has, ironically, led me to having my own unique sound. Here’s how I think it worked for me: In theatre (specifically non- method acting techniques) you learn to embody a character as yourself and identify yourself with that character. In musical theatre especially there are a log of “dialogue pieces” in which the character is directly addressing the audience and telling story with a lot of words (almost sounding like they’re talking). So we learn early on as musical theatre actors to “sing the way you speak”. I didn’t know any other way of doing it when I first started singing in bands and it’s just carried over. Which is why you don’t notice much of difference between my singing voice and my speaking voice.
You've been Witch Mountain's vocalist for nearly 5 years, joining a band that had been established nearly 20 years prior. How did this alliance come to be?I was a fan of the band for a bit before joining and it just turned out to be good timing. I saw they were looking for a vocalist and asked if I could audition, and luckily got the gig!
What were you doing prior to joining Witch Mountain?
I was in a death metal band from Cleveland, Ohio called Demons Within. That band has since dissolved, but that experience will always hold a special place in my heart. I was also pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree while majoring in Musical Theatre at a music conservatory.
You're a professional actor and dancer, outside of your rock star duties. Tell us about your life outside of Witch Mountain?
My life outside of Witch Mountain is sometimes chaotic schedule-wise, but always fun. These days whenever I’m not touring, I’m a working actor. So most times, I go straight from closing a show to leaving for tour and when I come home, I go straight into rehearsals for the next play. I’m also a voice teacher when I have time and like to teach musical theatre to kids whenever I can.
Name one band that changed your life forever?
Easy. Marilyn Manson. He was my gateway into heavy music at a young age and I still draw inspiration from him to this day. And If I can break the rules and give two, I’d say Soundgarden.
What was the first album to give you a heavy metal hard on?
I’d say the first full album to do that for me was The Great Cold Distance by Katatonia. Some might not consider that to be “heavy” but I do, so I don’t really care haha. That also probably gives away my young age. I believe I was in the fifth grade when that one came out.
Aside from your fall dates, what are you excited about on the horizon?
I’m actually super excited for a few potential festival opportunities for my other band Dress the Dead next summer. And for Witch Mountain, just really looking forward to writing another record.
What are some bands you'd like to play with in the future, or play with again?
Oh wow, there are so many. I’ll start with the bands I’d like to play with again. Opening up for Rob Zombie was a dream come true as well as getting the opportunity to tour with Danzig. I’d also never dream of turning down an opportunity to tour with YOB again. And really enjoyed playing with Enslaved. As far as in the future, It’s one of my biggest dreams to open for Marilyn Manson. Also Katatonia, At the Gates, Meshuggah, Judas Priest, Opeth, Amorphis etc.
Tell us about one of the most memorable shows you attended, whether you performed or attended as a spectator?
I actually remember the first show I ever went to was a Rammstein show. There was this catwalk above the audience that the band was crawling down, some guy totally jumped up and grabbed onto it and started swinging. And at my second show ever, I watched another guy have a drug-induced seizure. Memorable or traumatizing? Not too sure.. It was also a trip going to Halestorm with Robb Flynn and seeing/meeting (almost) all of Judas Priest this past year thanks to my guitar player in Dress the Dead (Craig Locicero, formerly of Forbidden).
Thank YOU for going one on one with the GRIM 1. Anything you'd like to add?
I love all of you! Well, almost all of you anyway. Haha!
So there you have it, kids. Keep those vocal chords lubricated, well rested, and lay off the booze and smoke if you want to howl like a glorious banshee. Also, what I would give to have Rammstein be the first concert, instead of Chicago back in 1996.
Aside from your fall dates, what are you excited about on the horizon?
I’m actually super excited for a few potential festival opportunities for my other band Dress the Dead next summer. And for Witch Mountain, just really looking forward to writing another record.
What are some bands you'd like to play with in the future, or play with again?
Oh wow, there are so many. I’ll start with the bands I’d like to play with again. Opening up for Rob Zombie was a dream come true as well as getting the opportunity to tour with Danzig. I’d also never dream of turning down an opportunity to tour with YOB again. And really enjoyed playing with Enslaved. As far as in the future, It’s one of my biggest dreams to open for Marilyn Manson. Also Katatonia, At the Gates, Meshuggah, Judas Priest, Opeth, Amorphis etc.
Tell us about one of the most memorable shows you attended, whether you performed or attended as a spectator?
I actually remember the first show I ever went to was a Rammstein show. There was this catwalk above the audience that the band was crawling down, some guy totally jumped up and grabbed onto it and started swinging. And at my second show ever, I watched another guy have a drug-induced seizure. Memorable or traumatizing? Not too sure.. It was also a trip going to Halestorm with Robb Flynn and seeing/meeting (almost) all of Judas Priest this past year thanks to my guitar player in Dress the Dead (Craig Locicero, formerly of Forbidden).
Thank YOU for going one on one with the GRIM 1. Anything you'd like to add?
I love all of you! Well, almost all of you anyway. Haha!
So there you have it, kids. Keep those vocal chords lubricated, well rested, and lay off the booze and smoke if you want to howl like a glorious banshee. Also, what I would give to have Rammstein be the first concert, instead of Chicago back in 1996.
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