Love Kayomi is still discovering exactly how far her creativity can take her, but one thing has remained constant: she wants her music to leave people feeling seen. The Johannesburg-based creative describes herself as a lover of love and peace of mind, a whimsical spirit and a “mystical aura and ethereal soul.” A psychic by profession, Kayomi has always been drawn to helping others find their way, but music has given her another space to tell her own story.
Coming from a family of artists, she grew up surrounded by creative ability. Now, she is beginning to explore her own musical identity, using songwriting as a form of affirmation and intentionally creating music that encourages listeners to speak positively about themselves.
Her latest release, “Chilling,” is perhaps her most personal expression of that philosophy yet. The song was inspired by the women who have shaped her life, particularly her late mother, her closest friends and the women who entered her life for shorter but meaningful seasons. Not every relationship was easy, but Kayomi says each one taught her something about herself, love and the woman she wanted to become.
Some of those lessons came through pain.
Having experienced trauma in relationships with women while growing up, Kayomi chose to transform those experiences rather than allow them to define how she understood sisterhood. Her late best friend, Ms Jaey, was instrumental in encouraging her to make music before her passing, pushing Kayomi to create even when fear and insecurity made her hesitate. After losing her, another friendship offered that same encouragement and helped Kayomi find her way back to the creative path she had been afraid to pursue.
“Writing this song helped me to heal, gave me closure, and carried me through grief,” she says.
That history gives “Chilling” a meaning that extends beyond its title. For Kayomi, the song captures the feeling of finally being able to relax within relationships and having a support system where love does not come with the constant expectation of pain.
It is also about accepting that not every person who enters your life is meant to stay. Some women teach you who you want to become. Others teach you who you do not want to become. Both, Love Kayomi believes, can leave something valuable behind.
Rather than viewing sisterhood through permanence, she sees it through the lessons, love and growth that remain long after certain relationships have changed.
The music video carries that philosophy into a more playful and intimate space. Which will be released during Women’s Month, the visuals embrace the simple reality of “just chilling with my girls”, being quirky, imperfect, soft and completely yourself around people who make you feel safe.
The timing is intentional. For Kayomi, Women’s Month is an opportunity to celebrate a side of womanhood that can sometimes be overshadowed by conversations about strength and resilience: softness.
The video draws on a lesson her mother used to remind her of when she felt anxious about herself; that imperfection is perfection. Through the visuals, Love Kayomi hopes to show women that they do not need to perform perfection to be worthy of love, friendship or celebration.
“I think now is the time to celebrate our softness just as loud.” she says. While “Chilling” reflects where Kayomi is emotionally, it also points towards where she is headed musically. She is currently experimenting with R&B, house, Afro, indie, soul, rap, pop, jazz and meditation and affirmation sounds, interested in discovering how different influences can stretch her voice and writing.
There is no rush to fit herself into one genre. For Kayomi, this chapter is about curiosity, discovering what her signature sound can become while remaining open to whatever comes next.
And perhaps that openness is what makes “Chilling” such an honest introduction to the artist she is becoming. It is a song about finding peace in the people who love you, learning from those who don’t, and choosing to remain soft despite everything that could make you hard.
Most importantly, it is Love Kayomi’s reminder that sometimes healing sounds like simply being able to breathe.