Mane Character: Kayla Dixon of Lutharon, Vintersea, and Witch Mountain

“I like letting people into my world and letting them decide what they make of it.”

Kayla Dixon and I met at the Bagdad Theater on a cold late afternoon and chatted. We sat back and she dropped all kinds of knowledge on me while munching on Cajun tots. Enthralled with her passion for music, the ability to bounce back, and the sheer amount of musical knowledge she has, I totally forgot to ask her about her hair. I had to climb up all those DMs to get that info, but we’ll dive into her hair later.

In a recently-announced development, Kayla is singing with the almighty Canadian outfit Lutharo for their European tour. She also provides vocals for Vintersea, and for Portland legends Witch Mountain.

I’ve only seen Kayla perform with Witch Mountain, years ago at Star Theater. Taking in the band for the first time, my attention was mostly paid to Kayla. She commands the stage effortlessly, using her hands to make the connection with herself and the music. If you haven’t had the chance to see any of her bands live, check out this music video:

I thought that she had some opera experience with the way she carried herself and the tone of her voice, but I later learned the truth: in her younger days, Kayla began singing along while watching The Wizard of Oz. This love brought Kayla to musical theater, and from there to gigging with a local jazz band when she was just 14 years old. Attending high school at Duke Ellington School for the Arts and Baldwin Wallace, Kayla has a literal lifetime of involvement in music under her belt. The seed that grew into a love of heavier music was planted by her sister, who introduced her to artists such as Marilyn Manson and Smashing Pumpkins.

While Kayla’s hard work is now paying off, this wasn’t always the case. She has experienced some major setbacks in her career, including a chance to be the lead singer of a high profile band (the name of which she could not disclose due to an NDA), which was offered and then rescinded when the original lead decided to stay. Kayla had been training in her home, jogging around the house while belting out songs to make sure her body could withstand the rigorous amount of energy it takes to keep audiences engaged and entertained for a high-profile tour, only for the rug to be pulled out from underneath her. Most people would’ve stopped. Most would’ve quit. Kayla kept going. “If I wasn’t sure of my ability and didn’t have an objective ear and knew that I had something valuable in the industry,” she would’ve stopped. “I’m just a little too confident and that saved me.”

Kayla is a force to be reckoned with, and witnessing her testimony while she’s on stage will make you dismiss life’s problems. It’s to be seen where she will go after her European stint with Lutharo, but we’ll be here for it!
Her hair is currently a deep red, which she keeps in curls hanging below her shoulders. Kayla noted that she had it blown-out and done before she left for Canada. The only product Kayla uses is Color Wow Dreamcoat for Curly Hair. Sponsor her?

Article by Bree Henry. Photos by Megan Gallagher.