Ten-year-old Kalia is moving fast in Mississauga’s music scene. Weeks after a solo acoustic performance at a GLIMPSE event, she rocked Canada Day in Port Credit and fronted her new band, Twisted Fate, at Toronto's legendary Rivoli. Fresh off dropping her single Roller Coaster, this young powerhouse is proving that huge artistic voices come in small packages. We caught up with Kalia and her mom to talk about live performances, the songwriting process, and what it’s like to share stories through music.

Rob Aguiar: You just played Canada Day in Port Credit and the legendary Rivoli in Toronto. What was it like fronting Twisted Fate in these big live settings?

Kalia: It was so cool but so different from my solo gigs. There’s so much high energy and it’s not just me performing, I feel so lucky to play with other young talented musicians. And we feed off each other’s energy and we also feed off of the crowd’s energy. It’s just so much fun to be able to do that!

RA: Your new single, Roller Coaster, is officially out. Where did the idea come from, and what message do you want listeners to take away?

Kalia: I absolutely LOVE roller coasters and one day when I was doing a songwriting session with a mentor of mine, Brian Melo he asked me what the topic should be. I answered ‘roller coasters!’ more just as a joke and the next thing I know Brian is playing some cool chords and I am singing along! My song ‘Roller Coaster’ is about how life is like a roller coaster, and how it takes you through an emotional ride. One of my best friends, who got me really into roller coasters and faced my fears, is actually on the track at the very end, saying ‘let’s do it again!’ I always find myself wanting to ride again and again, because it’s so fun. My message that I want listeners to take away is that life is not always easy and it sometimes gets hard. Sometimes it is scary, but it’s always worth the ride.

RA: You’ve been composing on the piano since you were very young. You’ve shared that you write in a journal as a way to express yourself. When writing Roller Coaster, did the lyrics come first, or did you find the melody on the keys?

Kalia: I came up with the topic first. Brian started playing a melody on the guitar and I started messing around with the lyrics. We were harmonizing together and firing off ideas. For other songs I have done, I’ve started with a poem or lyrics first, like for my first released song, ‘New Place to Go.’ I’ve also picked some chords and an emotion from a hat and used that for a melody first, like in ‘Shadow.’

RA: A few weeks ago on July 24th, you switched gears for another Glimpse showcase, moving from a loud rock band to a quiet, acoustic writer's round. How did you prepare to share a stage with other songwriters to share the real emotions behind your songs and artistry?

Kalia: I feel like it’s easy for me to switch between the loud high energy rock band vibe to the quiet, acoustic and emotional part of me because I love both sides so much. It’s like when I play an instrument, I like playing piano and guitar equally but they have such a different sound. I tried to tell a little bit about the story of my songs and the emotions that made me write them. It was so cool to be surrounded by so many other talented songwriters.

RA: Let’s play a "dream big" game: If you could write a song or share the stage with absolutely any musician in the world right now, who would your ultimate dream collaboration be?

Kalia: It would be Michael Jackson if he were still alive. I just love his music because it is so unique. I think he’s so great at songwriting and telling a story. I love his stage presence too and the way he dances is so spectacular while singing.

Another one would be Olivia Rodrigo. She is someone that has inspired me for a while now and I look up to her for so many reasons. She is so talented, kind, confident yet humble at the same time. Olivia also has so much emotion in her songwriting and ever since she commented on my video two years ago, she’s really motivated me to keep at it!

RA: Between your solo music and fronting Twisted Fate, you have two amazing things going at once! What is next for Kalia the solo artist, and what can we expect next from the band collectively?

Kalia: I will be releasing my very first EP for my solo stuff. It will have 3 tracks, one being Roller Coaster, an emotional ballad called Hit Harder (that I sang at the July 24th event) and a fun tune called ‘How Far We’ve Come.’

For Twisted Fate, we started with a bunch of rock covers and things have really blown up. We’ve been playing a lot of gigs this summer and going to Nashville as a band next week! We’ve already started writing some originals, so look out for those in the future!

On stage, Kalia carries herself effortlessly like a seasoned professional, but the moment she steps off, you're reminded she’s just a 10-year-old kid who genuinely loves what she does. She shows incredible versatility, seamlessly shifting from fronting the rock energy of Twisted Fate to sharing the acoustic truth of Roller Coaster in a circle of songwriters. Sharing your inner world takes immense courage, and Kalia does it with a poise well beyond her years. Make sure to add Roller Coaster to your playlist, follow her journey on Instagram , and catch her upcoming live dates—she is a homegrown talent you won't want to miss.

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Artist Glimpse: Mississauga's Kalia

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