Being a figure who works within the realm of public relations in the arts, it has been a complete thrill to see some of my favorite music artists using cultural relevance, demographic research, and aesthetics to create and market musical bodies of work—not just putting out songs. Let me take the time to give these artists their flowers …

Kayla is an artist based in Los Angeles. We featured Kayla in our GIRLS issue, so we caught up with her to talk about all things artistry, inspiration, and passion.

This series was inspired by my 9-5 that I hated but felt I needed to work at because everyone around me was so insistent on success being wrapped into one pathway. I always thought to be successful as a black woman …