Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kayla Verse. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kayla , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is Telensia, City of AI, because it is my first. Its development wasn’t linear at all, it began as a dream, quite literally. One night I awakened in an alien body in this massive futuristic metropolis. I was inside a bedroom overlooking endless skyscrapers while listening to the most incredible, advanced music I’d ever heard. When I woke up, I wanted nothing more than to get back to that sound and feeling. That dream inspired the production of my first official single, “Fastlane,” which marked the beginning of the entire universe.

Then I had my grand idea of building a world around my music. I was pinning images on Pinterest like a fiend and I created an Inspo page on Instagram to publish this collection of aesthetics for my cyberpunk urban fantasy. As time went on, the world began to take shape more formally during my senior year of college, when I was tasked with creating a multimedia portfolio project. At the time, I was deeply inspired by animated media, but I rarely saw characters who looked like me or felt relatable growing up. That absence became my motivation behind creating a character to step inside this world named Mizira. With the help of my professor, I connected with an incredible artist, and together with a small team, we produced a pilot episode of the motion comic and a lot of concept art. That project became the catalyst for everything that followed.

After graduation, I continued expanding Telensia through writing and worldbuilding. I was working in marketing by day and recording the album by night. I also wanted to write a book, so I participated in NaNoWriMo, drafting Act I of the story during National Novel Writing Month. The world was influencing the music, the music was shaping the story, and it became a fully immersive creative loop. The following year, I began envisioning how I could translate the story into live action, so naturally when a director approached me about adapting the concept into a short film I was ecstatic. I immediately began writing the script, eager to get into filmmaking, something I’d always been fascinated by. We shot the short film in two phases over the winter and summer, and the experience gave me invaluable insight into the industry while helping me build relationships with cast and crew.

Everything culminated when I received a New Music USA Creator Fund Award, which allowed me to complete funding for the album and expand the project into a full web series. Today, the Telensia, City of AI album is officially out on all streaming platforms, and the web series is currently in post-production, set to premiere on March 27th of this year. What began as a dream has become a reality, and that’s what makes this project so meaningful to me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a musician, filmmaker and entrepreneur. I go by Kayla Verse and my media company is entitled Kaylaverse Entertainment. Music is at the root of my work. It’s been over 10 years collectively since I began to sing, write, and produce. This passion evolved into a desire to create art that feels like a soundtrack to a larger universe. I often describe my sound as “OST Pop” which is essentially just music that blends pop with elements of cinema and character driven performances. It’s designed to feel like it belongs inside a film, TV show, or video game. I use layered sound design, atmospheric textures, and narrative concepts to create music that feels like an immersive experience.

My debut concept album, Telensia, City of AI, is the first story world. The project explores the tension between humans, artificial intelligence, and otherworldly beings in a dystopian sci-fantasy setting. What began as an album has since expanded into a larger multimedia universe, including a web series that brings the story to life visually. As an independent artist and entrepreneur, I’m proud of building this universe from the ground up, collaborating with other talented creatives, and maintaining creative control over my work. Ultimately, I want audiences to know that my art is intentional, immersive, and evolving. Telensia is just the beginning.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Yes, I’m currently building an audience on social media. It can be tricky, but I would encourage all creatives to go all in and put themselves out there. It can also be discouraging at times if you’re not getting great reception, but what keeps me going is knowing that I will see results as long as I keep on trying and I have. I’ve begun to garner interest on YouTube and TikTok, and I have some advice for all creatives and entrepreneurs. People will appreciate your work, and I can guarantee you, you will see results if you keep posting, it’s only a matter of time.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Kayla Verse is my name because of the universes I build and the messages I convey through storytelling in my work. I’m driven by my faith, love and passion for artistry. God guides my steps, and my larger goal is to use my platform for philanthropy and to make a positive impact on the world. It takes resources to do, and I’m just in the beginning stages, but I have been volunteering and getting involved in my local community. We have to love one another, and what I want is for people to have faith instead of fear. AI for example, is a huge topic right now and we’re still figuring out what it means for the world. Things may seem bleak, but my story is for people who want to remain hopeful, and in its completion I hope it inspires others, and paints a more optimistic picture of the future.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kayla-verse.com
• Instagram: kayla_verse
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikaylaaliseterrell/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KaylaVerse
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kayla_verse_
  Linktree: https://linktr.ee/KaylaVerse

Image Credits

Kayla Verse Photographed by Tarsha Terrell