Kayla Kent
Kayla Kent | |
|---|---|
| Genres | groove metal, thrash metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, YouTuber |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, bass |
| Years active | 2020–present |
| Website | kaylakent |
Kayla Kent is an American guitarist and YouTuber. First coming to fame after being featured in Guitar World in early 2022 for her covers of Dimebag Darrell guitar solos, she predominantly is known for playing exclusively her Kramer JK8000 and Kapybara model guitars.[1][2][3]
Following her rise in popularity, she was invited to a Pantera concert in Austin, TX in 2023 with the newly reformed Pantera with new members Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante. Phil Anselmo revealed to her at this concert that she was on the list to replace Dimebag Darrell as the guitarist in Pantera.[4][5][6][7]
She is repeatedly featured in the media as articles discussing her attract much attention. Guitar World called their breakout article featuring her one of the "Best of 2022"[1] as well as Metal Injection ranking the story featuring her on Phil Anselmo's Pantera guitairst list as #20 on the Top Stories of 2023.[8]
Kent has a YouTube channel under her own name, where she started posting videos in late 2020 exclusively covering Dimebag Darrell solos.[1] In addition to those, she has posted videos of guitar reviews, videos with her band and some covers of songs that aren't exclusively by Pantera.[9] As of December 2024, her channel has 75,000 subscribers.
Influences
[edit]While Kent is well known to accredit Dimebag Darrell as her single biggest guitar influence, she lists Ty Tabor, Joe Satriani, and Alex Lifeson as her biggest secondary influences.[1]
Discography
[edit]Even though Kent is known for her Heavy Metal playing style, she has released several singles under her own name which she described as "more indie rock than metal" to Guitar World.[1]
| Year | Band | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Kayla Kent | Silly Insults | Single |
| 2019 | Kayla Kent | All For Nothing | Single |
| 2021 | Kayla Kent | a (cute) stress disorder | Single |
| 2021 | Kayla Kent | cauliflower crust | Single |
| 2021 | Kayla Kent | Halloween | Single |
| 2021 | Kayla Kent | Fractured Soul | Single |
| 2021 | Kayla Kent | How Nice | Single |
| 2022 | Kayla Kent | Chaos Reigns | Single |
| 2023 | Otu | Believe (In the style of Pantera) (feat. Kayla Kent) | Otu album featuring her solo on this track. |
Gear
[edit]Kent is only known to play her Kramer JK8000, as it is the only Kramer Guitars model that has ever been officially made with a star body and a reverse hockey stick headstock.[1][2] She has gone on record of turning down several other guitar manufacturers that offered her free guitars and exclusivity clauses, in order to keep playing her JK8000.[2]
After explaining this to a forum dedicated to Kramer Guitars, the forum collectively decided to build her a backup guitar identical to her JK8000. She named the guitar the Kramer Kapybara.[2]
Kent has only ever been seen using a Johnson Millenium amplifier. She credits receiving a USB audio interface for Christmas 2019 from her father for enabling her to practice more and learn Dimebag Darrell solos.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Roche, Sam (20 January 2022). "Meet Kayla Kent, the YouTuber channeling the spirit of Dimebag Darrell with her eerily accurate Pantera covers". guitarworld.
- ^ a b c d Weller, Phil (30 September 2024). ""If the company won't step up, the forums will": After she was revealed as a potential Pantera guitarist, Kramer offered Kayla Kent a guitar – but when it turned down her ideas, a Kramer fan group built it instead". guitarworld.
- ^ Trapp, Philip (2 March 2022). "Guitarist's Scary Accurate Pantera Solos Are Taking YouTube to a New Level". Loudwire.
- ^ Owen, Matt (29 August 2023). "She started out posting scary-accurate Pantera covers that saw her hailed as the guitar reincarnation of Dimebag Darrell – then Kayla Kent found herself in the running to be the band's new guitarist". guitarworld.
- ^ Keenan, Hesher (30 August 2023). "Phil Anselmo Told YouTuber Kayla Kent She Was Considered as Potential Pantera Guitarist". MetalSucks.
- ^ Kennelty, Greg (30 August 2023). "PANTERA Considered YouTuber KAYLA KENT As Their New Guitarist". Metal Injection.
- ^ Childers, Chad (30 August 2023). "YouTube Star Was 'On the List' for Potential Pantera Guitarist". Loudwire.
- ^ Kennelty, Greg (12 December 2023). "Metal Injection's Top 25 Stories Of 2023". Metal Injection.
- ^ Owen, Matt (27 January 2023). "Watch Kayla Kent nail the solo to Ozzy Osbourne's Bark at the Moon – the first metal song she ever heard". guitarworld.
 | This article needs additional or more specific categories. (December 2024) |