“I hate straight singing. I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it. That’s all I know.” —Billie Holiday
Kaylene Peoples (First Take PR Photography)
Kaylene Peoples is a true quadruple threat—an artist whose multidimensional career spans music, fashion, media, and film. A former runway model and Miss California, Kaylene is also a celebrated vocalist with a rare five-octave range, a flutist of dazzling virtuosity, a multi-instrumentalist, and a prolific composer, arranger, and conductor.
She graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Composition and Ethnomusicology and went on to complete an elite master’s program in Film Scoring under Academy Award–winning composer Walter Scharf. Along the way she studied with Hollywood greats David Raksin and Henry Mancini, and even sat side-by-side at the piano with Oscar winner Jerry Goldsmith. Her orchestrations and string arrangements have graced countless recordings for Capitol, Polygram, Warner Bros., EMI, and Universal/Republic.
Kaylene’s original works include large-scale neo-classical symphonies and a monumental ten-act ballet, Apocalitica. Her scoring credits extend to hit films like American Pie 2, Serendipity, Ruby, and her own award-winning feature, Redemption. She is also an award-winning producer, having earned Los Angeles Music Awards for Best R&B Album of the Year and Best New Artist (Christina Fasano’s Spiritually Wet).
Her voice and flute have earned critical acclaim: Emmy-nominated pianist Bobby Lyle praised the “warmth, sincerity and verve” of her jazz vocals and flute improvisations, while Grammy-nominated bassist Bunny Brunel called her sound “just as great as the iconic jazz singers who set the bar.” Her peers include legends—she has performed or recorded with Hubert Laws, Stanley Clarke, Kyle Eastwood, Bobby Lyle, Patrice Rushen, Virgil Donati, and Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind & Fire.
Kaylene’s first jazz CD, All Jazzed Up!, made a national splash with the single Do You Remember, which topped multiple independent charts. Her follow-up album, My Man, cemented her reputation as both a vocalist and flutist, with her version of Giant Steps winning Best Jazz Song from the Akademia Awards and making the Grammy ballot. She followed that success with Romantic Bossa-Nova, which was named “Album of the Week” on Smooth.FM Portugal in 2022 and received heavy international rotation in Brazil, Canada, France, and Portugal. In 2025, she will release Romantic Bossa-Nova 2 and Doppelganger, a spy-jazz concept album.
Beyond the stage and studio, Kaylene is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of AGENDA Magazine, recognized by Feedspot as one of the Top 5 Magazines in Los Angeles (2025). She also leads KL Publishing Group, overseeing countless titles including Jazz Influencers, Schmooze Jazz, Virtuoso Bass, and The Performing Artist. Through her publishing, she has become a leading voice advocating for women in jazz and classical music, amplifying stories often overlooked. Her Bella Composers platform continues that mission, spotlighting women composers worldwide.
A 2024 Olympia Arts Awards Composer of the Year honoree for her orchestral score Vampire Odyssey, Kaylene has also been featured on the covers of Variety UAE, Vanity Fair Middle East, Cosmopolitan UAE, Vogue Monaco, Monaco Muse, Haute Feature, New York Verve, Celebrity Feature, and more.
With her unique combination of artistry, intellect, and vision, Kaylene Peoples continues to redefine what it means to be a creative force in today’s world—bridging genres, mediums, and cultures with elegance, passion, and unstoppable drive.