Entertainment, News

Calgary Pop Artist Kayla Williams Brings Sun-Soaked Yacht-Pop to Life with New EP POPSTALGIA

October 3, 2025
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Calgary-based pop artist Kayla Williams is ready to set sail into a new musical chapter with the release of her sophomore EP, POPSTALGIA, arriving September 18, 2025, on all streaming platforms. Steeped in retro charm but shimmering with modern pop flair, the four-track collection captures the breezy warmth of late summer nights and the glittery grooves of the late ‘70s and early ’80s. The focus track, “Is It Really True?,” is a sax-laced, breakup-meets-dance-floor jam that channels the spirit of Huey Lewis and the News.

Produced by JUNO Award-winners Spencer Cheyne (Brett Kissel, Jocelyn Alice) and Justin Kudding (Brett Kissel, Devin Cooper), POPSTALGIA is the follow-up to Williams’ acclaimed debut EP, RETRODELIA, which earned her multiple nominations including Pop Artist of the Year at the 2024 Western Canadian Music Awards and Pop Recording of the Year at the 2025 YYC Music Awards. Where RETRODELIA introduced her as a fresh voice in Canadian pop, POPSTALGIA cements her place as a master of yacht-pop – blending soulful vocals, smooth retro-funk, and a wink of playful nostalgia.

From dreamy ballads to flirty beats, the EP’s four tracks explore crushes, connection, and the silver lining in heartbreak. “Come & Get It” blends dreamy retro shimmer with a fresh pop edge, and “Craving” is a Steely Dan-influenced track with an irresistible feel-good vibe about craving love – not out of loneliness, but out of a human hunger to connect. The focus single, “Is It Really True?,” takes a classic breakup tune and spins it into a danceable 6/8 groove with lush harmonies, a killer sax solo, and an irresistible fade-out ending.

“With POPSTALGIA, I wanted to create something that felt like flipping through a photo album from a summer you never actually lived, but somehow remember,” said Williams. “It’s cheeky, it’s lighthearted, and it’s drenched in that yacht-rock glow. These songs are meant to make you smile, move, and maybe imagine you’re cruising down the coast with the top down.”

Williams’ live shows with her glitter-clad band The Yacht Daddies have become a must-see on the Western Canadian music scene – part concert, part escape, and entirely good vibes. With POPSTALGIA on deck, Williams is cruising full speed into a retro-inspired future that’s as bright as it is timeless.

Kayla Williams will be hitting stages across Alberta this summer, with the POPSTALGIA tour with The Yacht Daddies kicking off September 19 in Lethbridge. For more information, please visit kaylawilliams.com.