Kat Harlton
Photos: Provided via artist/PR Team
Toronto-based multi-talented songwriter, artist and producer Kayla Diamond continues to redefine what it means to be a triple threat, and is proudly one of the youngest female producers and label presidents in Canada.
– Kayla was credited for her writing and production work on Dom Vallie’s See You When I See You, which earned a 2025 JUNO Award nomination for Rap Album of the Year.
– Kayla has earned over 60 million cross-platform streams through her collaborations with talent including Alex Schulz, Kiso Armic, Vanillaz and Anevo.
– Wrote and produced Amarii’s forthcoming debut EP, an artist signed to Kolossal Records.
– Garnered recognition from industry heavyweights such as Gareth Emery, Armin Van Buuren, Tiesto and Hardwell.
– Secured multiple placements in TV shows including NBC’s The Voice, Netflix’s My Little Pony, The Ultimatum and the trailer for the Korean hit series Love Alarm.
– Celebrated a number one record on the CBC Top 20 as the writer behind “Hold Me” by The Strumbellas.
– Recent credits include producing Alexiane’s “Gold” ft. Salif Keita, writing and featuring on Domeno’s “Never Let Go”, Inuk cover on Episode 6 of North of North (CBC/Netflix), providing vocal production on Nicolina’s “I Don’t Hate You”, and writing and producing MayGha’s “Desi Chaal”, which will appear on season 6 of The Kardashians.
– Her debut single, “Carnival Hearts”, charted in the Top 30 on the Canadian Billboard radio charts.
Kayla is known for her versatile talents and her ability to play multiple instruments, which allows her to thrive in every aspect of the writing room. Her strong understanding of pop structure has made her a sought-after collaborator for crafting unforgettable hooks.
In addition to her music career, Kayla is the founder and president of Kolossal Records, a boutique label supported by a joint venture with Awesome Productions and The Orchard. Kolossal prioritizes artist development and autonomy, aiming to redefine the landscape for emerging talent. One of the label’s signings is emerging pop/hip-hop sensation Amarii from Vancouver Island, BC, who is set to release his debut EP on Kolossal later this year.
I had the opportunity to chat with Kayla about her music journey so far, what it’s like being the founder and president of boutique label, Kolossal Records and more.
Kat: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your music journey so far?
Kayla: It’s a journey that started almost 10 years ago when I became a law school dropout! I was an artist from 2017- until around 2020 and had some radio hits like “Carnival Hearts” (Top 30) and “What You’re Made Of” (Billboard Top 10). When my first US tour got cancelled because of COVID, I did what I always wanted to do, and taught myself how to produce. I started taking sessions as a producer in 2021. I became better and better at the craft and was fortunate enough to start working with bigger artists and then it snowballed from there. In 2024 I started Kolossal Records with the intention of developing artists from the ground up, one at a time. I am very proud to say we’ve seen success so far.
Kat: You were recently credited for your writing and production work on Dom Vallie’s See You When I See You, which earned a 2025 JUNO Award nomination for Rap Album of the Year. Having been a contributor on the album, how does it feel for it to be recognized in this way?
Kayla: It’s a fun little plot twist to my life for sure! I’ve always been focused on pop music, so when I got the call to come in and collaborate with Dom and the duo, Just Ideas, I was a little nervous to enter a world that they had already well-established. My strength within songwriting is structure and pop hooks, but I never want to come in and change something that’s already working for an artist or mess with the flow. For me it was about finding a way to enhance what was already there. The goal of that particular session was to tighten up a song they had already roughly made, and to make it a bit more geared towards radio as a single. To “pop-ify”, if you will. We were successfully able to do it, and you can now hear it on the airwaves! Dom is such a brilliant artist and it’s really an honour to have been welcomed with open arms into making art with him.
Kat: In addition to your music career, you are also the founder and president of the boutique label, Kolossal Records. Can you please tell us more about this venture and your work with signed artists such as emerging pop/hip-hop sensation Amarii?
Kayla: Kolossal was founded on the basis of “doing right by the artist”. I have seen way too many artists not know anything about the industry and make mistakes that can really prolong their success. Many of them are with the wrong teams and some are even being taken advantage of because of it. As a producer, I found myself being asked advice all the time – on proper release rollout, marketing, EP structures etc. When artists would take my advice, it would work most of the time. I noticed that my will to develop artists went beyond just songwriting and production but often I didn’t want to overstep (especially when there was a team in place already). I started Kolossal Records as a result of this new fire in me. When I found our first artist Amarii, I knew he was the perfect fit for Kolossal and what we wanted to do. It’s a partnership between two creatives on the same team at the same level. His work ethic is a perfect match for mine, and as a result, his EP is amazing and completely ready to go. He’s already released his first single “Play Me Again” and his second is coming out soon. At Kolossal, a big point of interest for me is the story behind an artist. We are a company that aims to help share the story of the people we sign, not just as artists. Amarii’s story will surely inspire so many others and we can’t wait to cheer him on as he begins his rollout.
Kat: What has been a career highlight for you so far?
Kayla: Definitely finding out that “Bride Hard”, which is the new Rebel Wilson film I made the music for, will be hitting theatres in the US and overseas! Also, every time I’m told an artist wants to release a song that we wrote together it feels like a career highlight. I feel blessed and grateful to say that I got a beautiful amount of those calls this year.
Kat: What have you learned along the way that you would like to share with other aspiring producers?
Producers are here to service the artist and do what’s best for their sound, without the presence of ego. You know your job is done when the artist finishes the session and says “wow this song really feels like me”. That’s the biggest win! It doesn’t come without pitfalls, though. This past year taught me a rough lesson: As producers, we have the most amount of work in the writers room and when we pour our hearts into writing and production with an artist, we get very attached to our development of that artist, especially if we take multiple sessions with them. It will absolutely contribute to their success, but sometimes you as the producer will not get the recognition you deserve for that effort you put in. Instead of letting it eat you alive, just let it happen. Let other people take your flowers sometimes. Because when they go and try to recreate it on their own, they’ll realize it was you who was part of the recipe.
Kat: What else can we expect from you for the balance of 2025?
Kayla: One of the fun parts about Kolossal is how involved I am in the launching of an artist, so definitely be on the lookout for me playing live with Amarii as well the launch of his debut EP which I co-wrote and produced the majority of. In addition to that, I had the privilege of working on “Bride Hard”, my first major motion picture starring Rebel Wilson, Justin Hartley, Anna Camp etc. set to release this year. You can also expect some really fun songs I co-wrote and produced to appear while you watch The Kardashians on Hulu, and you can look out to hear my production and songwriting on many artists’ releases this year including Sam James (Republic), Dallas (ADA/ Warner), Sofia Camara (Universal Music Canada) and many more.
Connect With Kayla
Facebook: /thekayladiamond
Twitter: @thekayladiamond
Instagram: @thekayladiamond