Kay L on Artistic Growth, Overcoming Struggles & Calgary’s Music Scene

On this episode of the Monica Black Diamond show, host Monica Black Diamond sits down with a guest she’s known since high school: Calgary MC Kyle Levi Leighton, who performs as KL. The two “came up together,” as Monica puts it, and the conversation carries the easy warmth of old friends catching up — but it also digs into KL’s roots, his philosophy on self-belief, and his read on Calgary’s hip-hop scene.

KL was born in Zimbabwe, Africa, and moved to Calgary at four years old. He’s been back to Zimbabwe several times since, but says Calgary is where he “learned everything” — hip-hop, and what he wanted to do with his life. His path into music started early: he says he’s been performing since childhood, but the real turning point came during a high school talent show, where he rapped and did a Michael Jackson rendition. That was the first time, he says, he caught “that buzz” — the feeling that told him this was what he wanted to do. From there, he threw himself into every open mic, rap battle, and DJ show he could find, performing on street corners and at house parties to get his name out. Eventually he was discovered by DJ C, a radio DJ who approached him outside a venue called the Palace and proposed they work together. “The rest is history,” KL says.

Asked about Calgary’s hip-hop scene, KL pushes back gently on the idea that the city has no rising artists — he says people just don’t acknowledge the talent that’s here. He frames Calgary as a comparatively young city next to places like New York, Toronto, LA, and Atlanta, which he says have “that extra 50, 60 years” of scene development. He also points to a lack of unity and a tendency toward “bandwagon” listening — people wanting music that’s both new and already popular, rather than embracing something new on its own merits. Still, he believes undeniable music can reach anyone, given the right setting to hear it.

The heart of the episode is KL’s advice for artists at any stage: don’t doubt yourself. He describes the moments when an artist feels like they’ve missed their chance as the exact moments they need to pull themselves together and be at their strongest — because that’s when the best art gets made. He estimates self-confidence is roughly 90 percent of the battle, since the odds are already stacked against anyone in music, and doubt only adds to that weight.

In a lighter segment tied to the show’s “Black Diamond” theme, Monica asks KL what stone he’d be. He lands on a lighter-toned mix of sapphire and diamond — comparing it to the blue stone worn in Titanic, only lighter — after briefly considering ruby, his birthstone.

On influences, KL names Michael Jackson as the single biggest influence of his life, calling him “almost like my other sibling.” In hip-hop specifically, he cites Jay-Z, Nas, Tupac, and Biggie — the 90s era — while saying he draws inspiration from anyone making good music. He credits his parents for filling his childhood home with Motown and soul — the Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Jackie Wilson, James Brown — sparing him the experience some kids have of resenting their parents’ music. Monica shares a parallel from her own upbringing around artists and deep musical taste.

Asked who he’d want to collaborate with, KL rattles off Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Justin Bieber, Beyonce, and Jay-Z, praising each for their own distinct style and vision. He also gives a specific shout-out to fellow Calgary artist Georgia Smith, calling her very talented.

Before wrapping up, KL thanks Soul City Studios for the space, and shouts out the District Five crew, Music Nightclub, DJ C, fellow artist Ry the Rapper, and studio owner Bobby Soul. He points listeners to his music on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, iTunes, and Spotify — noting that his song had just passed a million plays on Spotify that day. He teases a new single, “Do Me Like That,” still being mastered for a summer release, alongside more new music and shows to be announced.

The episode closes with a spoken piece from KL about his journey from Zimbabwe — how he never imagined a music career was possible until a cousin told him, “you’re an artist now” and “I’m seeing my dreams in you, brother” — followed by a performance of his song “Everywhere.”