Some heartbreaks take years to make sense of. For Naarm/Melbourne singer-songwriter Kaiyah Mercedes, the emotional fallout of a teenage relationship has become the foundation of their newly released five-track EP, What Comes Next.
Written in the aftermath of a breakup when Kaiyah was just 17, the project captures the messy, overwhelming experience of first heartbreak, revisited three years later through the eyes of a young artist who has grown, healed and discovered a renewed sense of independence.
Kaiyah Mercedes – ‘What Comes Next’
Now 20, the Mornington Peninsula musician has transformed those formative experiences into a collection of deeply personal indie pop-rock songs, blending gritty guitars, driving drums, emotional synths and powerful vocals.
At the heart of the project is Seventeen, a reflective collaboration with Emily Moyse that revisits the self-doubt and emotional weight of being young in a relationship that leaves you feeling like you’re too much.
“It’s a project that has lived with me for quite some time,” Kaiyah explains.
“These songs were written as I learned to live again after dealing with a breakup. They really demonstrate the turning point where heartbreak turns into independence and strength.”
That emotional evolution runs throughout What Comes Next, which traces the journey from grief and uncertainty towards self-acceptance and the tentative possibility of falling in love again.
Opening track I’m Gonna Be Famous (How Cute!) kicks things off with a defiant burst of confidence, transforming the experience of being told to make yourself smaller into an anthem about unapologetically taking up space.
3 Month Blackout follows with a guitar-driven exploration of the unpredictable highs and lows of moving on from a whirlwind relationship, while Miss Me explores the uncomfortable space between knowing you’ve made the right decision and still feeling the emotional consequences.
Then comes Seventeen, featuring Moyse’s layered vocals, before closing track 555 offers a gentler resolution.
Rather than presenting a neatly packaged happy ending, the final song explores the anxious bravery of opening yourself up to love again, recognising that healing is rarely a straightforward process.
The EP marks another significant chapter in what has already been an impressive career for the young songwriter.
A queer, disabled artist based on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Kaiyah has spent their teenage years carving out a distinctive musical identity across indie pop, folk and alternative rock.
They released their debut album Hindsight at just 16, followed by sophomore record Trying To Hate You before their 18th birthday.
Across their growing catalogue, Kaiyah has now accumulated more than 1.5 million Spotify streams, while recent singles have begun attracting national attention.
Tracks including I’m Gonna Be Famous (How Cute!), 3 Month Blackout and Miss Me have helped secure their first airplay on triple j, with one release also receiving a featured-track spotlight from Rolling Stone Australia.
In another major milestone, Kaiyah was selected for APRA AMCOS’ 23% Mentorship Program in 2026, receiving guidance from acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter Eliza Hull.
Their live career has also continued to flourish, with full-band performances across Melbourne venues including Palais Theatre, Bergy Bandroom and The Workers Club.
Kaiyah has shared stages with artists including Leo Sayer, Joe Camilleri and Ishan, alongside festival appearances at Waterfront Festival, Newport Folk Festival and Mordi Fest.
With What Comes Next, the rising songwriter is embracing a new chapter of adulthood while honouring the experiences that shaped them.
It’s a record about the complicated process of growing beyond heartbreak, and discovering that sometimes the most important part of a love story is what happens after it ends. Stream it up above.
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