FEATURE: Memphis Indie Rock Outfit Music By Kota Share Their Softer Side On New Single “Jet Planes”

Memphis-based indie rock quintet Music By Kota stepped into the music scene earlier this year with their first single “Lucy”, showcasing their blues and folk-tinged rock n’ roll sound to whomever would listen. With an EP and a few singles under their belt already, the group of long-time friends Dakota Jackson (Lead Vocals), Conner Blakley (Keys and Vocals), Ryan Young (Lead Guitar), Bryton Wallace (Drums), and Alex Taylor (Bass) have plenty more music on the way, and have opened up the next chapter with their latest single “Jet Planes”.

While the idea of an acoustic guitar, melancholic folk and the title about a jet plane may perk up the idea of John Denver’s “I”m Leaving On A Jet Plane”, the Music By Kota version features three part harmonies and catchy folk-pop melodies that blur the line between love and heartbreak. About the song, Dakota shares:

“Jet Planes is a song that is open to many ideas and can relate to anyone. When I wrote the song the lyrics “fall asleep with me” kept coming to mind. I wanted to write a song that people could put on in the car and just soak it in. I think the most interesting thing about the song is that it can be about love and heartbreak all at the same time. The song takes the listener through a story of two people who keep finding their way back to each other, however at the end of the day it just doesn’t work out. This was a fun song to write and everyone in the band played a huge part in making it become the ambient, dreamy track that it became”.

Having spent the last year touring around their home state of Tennessee, Music By Kota are in the studio working on their debut full-length for 2022 before embarking on a summer tour in support. Alongside the release of “Jet Planes”, the band talk a bit about their sound and style in the latest Q&A feature below.

Who are some influences for your sound?

All of us pull from different artists and that’s what makes us so unique. One thing I can say though growing up in and around Memphis we couldn’t help but bring a fresh mix of blues and rock and roll. We draw influence from artists of the past such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Hendrix while also incorporating indie rock roots from Kings of Leon, Houndmouth and Briston Maroney.

How was it writing a slower ballad like “Jet Planes”?

We are so used to writing and performing fast, fun, rock songs. Those are the songs that people like to hear and dance to! That being said there is something special about being able to this more vulnerable side to us that no one has seen before. When we were writing this song we wanted the interpretation to be left up to the listener. The song can be about falling in love and heartbreak all at the same time. Being able to relate to our audience in this way is very exciting for us. As far as writing goes it was very fun to experiment and get different ideas from everyone on such a mellow song.

Since you all were friends for 10 years before this, do you feel the friendships have changed since starting KOTA?

We have played music all our lives and for most of that time it’s been together. It’s honestly safe to say that we have never been closer. The dynamic that we have going for us right now is the strongest it’s ever been. Our chemistry on stage and in the studio is hard to beat and we really just get each other. We like to joke around and tell people we are a “family band,” because of how long we have been together. It’s definitely more than a friendship, it’s a brotherhood.

What’s next for KOTA?

We are only a year old and just getting started! We have so much more music to release and so many shows to play. When we made the move to Memphis in 2020 and decided to focus on original music we had no idea what to expect. Over the last year we have had the opportunity to meet and play with some of the most genuine people. We have been working hard over the last year to build our base and now we feel like we can finally expand our audience and meet new people. If you want to make it in the industry today you have to grind and that’s just what we plan on doing. We look forward to what the next year is going to bring and hope to see you at a show very soon!