American singer and songwriter Kaash Paige, D’Kyla Woolen, returned to her alma mater to perform and greet students at the pep rally on Thursday, Feb. 16.

“I used to be in class daydreaming about my life being like this,” Paige said. “Honestly, it feels surreal (coming back), though it’s not gonna hit me until I’m there in the gym.”

After becoming increasingly dispassionate and indifferent toward school and track, her former sport, Paige said she pursued her career as a musician while still in high school by recording and uploading her tracks to SoundCloud, where she gained local recognition.

“Failure isn’t a mistake,” Paige said. “As long as you keep dreaming and don’t give up on that dream, you’re always gonna be good.”

Her hit single “Love Songs,” originally released during November of 2018, landed her a record deal with Se Lavi Productions and Def Jam Recordings. The song was available on all streaming platforms where it then went viral on TikTok.

“Ever since ‘Love Songs’ came out I always just listened to the song without knowing who she was,” freshman Areon Chatmon, an aspiring artist, said. “I really liked the song, so I wanted to look and see what else she had, and I really started liking her.”

Paige recalled a fight at school, at the age of 17, which she said impacted her life and decision to graduate early in 2018.

“Around that age, you’ll get into a fight and then you’re getting charged, but thank God it was (ruled) self-defense,” Paige said. “I didn’t want any of that stuff to mess with my career or go on my record, and that’s what defined me to try to stand out from everybody else because I used to want to fit in with the crowd.”

Her bodyguard, James McGue, who travels with Paige, said she prioritizes loyalty and viable friends. 

“There’s a lot of stuff that we do that we won’t talk about because, at the end of the day, it’s off of her emotions, her vibe and her energy,” McGue said. “She’ll tell me things I may not want to hear, but at the end of the day I know where her mindset is at.”

The artist who said she was influenced by fellow R&B singers like Erykah Badu and SZA, is now inspiring others.

“It was a great opportunity meeting Kaash,” Chatmon said. “Her encouraging words pushed me to work hard at school to gain experiences to help me write about different things to put in my music.”

Her Me vs. Myself Tour officially ended the night before, but Paige joked that the pep rally, where she performed four songs, was actually the last day.

“I had lots of fun with my friends and seeing my idol, Kaash Paige, perform,” sophomore Preston Bess said. “I was super excited because I got to take a video with her, and I drew a picture of her that she has now and loves.” 

Paige has come a long way from SoundCloud, daydreams and “Love Songs,” but she said her determination and frame of mind have always been consistent.

“Man, I knew I was gonna travel the world and perform in front of thousands of people,” Paige said. “I just didn’t know it was gonna happen so fast.”