Kaina Castillo

Kaina Castillo (born January 22, 1996), known simply as, KAINA (stylized in all caps), is an American singer-songwriter. On July 12, 2019, she released her debut album, Next to the Sun. In 2022, she released her second studio album, It Was a Home.

Early life Castillo was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, to a Venezuelan mother and Guatemalan father. She started discovering music at the age of nine, such as Stevie Wonder, Celia Cruz, and Oscar D'León. She also performed with The Happiness Club, a nonprofit that offers diverse youth a space to explore music, dance, and visual arts.

She studied public relations and advertising at DePaul University for two years.

Career

2019–2020: Next to the Sun In early 2019, she released the single "Green". The music video gives a glimpse into her life in Chicago, with a visual of a family dinner.

On July 12, 2019, Castillo released her debut album, Next to the Sun, through Sooper Records.

2021–present: It Was a Home On August 9, 2021, Castillo released a cover of "Come Back as a Flower" by Stevie Wonder, accompanied by a music video. This cover served as the first single of Castillo's second studio album. A second single was released, "Casita", on November 2, 2021. The third single, "Anybody Can Be in Love", was released with the announcement of her second studio album. On January 9, 2022, "Apple" was released as the fourth single.

On March 4, 2022, It Was a Home was released through City Slang. The second album includes collaborations with Sen Morimoto, Sleater-Kinney, and Helado Negro. Two days after the release of the album, the single "Golden Mirror" was released. The It Was a Home Tour commenced on March 16 and concluded on July 17.

Discography

Studio albums TitleDetailsNext to the Sun Released: July 12, 2019 Label: Sooper Format: Vinyl, Compact disc, streaming, digital download It Was a Home Released: March 4, 2022 Label: City Slang Format: Vinyl, CD, streaming, digital download

Extended plays TitleDetailsSweet Asl. Released: August 9, 2016 Label: Self-released Format: Streaming, digital download 4U Released: March 16, 2018 Label: Self-released Format: Streaming, digital download

Live albums TitleDetailsKAINA on Audiotree Live Released: October 2, 2019 Label: Audiotree Music Format: Streaming, digital download

Singles TitleYearAlbum"Love in a Crowd" (ft. Sen Morimoto)2017 "F*cked Up"2018"Green"Sweet Asl."Come Back as a Flower"2021It Was a Home"Casita""Anybody Can Be in Love""Apple"2022"Golden Mirror"

Music videos