As a songwriter, producer and background singer, she has worked with a number of gospel and R&B musicians, including CeCe, BeBe and Vickie Winans, Brandy, Anthony Hamilton, Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child and Mark Kibble of Take 6.
She showed an early interest in music, influenced by her father, a songwriter, producer and label executive who was discovered by Sam Cooke, and her mother, a jazz singer.
After her parents' divorced, Kayla's mother bought her a piano, on which she would learn songs by the likes of DeBarge, Michael Jackson, the Clark Sisters, the Winans and Stevie Wonder.
At Detroit's Pershing High School she formed an all-female vocal group, taking the name "God's Special Gift" after an audience member's compliment.
[1] Working with a producer friend, she pulled together recordings of a number of her songs, both gospel and inspirational R&B - - "life music," she calls it - - and looked to develop her own artistry.
Others including Rodney and Joy Jerkins and gospel jazz artist Tim Bowman have recorded material written by Parker.