Kaila has been featured in Import Tuner, Playboy, FHM, DUB Magazine and
Kaila Yu, you could say, had a normal life. She studied hard to get into college, was involved in alot of extracurricular activities while in high school and entered into UCSD, where she majored in Biology with dreams of becoming a plastic surgeon. Not many know it, but before entering college, she was a very shy individual. However, all of that changed when she entered college. It was in college where she made the decision to give a try at modeling. With that goal set in mind, she transferred to UCLA in order to be closer to modeling opportunities in Los Angeles. Within time, she has become one of the most popular models rocking the import car scene. Her success as a model eventually led to other opportunities which have helped heighten her successful career in the entertainment industry.
Kaila has been featured in Import Tuner, Playboy, FHM, DUB Magazine and Rolling Stone magazine — just to name a few. Myspace also helped boost her popularity on the Internet, where she has over 9 million hits on her Myspace page and too many Myspace friends to count. She has also appeared in various television shows, films (a notable one is “The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift”) and released her first audio album in 2003 entitled “Kaila”. She has recently come back to the music scene to proclaim her love for music once again as Nylon Pink.
In 2007, Nylon Pink was formed by Kaila and Kitt.E.Katt. In a nutshell, Kaila describes Nylon Pink’s sound as “electro pop rock influenced by anime and Harajuku style [and] written about sex, drugs, love, and drama.” Their first single, which was aired on MTV’s “The Hills,” is called “Hello Drama”. They both have released a jewelry line by the same name and the Hollywood elite have been seen sporting their line in OK! Magazine.
Since Nylon Pink was formed in 2007, Kaila has gained wider recognition for being an eclectic entertainer. Asiance got the chance to catch up with Kaila and see what all the (good) drama is about in her world!
ASIANCE: In middle school and high school, you claimed yourself to be a “nerd.” You were a Biology major in college, too. There was a major change when you decided to enter into the entertainment business, considering how much of a model minority you were. What got you interested in becoming a model?
Kaila: For as long as I remembered, I wanted to model and get into the entertainment industry. As a child, we would put on plays for the neighborhood. In high school, everyone was all about a model named SungHi Lee and she inspired me to model.
ASIANCE: Specifically, you became an import car model and have been featured in Rolling Stone, FHM, Playboy, Stuff — just to name a few print magazines. What did your parents think when you first started to model? How are they with you modeling now?
Kaila: At first my parents were shocked, they were very traditional Chinese parents and Playboy was definitely not the path that they expected me to take in life. However, they have always supported me in everything that I do and they continue to this day and dare I say, they are finally proud of me.
ASIANCE: You’ve also expressed your interest in music, releasing an album back in 2003 and last year you formed Nylon Pink with Kitt E.Katt. Growing up as a shy person, did singing help you overcome your shyness?
Kaila: I think import modeling helped me the most to help me overcome my shyness. I was forced into an arena where we were mobbed by tons of people at once and had to speak to and meet new people constantly. It really forced me to come out of my shell and I am grateful for that. I am still not the most gregarious person in the room but I am a hundred times more outgoing than I was growing up. Spending so much time in the import scene has definitely helped my comfort level on stage.
ASIANCE: How did you and Kitt E. Katt come up with the idea to form Nylon Pink?
Kaila: Kat and I met, originally, while I was looking for a designer for my jewelry line and she is an amazing designer. Once we met and started working together we just clicked on so many levels. I was no longer feeling inspired by the pop/R&B genre of music I was pursuing and really wanted to create a band. We discovered that we basically had the exact same taste in music and that she had played the bass in various bands in the past. It just all kind of fell together after that.
ASIANCE: You guys also have your own show on Stickam every week. How is that going for you guys?
Kaila: We love Stickam. I think it’s a great way for us to speak directly to our fans and new friends and interact with a community of artists that we respect. We have made a lot of great friends over there. Also, people get to see our silly goofy unpolished selves.
ASIANCE: The band’s single, “Hello Drama,” has been such a hit that it even got aired on the season premiere of “The Hills” this year. What was that like to see your single on a hit television show?
Kaila: It was really exciting for all of us and it all happened so fast! The music supervisor from MTV emailed us on Thursday asking for clearance and permission to use the track and we had to get all the writers to quickly sign off and fax the contracts back to MTV and then the episode aired on Monday. I didn’t even know that it was going to air so soon but I just got a bunch of texts from people saying that our song was live on MTV.
ASIANCE: When will Nylon Pink be releasing its debut album? Second single?
Kaila: We are planning on releasing our debut EP in the fall and our second single in a month.
ASIANCE: “Hello Drama” is the same name of the jewelry line that Kitt E.Katt and you own. What inspired you to start your own jewelry line?
Kaila: Like most girls, I have always been obsessed with fashion and I have always been someone who loves to over accessorize. I have always been really passionate about jewelry and just felt like creating some of the ideas in my head. Kat’s style just fit mine perfectly.
ASIANCE: Being an entrepreneur, a model, musician, and actress, what do you like to do most? Why?
Kaila: Music is by far my passion, its just so personal and intimate. You are playing a character or trying to be anybody else and you are revealing yourself to the world. Also, there’s nothing more exciting than being on stage.
ASIANCE: If you weren’t in the entertainment business, do you think you would still be pursuing your dreams of going to medical school like you had once planned?
Kaila: I have no idea. I can’t even imagine my life not in the entertainment business. I think I would probably have pursued a career in fashion, running my own business. I need my independence from a boss and set work hours, I’m too much of a free spirit.
ASIANCE: The Internet probably helped exposed you to the public. Do you think you would have gained the kind of exposure you have gotten without the Internet?
Kaila: Definitely not. I owe everything to the Internet!
ASIANCE: What are some projects you are currently working on? What is next for you, Kaila?
Kaila: Currently, just focusing on setting up a tour for next year, finishing up the Nylon Pink EP and shooting our first Nylon Pink music video.
For more information on Kaila, you can check her out at www.myspace.com/kailayu, for Nylon Pink click over to www.myspace.com/nylonpink, and to browse and shop for her jewelry line, go to www.hellodrama.net.
You can contact the writer by e-mailing Tanya at tanya.thamkruphat@gmail.com.
Photo credit:
Hello Drama Photo by Derek Watson
Band Photos: by Neil Zlozower, makeup by Jill Cuatro
Pink Room: by Casey Curry, makeup by Konnie B
Purple hair and blue plaid skirt: Photo by Allen Chu, makeup by Susie Chhor
Kaila Comic Photo: Photo and makeup by Josie Tan