*OPEN TO THE INSTITUTE*

Date: November 20th

Time: 3 PM - 4 PM

Location: CalArts Campus; Library Computer Lab

“Process & Play: Uncovering Your Unique Creative Voice’ 

I’ll be exploring creative process as a central element of composition, focusing less on traditional technique and more on how we can cultivate a personal practice that invites discovery, intuition, and experimentation. We’ll look at ways to initiate ideas (journaling, improvisation, movement, sound exploration), discuss the value of randomness, play, and imperfection, and emphasize how “writing is editing.” I’ll encourage students to see themselves as evolving artists who can use their ears above all else, and share tools for breaking out of creative ruts and finding their own rhythm.”

photo of Kaela Sinclair

Kaela Sinclair is a Los Angeles–based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer whose work blends ambient, experimental pop, and analog synths into immersive soundscapes. A classically-trained pianist, jazz-trained vocalist, and experienced synthesist, she wrote and produced her debut solo album Supraliminal (Other Suns, 2025), which explores ethereal textures and personal expression through intricate, layered composition.

Since 2016, Kaela has been a key member of M83, contributing to both live and studio projects, including the band’s 2023 album Fantasy and its world tour. Beyond her solo and band work, she has collaborated with artists such as Sofi Tukker, King Princess, Troye Sivan, and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, and composed original music for NPR’s This American Life.

Her practice centers on creating emotionally transportive music that exists between the cosmic and the intimate, with a focus on composition as both architecture and exploration. | kaelasmusic.com