About
Off The Record Music was created by Kayla Harper in 2023, officially launching on January 1, 2024.
The idea for Off The Record was born out of combining her passions for music and writing and a desire to keep those passions alive amidst the chaos of her undergraduate studies, work and other life responsibilities. It started as a personal music blog used to write about music Harper was passionate about, or music in which her friends were excited about, with a focus on record collecting within her hometown of Calgary, Alberta.
Even in its first year Off The Record became more than just a space to talk about music, it became a space that people could connect through music no matter where they’re located geographically. During its second year, this community continued to grow larger than Harper ever anticipated. It shifted from a small music blog to a digital music magazine focused on all things pop culture, physical music media, new music, etc.
Off The Record aims to be a place of celebration and discovery, striving to cover the best new releases and old releases across a variety of genres, from independent artists to household legends, allowing people to discover new favourites, while giving a spotlight to smaller artists, as well as celebrating those who have made a name for themselves.
More than anything else, the Off The Record team recognizes the way music connects people and builds community, arguably more than any other art form. That is what we strive to do by talking about the music we love and how it impacts our lives.
If music is not only something you enjoy, but something that moves you; a passion that burns because you continuously seek to fuel it; and the foundation of the lifelong connections you form, you’re in the right place! Welcome to Off The Record <3
Meet The Team
Kayla Harper – Owner, Editor, Writer
Kayla currently works at a record store and is an undergraduate psychology student, but her dream is to be a musician. She’s been writing music as long as she can remember and hopes to start releasing it this year. The only thing Kayla loves as much as she loves music is her dog, Nico. She started Off The Record as a place to pursue both her passion for music and writing, but mostly to connect with other people who love music as much as she does. Three albums she would use to describe herself are Come What(ever) May (Stone Sour), Breach (twenty øne piløts) and Good Riddance (Gracie Abrams).
Follow Kayla on Instagram for more, @offtherecordmusicblog / @kayla.harper13
Aiden Richards – Writer
Aiden is passionate about music that connects emotionally and tells real stories. He’s always open to learning from others and contributing wherever he can to make the team stronger! He’s absolutely honored to be apart of Off The Record and can’t wait to see where it takes off! Three albums He would use to describe himself would be Folklore (Taylor Swift), Parachutes (Coldplay), and Good Riddance (Gracie Abrams).
Follow Aiden on Instagram for more, @spindrop_musicreviews
Lex Robbins – Writer
Lex is a music content creator, interviewer, and writer with a passion for physical media and storytelling. When she’s not working her day jobs as a marketing coordinator and radio promotions assistant, you can find her in front of a camera making content and interviewing artists, catching a live show, curating her next album wall, or hanging with her black cat, Vader. For Lex, music has always been a uniquely personal experience that soundtracks the eras of her life. Three albums she would use to describe herself are When Facing The Things We Turn Away From (Luke Hemmings), Move Along (The All-American Rejects), and Golden Hour (Kacey Musgraves).
Follow Lex on Instagram for more, @lexfortherecord
Kyla – Writer
Kyla is a high school student who dreams of someday having a career as a creative director in the music industry. She was born into a very musical family and has loved everything music related for her entire life. She also ADORES writing, and is excited about the opportunity to mix these two passions together. Her favourite past times are attending concerts and collecting records, and when given the opportunity she could talk about these interests for hours. Three albums she would use to describe herself are Renaissance (Beyoncé), Good Riddance (Gracie Abrams), and Guts (Olivia Rodrigo).
Follow Kyla on Instagram for more, @vinyl_by_kyla
Kaitie Harper – Writer, Photographer
Kaitie has always been passionate about music, writing, and has had a growing passion and interest in concert photography. She has loved music since she was young, surrounded by instruments, live music, and later on physical music like vinyl. She has always used writing as an escape and way to express herself. Joining the Off The Record team gives her a place to do things she loves, grow experience, and share it with others who have a passion for it too. Three albums she would use to describe herself are Breach (twenty øne piløts), The Secret of Us (Gracie Abrams), Vessel (twenty øne piløts).
Follow Kaitie on Instagram for more, @kaitie.33 / @kaities.collections
We’re looking for writers, photographers and interviewers. Are you passionate about music and writing? Want to join the Off The Record Team? contact kayla@offtherecordmusic.ca
