Tayla Parx is a Grammy-nominated songwriter, executive producer, and artist-on-the-rise.- She's cowritten No. 1 hits for artists like Ariana Grande, Normani, and Khalid, and excels in coaxing confessional lyrics out of A-list stars.
- "I think that we are, as a society, becoming more aware of the people 'behind the curtain,'" she told Insider.
- Now, Parx is preparing to release her sophomore album, "Coping Mechanisms," which she describes as her most personal work to date.
- She hopes her vulnerability, visibility, and success — particularly as a Black, bisexual woman — will instill confidence in other creatives to claim space in the
music industry. - Tayla Parx is on Insider's list of Luminaries: 25 women pushing boundaries and accomplishing extraordinary feats. Check out the full list here.
To hear Tayla Parx describe her typical workday — usually spent in one of Los Angeles' esteemed recording studios — you'd be forgiven for forgetting she spends her time teasing lyrical confessions out of music's high-profile, high-powered stars.
In a recent interview with Insider, Parx casually rattled off some artists she's been working with recently: Ariana Grande, Normani, Little Mix, Tori Kelly.
The 27-year-old multi-hyphenate has cowritten some of the most stirring and intimate songs in her famous friends' discographies, including Grande's "Thank U, Next," Christina Aguilera's "Maria," Janelle Monáe's "Don't Judge Me," and Kelsea Ballerini's "Overshare."
But Parx's role extends far beyond writing one-off songs and No. 1 hit singles.
She tends to embed herself within an artist's life and album-making process, steering the music's emotional direction. She cowrote six out of 12 songs on Grande's Grammy-nominated album, five on Aguilera's "Liberation," and four on Monáe's Grammy-nominated "Dirty Computer."
"I think it comes naturally because I am in a very empathetic person," Parx told Insider. "A lot of people will be like, 'Well, why don't you just be an artist?' And I'm like, 'Well, I think that being a part of somebody else's story — building somebody else's place of safety with them, with this music we're creating — it really does something for the different parts of my soul.'"
"Being an artist is great," she continued, "but having that connection with another human and really helping them create their fantasy of what they want their career to look like — that is really, really special to me."
Although Parx is often described as a "secret weapon," she is a highly successful, Black, bisexual woman — and visibility matters
Born Taylor Monét Parks, the Texas native entered show business at just 9 years old. Handpicked as a "triple threat" by Debbie Allen, she strengthened her performance skills at the legendary Kennedy Center and landed a starring role in the silver-screen adaptation of "Hairspray."
Parx went on to land small roles in Nickelodeon shows, including "Victorious" and "True Jackson, VP."
As she entered her 20s, Parx pivoted to music. She immediately rose to prominence as a behind-the-scenes lyricist, and some of her earliest cowriting credits include songs by Fifth Harmony, Demi Lovato, Mariah Carey, and BTS.
Parx continued to work on her own music, however, and self-released her debut mixtape, "Tayla Made," in 2017. She signed to Atlantic Records as a solo artist shortly after.
Parx doesn't mind that she's seen only as an artist by some fans, and that her lyrical influence on pop music will escape many radars; she knows most people don't research the credits when a song plays on the radio.
But at the same time, the importance of representation is not lost on Parx, who cares deeply about amplifying the voices and roles of Black and LGBTQ people.
"I think that we are, as a society, becoming more aware of the people 'behind the curtain,'" she told Insider.
"I've kind of had to embrace both sides," she said. "Embracing that side of being, kind of, the 'secret weapon' of the music industry — but then also, getting that recognition has been really, really awesome because, I think, what it does is it allows more people like me to see that it's possible. And that's just the beginning."
"It's something that I'm going to continue to push for in the industry, because it's key," she added.
Parx is preparing to release her highly anticipated sophomore album in November, titled "Coping Mechanisms," which she describes as her most personal and "vulnerable" work to date. "It was really just about letting life happen and seeing what my heart wanted to say," Parx said. "Eventually the truth finds its way."
Releasing such a raw body of work takes courage. Parx knows she's giving us permission to dissect her complexities, growing pains, and contradictions. "It's really scary, honestly," she admitted.
But vulnerability is a form of confidence, and confidence is contagious. Expressing interior strength and self-worth can encourage rising creatives to claim space — especially in an industry full of gatekeepers, and even more so when societal prejudice already sows doubt.
"Just that sheer thought of knowing, 'I deserve to be here' — it does wonders," Parx told Insider. "And I think it all starts with just working on your craft."
"It starts there, because if you know that you're working day and night — and handling your self-care, whatever way you get the best version of you — then you can know that you deserve to be in those rooms. You can walk into them strong and nobody can tell you otherwise."
Parx's very existence helps build a more honest, inclusive music industry — but she's willing to put in the extra work, too
Parx is encouraged by the rising tide of activism in the music industry. She said she loves seeing artists "use their voices for good," particularly when it comes to Black Lives Matter, and approves of the recent push to get rid of the term "urban" in award shows and label meetings.
But Parx remains grounded. She described changing "language" as the first of many steps: "I would also like to see the actions changed."
"Would I call myself an activist? If an activist is someone who speaks up for the things that they believe in, the people they believe in, and the type of quality of life that they hope to see one day, then I guess I would," she said.
"I'm definitely somebody who believes that we have a lot of progress still to make, to make the world even a glimpse of what we would like to see it as. And I'm also one of those people that is willing to do whatever I can to help us get there."
Going forward, Parx said she plans to focus on making more music that's a "reflection of society," and encouraging her peers to do the same.
"I want more musicians to talk about what is going on in the world right now," she said.
"It doesn't have to be preachy, but let's push ourselves as songwriters, as creatives, as singers, as artists, and really make music that reflects the days or the times."
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