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Kyla Nightingale is a 19-year-old with a deep love for all things music—its ability to communicate emotion, bring people together, and create unforgettable moments. This love blossomed into a passion for the steel pan, a percussion instrument native to the Caribbean, specifically Trinidad and Tobago.

Her journey with the steel pan began in 2015 at the age of eight through the launch of her church’s music program, The Philippians Steel Orchestra, a Trinidadian pan-based band that frequently performs during church services and at external events such as the Christmas Children’s Village at Emancipation Park, the Little Theatre, and Fun Fest 2020—Jamaica’s largest one-day theme park. The group continues to operate and perform actively today. Outside of ensemble performances, she has also played at various solo private events, including tea parties and book launches.

This passion followed her to high school, where she joined the Immaculate Conception High School Steel Band, a Jamaican pan-based ensemble, in 2018. She later served as president of the band from 2023 to 2025, during which she hosted the school’s first-ever steel band concert—collaborating with other high school steel bands—and led the ICHS Steel Band to its first and only JCDC Parish Finals (three) gold medals and two National Finals appearances.

Her biggest milestone in steel pan, however, comes from her involvement with the world-renowned Silver Birds Steel Orchestra, a Jamaican pan-based band, where she works as a part-time member and junior lead player (2024–present). Through this organization, she has had the opportunity to perform at several prestigious hotels across the island, including Moon Palace Resorts, Couples Resorts, Sandals Resorts, and many others.

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From over a decade ago to today, steel pan remains at the heart of her musical identity. It is the instrument through which she expresses herself most authentically, continuing to shape her creativity, discipline, and connection to Caribbean culture. With this new-found opportunity from WCOPA, she is looking forward to expanding her musical repertoire and to bringing her outside of the country where more experiences lie.