Singer-songwriter Skyler Gray makes her mark with music videos, open mic nights at Kerckhoff Coffeehouse

A singer performing in coffee shops is often the emblematic portrayal of a musician used in films and television. Skyler Gray, a fourth-year communication studies student from Palos Verdes, is very much a real musician, and there aren’t any scripts lying around at Kerckhoff Coffeehouse.

Gray is a singer-songwriter who describes her style as “pop-rock-blues with a bit of folk” and whose music is often compared to Jewel. A quick glance at Gray’s past reveals a history that is rooted in music: Her father and her sister both play guitar, and she had piano and guitar lessons before entering high school, where she performed and wrote her own songs.

At UCLA, Gray’s musical repertoire expanded as she gained both experience and exposure. In her freshman year, she recorded a music video for UCLA’s resTV for her song “Occupied,” a song about adjusting to college life. The recording of the video was a first for both Gray and for Kelly Li, a recent graduate in Asian American studies and the director of Gray’s video. Though it was a first effort for both Li and Gray, the video was a success and garnered Gray many offers to perform. Li, who has seen Gray perform live, noticed Gray’s unique style of playing.

“She has a stripped-down approach, where you have the bare essentials of just a girl and her guitar, which is all you really need and a refreshing sight,” Li said.

Gray has recorded many more videos since then, and the musical scene at UCLA has given her opportunities to perform for paid gigs and large venues. Becoming a regular face at Kerckhoff Coffeehouse’s Eclectic Open Mic Night has helped Gray gain a following on campus.

“Skyler was popular not only on my floor, but also in Hedrick Summit as a whole,” said Draco Chu, a recent graduate in global studies who was Gray’s resident assistant last year. “Her floormates were all extremely supportive of her and often attended her performances on the Hill, on campus and all around the city. She is truly a rising star.”

Gray has also recorded a demo, which she gave to musical group Hanson when they visited UCLA last year.

“It’s a plus to go to a school in a city that’s one of the entertainment capitals of the world,” Gray said. “I haven’t heard anything back from them yet, but just the fact that I had the opportunity to give them my demo is pretty cool.”

Entertainment capitals, music videos and famous boy bands aside, Gray isn’t yearning for the spotlight. She isn’t preoccupied with fame or the bright lights and glamour that often attract hopeful musicians to Los Angeles. After she graduates, she plans to go to law school, where she’ll continue to play music and write songs. For Gray, it is more about the music than anything else.

“It would be nice to stay in Los Angeles for law school, and I might go into entertainment. But if I don’t stay here or go to a school in a big city, I definitely want to go someplace with a music culture ““ even if it’s just a coffee shop,” Gray said.

Though her musical background and coffee shop performances might initially classify Gray as a characteristic musician, she is anything but, according to people who have heard her music.

“She’s very unique,” said Anthony Sánchez, who was director last fall for Kerckhoff’s Eclectic Open Mic Night. “There’s not a lot of girls playing guitars nowadays, and a lot of people who performed at Open Mic Nights just covered songs, but she stood out because she’s a singer-songwriter.”

Until she graduates, Gray can be seen performing in Kerckhoff Coffeehouse, in Kerckhoff Grand Salon or jamming with fellow students around campus.