bio
Ariel Kayla Blackwood is a Jamaican-American Actress, Singer, Songwriter, Writer, Dancer and Model born and raised in Tampa, Florida. As an actor Ariel performs under the name Ariel Kayla and as a musician under the name A Kay A. A Kay A was coined as an artist since she was “also known as” for her many talents. Growing up in Valrico as a child A Kay A performed in various singing and dancing talent shows around her community
Ariel Kayla found her voice as a singer in her church and school choirs and her love for song and dance eventually led her to pursue theater and play her first role as the Wicked Witch in a makeshift seventh grade production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Known for her powerhouse personality and stage presence, later in high school she played the characters Brooke Wyndam in Legally Blonde and The Witch in Into the Woods. From Tampa, Ariel flew to New York City to pursue a BFA at NYU Tisch School of the Arts where she graduated as a Drama Honors Student in the musical theater studio,The New Studio on Broadway. Ariel also studied in the Physical Acting Program and the Experimental Theater Wing. While studying at NYU she was cast in In the Heights, LaLa in the Colored Museum, Lil Inez/Dynamite in Hairspray and several new works where she participated in the writing and development of new characters. Also while at NYU Ariel was cast in the NYU Reality Show, the high profile university show performed at Madison Square Garden and The Barclay Center with songs and dialogue written by its cast.
Ariel Kayla later went on to do Hair with the Berkshire Theater Group and join the NYC renowned dance company The Dance Cartel. A Kay A has since worked on several projects as an actor and dancer throughout the city with Ars Nova, The Public Theater, The National Black Theater, and Disney. She has recently been the leading lady in the new R&B Off-Broadway musical Love In a Different Key with the cast album available on all streaming platforms. A Kay A is now working on her solo music career and released her debut single “Forget Me” available for streaming everywhere.