New Release: Kayla Mahon - 'Ain't My Rodeo'

12 September 2025

Hailing from Gore, New Zealand's country music capital, Kayla Mahon's new single, "Ain't My Rodeo," is an anthem of empowerment.

The song uses the metaphor of a rodeo to confront past self-doubt. Mahon sings about leaving behind her "dusty days”. The moments and words that once held her back, instead, stepping into her own power. This is a bold and confident statement about reclaiming your narrative and living life on your own terms.

Kayla says "Ain’t My Rodeo comes from a place of embracing self belief and cowgirl empowerment. During this long career of singing music I have come across a few sticks in the mud who have sprinkled that suffering of doubt on me. This is a stand up song, let those dusty days of doubt fly in the wind as it aint my rodeo anymore"

Ain’t my Rodeo was written by Kayla Mahon and Ryan Sorestad

Kayla Mahon is a southern New Zealand based singer, songwriter and musician who has been performing country music from age four.

Winner of the coveted 2000 and 2008 New Zealand Overall Gold Guitar Award, other accolades include performing at CMC Rocks in 2017, reaching the top 24 on the globally recognised XFACTOR NZ in 2015 and representing Aotearoa on the Global Artist stage in Nashville in 2016 showcasing her original song "Through Georgia's Eyes".

Named NZCMA Horizon Award winner in 2015, Kayla journeyed to Tennessee and recorded her first Nashville single “Do you Ever” - successfully trending on Spotify's Fresh Country playlist, followed by her first EP release in 2015 entitled “Girl on the Move”.

Prior to her solo career, Kayla was half of “The Heartleys” - a country music duo successfully releasing two albums, winning both NZCMA and Southland Duo of the Year and appearing on the Australian country music charts.

Warmly embraced in the strong southern New Zealand country music scene, Kayla has also performed to crowds in Norway, Norfolk Island and Australia.

With a career spanning three decades, Kayla returned to Nashville in June 2023 to work with producer Jay Tooke of Penny Arcade Productions and co- writer Ryan Sorestad. This collaborative album will reflect Kayla's newfound depth and storytelling - capturing a decade of songwriting maturity whilst also celebrating her established sound that audiences know and love.

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