Born and raised in Southern California, Layla Bina is a punk-inspired, first-generation Iranian-American singer-songwriter.

 

Layla grew up taking piano lessons and writing songs as a source of solace. Her passion for rock music pushed her to pick up guitar and bass as a teenager; she taught herself both instruments by playing along to her favorite bands. Her biggest influences are The Clash and Nirvana, among many other classic rock, punk and grunge artists.

 

Over the years, Layla's songwriting progressed from toplining candid pop songs to arranging heavy-hitting rock anthems. With an ample catalog of original music written by the time she started college, Layla began producing her own demos. As a classically-trained singer of Persian descent, her distinct voice brings a unique sound to the world of rock.

 

Having studied psychology at UCLA, Layla is a big advocate for mental health awareness. By reflecting on the insight garnered through her education, as well as pulling from her upbringing in a mind-numbingly insular, utopian SoCal suburb, Layla's lyrics cover an array of mental health and social issues. Her ultimate goal is to represent the underrepresented in mental health conversations.​

 

Layla's favorite gig was playing for UCLA's first-ever punk conference, Curating Resistance: Punk as Archival Method. Other notable performances include playing at the world-famous Whiskey A-Go-Go, the Viper Room, and opening for Chris de Burgh.

 

Layla is currently recording her debut album with Grammy Award-winning Producer Josh “igloo” Monroy, due for release this summer.