A familiar Dolly Parton song takes an unexpected turn when singer-songwriter Mikayla Khramov begins performing “9 to 5” on guitar.
At first, it looks like an ordinary musical performance. Then her unusual duet partner steps in.
Yupia, a 7-year-old horse, gently uses his mouth to touch the guitar strings, changing the sound as Mikayla continues singing.
For Mikayla, the unusual collaboration has become much more than a funny moment for social media. Music has helped build trust between the pair — and has also helped her rediscover why she loved making music in the first place.
Returning to Horses Led to an Unexpected Friendship
Mikayla grew up around horses but returned to riding more seriously in 2023.
The Los Angeles singer-songwriter began volunteering with a horse rescue organization in Moorpark, California, exchanging her time and work for riding lessons.
That was where she met Yupia.
The Kentucky-bred horse had not been properly trained and had a reputation for being difficult. He was particularly wary of people and was known for biting.
Still, Mikayla felt drawn to him.
Building Trust Took Months
Their relationship did not develop overnight.
Mikayla spent months slowly becoming familiar with Yupia and earning his confidence.
For nearly nine months, progress was gradual.
Then she brought something completely different into the pasture: her guitar.
She began playing near Yupia, and instead of moving away, the horse became curious.
He approached her and started touching the guitar strings with his mouth and nose.
What began as a solo performance suddenly became a duet.
Music Became Their Way of Communicating
Mikayla began to feel that music was helping her connect with Yupia in a way other approaches had not.
She did not need to lure him closer with treats. The horse appeared genuinely interested in the sounds she was creating.
“Music was the tool to help build trust,” she said.
To Mikayla, Yupia’s responses sometimes felt almost conversational, as though each movement of his nose against the strings was his contribution to the performance.
Yupia Didn’t Stop at the Guitar
Mikayla also plays the harp, so before long she began bringing that instrument to the barn too.
Once again, Yupia became involved.
He would walk over and gently nuzzle the strings, creating his own unpredictable sounds alongside Mikayla’s playing.
Not every note was perfectly musical, but that was never really the point.
The spontaneity became part of what made their sessions so enjoyable.
A Horse Helped Her Fall in Love With Music Again
Music had always been important to Mikayla, but years of gigs, bands and trying to earn money from her craft had gradually made it feel more like work.
Creating music with Yupia changed that.
At the barn, there were no expectations about commercial success or perfect performances.
She could simply write, experiment and enjoy creating something with an animal she had worked so hard to understand.
Yupia, she said, helped her stop viewing music only as a career.
The Barn Became a Place of Inspiration
Mikayla now regularly writes music around Yupia.
The peaceful surroundings of the barn help inspire her, while the horse’s unpredictable participation keeps the creative process playful.
Sometimes he approaches while she is writing or performing and adds his own sounds.
Those moments have become an important part of their relationship.
For Mikayla, having Yupia involved makes music feel spontaneous again.
Their Collaboration Is Heading to an Album
The unusual partnership is now inspiring Mikayla’s first album.
She plans to incorporate some of the sounds Yupia creates into the recordings, making him an actual part of the finished music.
The project is expected to blend several styles, including folk and electronic influences, while also incorporating Portuguese musicians, songwriting and guitar.
And somewhere among all those sounds will be Yupia.
An Unlikely Duet Built on Trust
What started as a difficult relationship with a wary horse eventually became an unusual creative partnership.
Music helped Mikayla earn Yupia’s trust, while Yupia helped remind her that making music could still be joyful, experimental and unexpected.
Now she can hardly imagine creating without him nearby.
Their performances may not always follow traditional musical rules, but for Mikayla, that is exactly what makes them special.