Jill MedingerKayden Muller-Janssen has traded horse shows for Hollywood. The daughter of international dressage trainer Kerensa Muller, and Dutch national Olympic team dressage coach, Sjef Janssen, Kayden will always have horses in her blood. Her father won a bronze medal in team dressage at the 1991 European Dressage Championships and now produces a string of international dressage riders and horses alongside his partner, Anky van Grunsven. Meanwhile, Kayden’s mother, Kerensa, trains clients of all skill levels at the Muller farm in Florida. But even with two star dressage trainers as parents, a call to a different stage led Kayden to pave her own way to become an actress and singer.
A Horsey Start
Raised by her mother, Kayden grew up in the equestrian haven of Wellington, Florida, riding ponies before she could walk. From a young age, Kayden’s proclivity for art and music could often be seen on display in the stable. “She would clip her horse in the wintertime,” Kerensa says, “and make a wing design, or when we practiced our dressage moves, she would pretend she was a horse and she would video herself.” In addition to dressage training, Kayden took jumping lessons once a week. But did she ever practice? No—she opted to shoot scenes and practice acrobatics with her ponies instead. Kerensa laughs, saying, “You could tell that she had a different twist to the equestrian lifestyle than we did. I have a picture of her when she was two years old or something like that—she always had a tutu over her riding clothes. One day I actually found riding pants that had a skirt attached, so I had to buy that for her.” Alongside her older sister, Klendy, Kayden adored growing up on a farm where her free-spirited energy could flourish.
Growing Interests with Talent
Kayden’s larger-than-life personality eventually found a home in acting and singing. At a young age, she first performed for fun in front of audiences, including friends and family, in local stage plays. She even entered Robert Dover’s American Equestrians Got Talent competition in 2015. Kerensa enrolled Kayden in a proper acting class in middle school, which took students to Los Angeles for a showcase. “Managers and agents come, and the kids perform,” says Kerensa, “And she got five requests from five different agencies to represent her.” Soon enough, Kayden’s journey to stardom began. Beginning at the age of 14, Kayden would audition in Hollywood for the next six years, flying back and forth from the Muller’s farm in Florida to California. While Kerensa traveled with Kayden to attend auditions, from the age of 16, Klendy stayed back home in Florida to take care of their farm.
Kayden’s years of hard work eventually paid off, leading her to break into the Hollywood spotlight by way of the Disney Channel, where she landed the role of Hartley in the hit comedy “The Villains of Valley View.” Kayden described her character to TresA Magazine in 2022, saying, “When I first read the script, Hartley immediately reminded me of my younger self. I always describe her as a giant ball of sunshine. She has a very bubbly, silly, and caring personality; I was definitely drawn towards her.” Kayden has earned critical acclaim for her role, and the show was recently picked up for a second season.
Many Talents
Not only does Kayden enjoy acting, but she is also a singer who specializes in the R&B, soul, and pop genres. A Disney fan through and through, Kayden became inspired as a child by listening to one of her sister’s CDs featuring Christina Aguilera’s “Reflection” from Disney’s “Mulan” as a child. Kayden started writing and singing original music about five years ago. She found early success with her hit, “Kiss Kiss Baby,” which reached the number one spot on Radio Disney, and the music video reached the top five most requested on Music Choice. More recently, Kayden dropped her debut EP “Unraveled,” in 2022. One song called “No Maybe,” was written with Dustin Atlas about one of Kayden’s teenage crushes. The piece is followed by “Crave” and a cover of Etta James’s song “I’d Rather Go Blind.”
Kerensa says, “Music has always been her passion. She loves acting—but don’t get me wrong—music has always been her passion.” She gets to sing on her Disney show, “The Villains of Valley View,” and Kerensa continues, “That’s already right up her alley. That’s what she would love to continue doing—if she can act with music.”
An Animal Lover at Heart
While in Hollywood, Kayden spends her free time volunteering at a local riding club, where she guides tourists on horseback to see the sights of LA, including the famous Hollywood sign. Kayden also loves rescuing animals and has adopted multiple dogs over the years, which she takes back and forth to LA.
Her penchant for helping animals in need also led Kayden to support Brooke USA, a foundation dedicated to raising awareness for the plight of working horses, donkeys, and mules around the world. Kayden offers her talent and fame to fundraise, advocate, and educate on behalf of Brooke USA.
As for the future of Kayden’s career in entertainment, she wishes to continue acting and performing, as well as taking her music on tour. She also sets her sights on writing and directing her own movies one day. “She loves that stuff—the creation of it,” says Kerensa, “She has a strong, huge personality. She fills the room because that’s who she is.”