Kenya Grace on 'Strangers', New Projects, and Dream Collaborations ni Exclusive Interview pẹlu Brooke Reese

Kọkànlá Oṣù 6 Kenya Grace, awọn ifowosowopo UK olumulo lodi si awọn iyanu “Strangers,” lilo Brooke Reese fun iroyin ti o wa ni ailewu bi o jẹ ọkan ninu awọn Apple Music: Emerging Artists series. Gba ni Apple Soho ni New York, iroyin yii nfun awọn olumulo kan aiyipada lati ṣeto pẹlu Kenya, eyi ti o ni ifowosowopo ti dance-pop ti o ni ifowosowopo awọn awon eniyan ni gbogbo agbaye. Iyanjẹ fun awọn oniwe-ẹrọ ti o ni ifowosowopo si music ati storytelling, Kenyati akọsilẹ pẹlu Brooke Reese fi awọn aworan ti o dara julọ si awọn oniwe-ọna ilana ati awọn ifilelẹ siwaju sii.

Ti o ba ti o ba fẹ, ko ba fẹ, a ni awọn akọsilẹ fun o.

Brooke: Lati o gbadun pe o fẹ lati ṣe eyi. Ọrọ rẹ ti wa ni gbogbo nibẹ, awọn ọrọ rẹ ti wa ni gbogbo nibẹ. Mo ro pe o yoo jẹ fun lati bẹrẹ awọn asopọ wa pẹlu awọn ọrọ "Strangers". Nigba ti o ti ṣe o, ti o ba fẹ ohun pataki? Nibẹ ni nkan nkan nipa o? Nitori awọn eniyan nipa awọn ti o ba gbọdọ siwaju sii.

Kenya: Lẹkansi, ko. Mo ti ko ba fẹ. Mo ti kọja o siwaju sii ati ko fẹ nibẹ ni eyikeyi ti o nigbagbogbo ti o ti fi sori ẹrọ, ṣugbọn mo ni o dara julọ fun awọn eniyan ti o ni wiwọle pẹlu o siwaju sii. O jẹ iyanu.

Brooke: Ti o wa ni aiyipada, ati awọn ti o wa ni o wa ninu awọn dance-pop agbaye. Eyi jẹ ọna ti o ba ti wa ni aṣayan nigba ti o ba ṣẹda music?

Kenya: When I write, I always start with making the beat. I usually start with chords or something that inspires me in that realm, then I probably do drums, and lastly would be the vocals: start with the melody and then lyrics. It always is the hardest part for me. When writing the lyrics, I always want to tell a story, so I spend the longest on that.

Brooke: I love that for you, the beat and melody guide you, and it's the storytelling where you take your time.

Kenya: It always takes so long to write the whole story.

Brooke: <pfseg id="0">Mo ti wa ni o wa ni o wa ni iyanu lati tẹle pẹlu awọn artists ti o ni awọn akoko nla lori awọn ọna asopọ asopọ asopọ bi TikTok ati Instagram, ṣẹda a ile-iṣẹ pẹlu awọn ifiranṣẹ rẹ ati ṣugbọn ṣugbọn ṣugbọn ṣugbọn ṣiṣe awọn ohun ti o gbọdọ ni ọpọlọpọ ni ọdun kan. Eyi jẹ ohun kan? Awọn nọmba jẹ ọkan ohun, ṣugbọn mọ pe nibẹ ni awọn eniyan ti o wa nibi wọn, ti o ti wa ni a ifiranṣẹ ti Kenya Grace.

Kenya: O ti wa ni o wa ni o wa. Mo ko gbiyanju eyikeyi wọnyi lati wa ni gbogbo, ati o jẹ iyanu, ṣugbọn o jẹ iyanu kan ti o dara lati ṣee ṣe awọn eniyan ni aye nla. Nigba lori awọn ọna asopọ, o gbiyanju awọn DMs ati ko mọ pe nibẹ ni o wa ni o wa nkan ti o dara julọ nibi wọn, ki o jẹ iyanu.

Brooke: Emi ko mọ ti o ba ti o jẹ TMI siwaju sii, ṣugbọn ti o ṣe TikTok rẹ siwaju sii? O ti wa ni ninu TikTok mi o ni ọpọlọpọ ni ibamu si FYP ati awọn algorithm, ṣugbọn ti o ba ti o ba wa lori nibi fun? Mo ni ife bi nibẹ ni o wa ọpọlọpọ awọn orilẹ-ede ti o yatọ si o, nitorina awọn eniyan gbọdọ si o, lati ri awọn music titun, lati ri awọn artists titun.

Kenya: Mo ti wa ni pataki si music. Mo fẹ ọpọlọpọ awọn DJs, awọn olupese. Mo fẹ ki o jẹ ibi ti mo ti gba, ati nikan bi iyanu show, pẹlu 20 awọn ẹya ara, ki o funfun.

Brooke: Eyi jẹ iyanu, ṣugbọn Mo ti ri ọkan ninu awọn ti o ni lori awọn ọna asopọ, ati awọn ti o jẹ “say yes to a dress” show. Ṣe o ti mọ nipa o?

Kenya: Eyi.

Brooke: Ti o ti wa ni awọn ẹya agbegbe, ati ki o si lọ ki o si wi o gbogbo nitori ti mo nilo lati mọ ohun ti nibẹ ni nibẹ. Ṣe o ti ṣe ohun kanna bi eyi, ibi ti o gba o si a show, ati awọn ti o ba wa, “well, now I have to watch it”?

Kenya: Eyi, ni ibamu siwaju sii. Mo ti ri ọpọlọpọ awọn fidio dara lori TikTok. O jẹ diẹ nla.

Brooke: I love that so much. I was reading how you were born in South Africa but grew up in the UK. I would love to know if any of that has influenced your music and also growing up, the music you listened to.

Kenya: I think I’ve been influenced the most by the UK scene. I lived in South Africa for 8 months. I was a tiny baby, so I don’t really have too much inspiration from there, but I’m very into the UK music scene. There are so many different artists, especially in dance... so many different mini sub-genres. It's very cool.

Brooke: Ati ki o tobi, ti o ti gbọdọ gbọdọ nipa kọọkan? Awọn ti o ti wa ni igbẹkẹle nipa kọọkan? Ohun ti o ti n ṣe nipasẹ awọn ẹkọ ni ile rẹ nigba ti o jẹ ọmọ?

Kenya: When I was really young, my mom always used to play Neo Soul, and I really liked Neo Soul in general. It was amazing. I just loved the chord progressions, and the melodies are stunning. And then when I went to college, I got really into dance music.

Brooke: Ati awọn ẹya ara ẹni ti o jẹ nkan ti o npe ni ọna ti o npe ni ọna ti o? O si tun fihan pe o ni kan ti o dara julọ pẹlu ohun ti o gbọdọ nipa awọn gẹgẹbi.

Kenya: Mo ti fẹ o lati gbogbo igba, lati wa ni owo. Mo fẹ o jẹ awọn buburu ti mo ti o dara ju, eyi ti n ṣe mi lati fẹ ... Mo fẹ nigba ti mo ti wa ni o wa gbajumo, ki o kan 7, Mo ti wa ni YouTube ati Mo ti ri dubstep, ati Mo yoo nikan wo nibẹ nibi ni ibi mi pẹlu awọn ọrọìwòye fẹ lati dubstep, ko danse tabi eyikeyi. Ṣugbọn Mo ti fẹ o. O ti wa ni o dara julọ lati lọ lati gbẹkẹle lati gbẹkẹle [big]...

Brooke: And also being on your music journey and releasing songs this year, everything grows so quickly with you, by the way. How do you decide what you want to release for the next song as you are trying to build your journey as an artist?

Kenya: Honestly, I just play it by ear. I write a lot of songs all the time. And I love posting them, and then I’ll just make a little beat video, and I randomly decide. There is no plan at all.

Brooke: Nibẹ ni o ko kọja? Diẹ ninu awọn eniyan ti wa ni si T, ati ki o si mo bi ti o kan lọ pẹlu bi o ba fẹ. O ba ti o ba ti wa ni nigbagbogbo ti o ba wa ni ibi ti o ti tẹsiwaju a song lori social media ati awọn eniyan ti wa ni ki o tobi ati ki o si gbọdọ nigba ti won yoo bi "tẹsiwaju awọn song! Bawo ni awọn ti o wa?"

Kenya: [fun]

Brooke: Ati ti o ba ti o ba ti wa ni ọkan ninu awọn songs ti o ti wa ni awọn ti o ti tẹsiwaju ati awọn eniyan ti wa ni bi “we need the full version now”?

Kenya: “Strangers” 100%. And then “Out of My Mind”, I teased a part and then released “Strangers” and I think some people were upset that I didn’t release that one. But they both are out now.

Brooke: Are you currently working on a project? How do you see yourself as an artist going forward because we are at the end of 2023, which is so wild to even say, and you’ve already grown and done so much. Where do you see yourself moving forward with your music?

Kenya: I’ve been working on a project, which I’ll drop next year, which is exciting! I’m so excited to release the project instead of just singles. It's gonna be really cool.

Brooke: Kẹsẹ ti o ba ti o ba ṣe ohun kanna bi eyi, bi o mọ ti o ba ti wa ni ṣeto a iṣẹ? Ti o ba wa ni bi, oke, Mo yoo ṣe a LP tabi album, tabi ti o ba bẹrẹ lati fi awọn song ati ki o si tun ni aṣayan bi thematically ati sonically wọn ṣiṣẹ?

Kenya: I feel like I've been accidentally, subconsciously doing that for the whole year, and I've got so many things that I've posted but haven’t released, which I think actually work very well together, so I’m going to make something big next year.

Brooke: O ti wa ni iyanu! Mo fẹ lati kọ nipa yi, nitori Mo ti ṣe awọn iwadi mi, bi o ṣe fun iṣẹ, ati Mo fẹ lati mọ bi o jẹ bi o jẹ lati ṣe akọkọ bi awọn nikan akọkọ akọkọ akọkọ ni afikun Kate Bush lati lọ si No.1 bi a nikan akọkọ akọkọ akọkọ, producer, ati ifihan ni awọn UK pop charts?

Kenya: It's crazy. Kate Bush is so sick. She is such an inspiration, she is amazing. I just think there should be more people to have done that.

Brooke: But maybe you are holding a door for other women to do that, and you don’t even know yet.

Kenya: I hope so. I feel like it's our moment now. It's coming.

Brooke: It is our moment.

Kenya: There are so many sick girls and women that are smashing it in writing and production. It's the moment.

Brooke: I feel like also in the dance genre, not only as performers but as DJs, women have also grown exponentially, which is very exciting.

Kenya: 100%.

Brooke: You did decide to release the sad acoustic version of “Strangers”. We love an emo moment. How did you decide that you wanted to come up with the acoustic version of it, and where do you begin, or did it start that way?

Kenya: I thought it would sound good, honestly. I tried adding strings and then worked on adding cute harmonies. I don’t really release stuff like that, straight up and chill, so I wanted to give it a go, I guess.

Brooke: Mo ro pe o yoo jẹ iyanu lati fi siwaju siwaju siwaju sii nipa agbaye ile-iṣẹ ti o gbọdọ gbọdọ. O ti wa ni fẹ lati wa ni UK ati awọn ile-iṣẹ ile-iṣẹ ti o wa ni o tobi, ṣugbọn ti awọn agbegbe ti awọn ile-iṣẹ ti o ṣe ipa si o si tun? Ni ibamu si awọn ibi miiran, awọn orilẹ-ede miiran.

Kenya: Mo ni ife bi awọn akọkọ julọ ipa mi ni akoko ni Flume lati Australia. O jẹ ipa ti o tobi ti mi. Ati gbogbo eniyan ti o wa ni o wa ni UK ati ile vibes.

Brooke: Mo fẹ dance music, ati Mo fẹ ki Mo ti ko mọ diẹ sii ju odun yi, nibẹ ni o wa ni iyanu. Ṣugbọn o jẹ iyanu. Mo fẹ bi o ti wa ni gbajumo ọpọlọpọ bi a gẹgẹbi gẹgẹbi a gẹgẹbi, ati awọn ti o bi ọkunrin ti o tun ṣe eyi, nibi ti o ti wa ni iranlọwọ lati gbe nipasẹ ni agbaye. Nigba ti o ba fẹ ohun ti o siwaju bi eyi ati awọn eniyan bẹrẹ lati gbe si awọn gẹgẹbi nitori ti o, ohun ti o fẹ?

Kenya: Crazy. I'm happy that people hear drum and bass, to be fair. I didn’t expect you guys to like that.

Brooke: Oh, ti wa ni o dara, o jẹ akoko akọkọ ti o ba wa ni awọn United States. O ti wa ni akọkọ akọkọ rẹ ni New York. Ohun ti o jẹ bi? Awọn agbara? Awọn vibes?

Kenya: Ati awọn vibes ni iyanu! Mo ti ṣe ọkan loni akoko, ati ọkan ninu awọn night before ni “Elsewhere” ni Brooklyn. O ti wa ni ti o dara julọ, gbogbo nkan ni o dara julọ ati awọn vibes ti o dara.

Brooke: <pfseg id="0">Lẹkan ti o bẹrẹ lati ṣẹda fun awọn show rẹ? O jẹ ọkan nkan lati wa ni ọkunrin ati ki o ṣe music ni a ile-iṣẹ tabi ni ibi ailewu rẹ, ṣugbọn o jẹ diẹ sii lati gba awọn music ati ki o lọ ki o si ṣiṣẹ diẹ ninu awọn eniyan.

Kenya: Mo ti tẹsiwaju, ninu awọn ọdun ti o tobi, ninu awọn ọdun ti o tobi, lati lọ si awọn iyanu iyanu, jọwọ. Nitori o jẹ iyanu lati wa ni ibi rẹ ati post online, ibi ti o kan ti o ti ṣe lati fi ara rẹ lati wa ni diẹ ninu gbogbo eniyan, ṣugbọn o jẹ ki o jẹ funfun. O ti wa ni kan diẹ ninu awọn ilana lati kọja. Ṣugbọn Mo tun ṣe ọpọlọpọ lati kọja. Nigba ti mo ṣe mi set, Mo fẹ lati fi awọn transitions laarin awọn songs. Mo fẹ lati ṣe eyi.

Brooke: Nibẹ ni o ni ọpọlọpọ ninu awọn ti o wa lati ṣe. Ni ọdun yii jẹ nikan awọn iwọn iwọn ti o ti a ti ri siwaju sii lati Kenya Grace. Mo ni ife bi 2024 ti wa ni lati gbọdọ ati ki o gba. Nibẹ ni a song ti o ti ṣe, “Paris”, eyi ti o ti tẹsiwaju lati wa ni ko si ọdun kan. Mo fẹ lati fi nipa ọpọlọpọ nipa o, awọn lyrics, ati bi o ti bẹrẹ lati fi yi.

Kenya: Mo ti sọ pe o ni ọdun sẹsẹ, ati pe Mo n fẹ awọn ipo ti o. O ti wa ni ibamu nipa bi awọn ọna asopọ aṣa ati, siwaju sii, ohun ti Mo ti mọ nipa awọn ibasepo lori awọn aṣa asopọ lori awọn aṣa asopọ. Awọn wọnyi le wa ni o dara julọ ṣugbọn nibẹ ni o wa ni ipinnu, ati pe eyi jẹ fun awọn ibasepo bi ninu awọn ẹgbẹ ati awọn ibasepo bi daradara, Mo fẹ. Mo ti ri o. Mo ni anfani ti o ti wa. Mo fẹ o jẹ diẹ ninu ohun ti o ni diẹ ninu awọn ohun tobi ọdun tobi.

Brooke: So it's coming soon?

Kenya: Soon-ish.

Brooke: Mo ti wa ni igba ti o ni iyanu pẹlu ẹnikẹni ti o jẹ olokiki ti o ni titun ati ki o wa ni iyanu, ti o ni o ni ọpọlọpọ awọn ifilelẹ ni ki o gbọdọ. O kan funfun lati mọ ni ibi ti o ba ti o ba wa pẹlu gbogbo eyi, ati ibi ti o fẹ lati lọ. O ti wa ni ṣeto si awọn brand rẹ ati awọn artisticry rẹ bi Kenya Grace, ati awọn ti o ni gbogbo funfun lati ri ibi ti o fẹ lati gba awọn ohun nitori o le lọ si eyikeyi pẹlu awọn iṣẹ rẹ.

Kenya: I’m trying to take it day by day. I'm trying not to think about the big picture too much because it's stressing me out. You can just overthink it.

Brooke: Mo mọ pe a ti wa ni lọ si awọn Holiday akoko ati ki o gbọdọ, o yoo gba diẹ ninu awọn akoko. Eyi ti o ṣee ṣe fun awọn Holiday?

Kenya: Lori pẹlu ile-iwe mi, lati wa ni owo. A ko ni a nla Christmas. O jẹ nikan mi ati ọlọrun mi, ati mama mi ati papa. O jẹ kan ti o dara julọ ati chill.

Brooke: It's nice to go back and just be with your family, just do you and be you.

Kenya: I think that's the thing I like about Christmas because it's the time with your family.

Brooke: There is still so much to do, so much to accomplish for you as an artist. What are your goals for 2024? Obviously, we talked about the upcoming project, but I would like to know what else, and that could be anything.

Kenya: I’m really excited to play at festivals, different shows, releasing new music, and maybe a collab.

Brooke: Who is a dream collaborator for you, if you could work with anybody?

Kenya: Mo ni o ni ọpọlọpọ. O yẹ ki o yẹ ki o fi wọn gbogbo? Ati Flume, eyi yoo jẹ iyanu mi. Mo fẹ o siwaju sii. O le Chase & Status, ṣugbọn awọn iyanu akọkọ mi yoo jẹ Lana Del Rey, but it’s so far away…

Brooke: I love Lana.

Kenya: She is so amazing.

Brooke: Ni o ni eyikeyi olumulo, music ti o mọ nipasẹ ati nipasẹ bi, ibi bi, "Imi ni o ni a akoko. Emi yoo fi si awọn music ti o ṣe mi o siwaju sii"?

Kenya: Probably her [Lana Del Rey]. I love her. She is so soothing, her voice... everything. I love it.

Brooke: What do you want the world to know about who you are?

Kenya: It's so hard. I don’t know if people can tell, but I’m quite an introverted person. But maybe it's pretty obvious [laughing], but I’m quiet and reserved, and I love music, and I feel like I’m an emo at heart. Basically, music is my only hobby, apart from it, I love tattoos and all alternative things.

Brooke: What advice would you give your younger self and anybody who starts to make music?

Kenya: Mo ti wa ni igbekale, ṣayẹwo lati fi ara rẹ bi o ṣe. Mo fẹ o jẹ ohun ti o dara julọ lati ṣe. O ni o dara julọ lati ni anfani lati ṣe o nigbati o fẹ, laisi ti o ṣe akoko ni a ile pẹlu ẹnikẹni miiran. Mo fẹ ki o jẹ awọn akọkọ iroyin mi, ati fi awọn wọnyi online, ṣugbọn o jẹ iyanu.

Brooke: What virtually inspires you?

Kenya: I love watching TV shows. I think it's so artsy, and people sometimes look down on watching TV, but there are things that are really cool, like “American Horror Story”. Things like that are so inspiring. It's so cool.

Brooke: What was your favorite song to record?

Kenya: O jẹ ki o rọrun lati yan. Ọkan ninu awọn ọpọlọpọ awọn ọrọ mi ti o fẹ lati ṣe ni “Meteor”. Mo nikan fẹ lati gbe o, ati pe “Strangers” jẹ diẹ funfun lati gbe.

Brooke: And it must be special in a way, to know now how many people connect to it on a deep level. What is your favorite part of the writing/creating process?

Kenya: I love all of it, to be honest. I love making the beat first, and then you feel the vibe of it, and then you get this moment where you like, “oh, I really like that”, where you know that’s working. That is my favorite.

Brooke: What inspires you, and whom do you look up to?

Kenya: So many people. Chase & Status, and so many singers. When I was younger, Adele - amazing songwriting, and Fred Again, I saw him recently, the energy at his concerts is insane.

Brooke: Lẹhinna ti o ba ti o ba ti wa ni ifowosowopo fun ara rẹ pẹlu iṣakoso ati etiketi nigba ti o ba ti wa ni ifọwọsi?

Kenya: I really love my team. They really get the whole thing, and they are very supportive, and I feel like they back my ideas 100%.

Brooke: Congratulations on everything. Thank you so much for taking the time to sit here with us today and getting to know you better.