Meet The Emerging Pop Songstress Kelly Kiara
A fierce songwriter, a supporter of self-love, and a positive new force in the pop music game are three ways to describe Kelly Kiara. With a love for “words” at an early age, the emerging artist soon became an expert songwriter. Kelly’s music and lyrics hone in on themes like empowerment, self-determination and positivity. In 2019 the songstress dropped her debut single ‘Tornado’ – a carefree anthem – and quickly followed up with her second release ‘Set Me Up’. With her latest record ‘Sex Faces’ making the rounds as well as the development of her inclusive clothing line, Kelly Kiara is ready to take the entertainment world by storm.
We were able to chat with Kelly about everything from her latest single, her writing process, the importance of diversity, and more…
Who were your top three music idols growing up?
There are so many but I’d have to go with Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé and JoJo
When did you decide that you wanted to pursue your own career as an artist?
As far back as I can remember, my mum would encourage me to sing the Disney songs, then it went on to writing songs to perform with girlfriends in the playground at Primary School, the passion just grew from there.
What are some of the obstacles you’ve faced as a singer/songwriter? How have these roadblocks shaped you into the artist you are today?
There is a lot of mental health issues that can come with the profession, it’s therapy to write about personal things, but it can also feel unhealthy and draining to constantly rake through emotions and reopen wounds for art, so there is a fine line to the balance which is individual for every artist.
The main roadblock for me has been and still is learning about the music industry and knowing how to navigate a sustainable and happy career.
Do you still have the first song you ever wrote?
Yes, I keep all the music I’ve been making over the years archived and go back to listen every now and again, it’s super important to always re-listen to your music to understand how you’re growing but also because music is so fickle, a song which may not have been popular a few years ago, could be relevant today. Great music is timeless.
How do you get in the zone when you’re writing new material?
I like to feel comfortable, so I usually tidy the space I’m working in, light candles, have fresh flowers, comfy clothes, a nice hot drink and sometimes a hot water bottle too, that’s as about as diva as it gets!
Let’s chat about your latest banger ‘Sex Faces’! Everything between the sound and lyrics is fantastic! What was the inspiration behind the track?
Thank you so much! The inspiration was really just the great feeling the beat gave me when I was making the song with Producer and Artist, Harry James. The production just made me feel liberated and carefree so I wanted to portray that in the song by not making the lyrics too serious and just having some fun with it!
The video for the song is great! It’s giving us confidence, creativity, and nostalgia. Can you take us through the creative process for the visual? What elements and themes did you want to touch on?
Thank you! That’s exactly what I wanted to achieve when I started the creative process. I knew the visual had to eccentric and reflect the sexual assertation I deliver in the song, so I started thinking about different scenes and aspects of my personality which I wanted to showcase. I used Affinity Design to create with different mood boards for each scene, literally copying and pasting images into a blank template to imitate what I want the section of the video to look like. I then make a note of all the materials/props/models/dancers and camera angles which are required to achieve that particular shot. The video grew and grew through trial and error as well as working collaboratively with the director.
Why was it important for you to have such a beautiful and diverse group of people featured in the visual?
It’s important to me that I showcase diversity as there is a distinct lack of this within music videos and the entertainment industry, which doesn’t sit right to me. There are so many singers, actors, dancers, models who are part of minority groups who are so talented that it would be a disservice for me not to champion that within my work seeing as I am part of the casting process.
With there being so much uncertainty in the world right now, what mantra or positive thought do you find yourself holding on to?
Yes, it has affected me in different ways and I’ve been forced to really get to know myself. I made myself a book which I can look at every day to make me feel positive, I keep it by my bed and try to look at it every morning; It includes dream boards, targets I want to achieve as well as affirmations which I can read out loud. A positive thought I have been holding on to is that amongst all the pain and upset is ‘Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between the world ending and starting again’
What can fans expect from Kelly Kiara in the coming months? Will we be getting more music and videos? An album or EP?
I have been working tirelessly on a mixtape which really paints an honest picture of what I have been going through over the past two years. It’s the most personal and diverse project I have worked on so far which makes me nervous, but there will be so much more music for fans to digest and get to know me better through which is exciting as I’m revealing a part of myself which not many people have seen.
Watch Kelly Kiara’s music video for her single ‘Sex Faces’ below.
