'5 Questions With': Kayowa
"Real magic is created when the vibes are correct and the chemistry between artists is strong."
South London-based artist Kayowa truly is a force to be reckoned with - being a poet, singer, producer and writer, the independent multi-talent has had a highly active year last year in which she released her debut album and a mixtape, to name but a few. To keep up her momentum, she continues to drop new gems. Only recently, Kayowa gifted us with singles ‘And Scene’ and ‘Based’, with music videos on their way soon too. Her raw lyrics, which she bases on the way she feels on the day, and distinct sound portrays an authentic way of storytelling which is undoubtedly a breath of fresh air. We spoke to Kayowa about what it’s like to navigate the music industry being independent and what she’s got coming up in the next few months.
Read the full interview below…
Words & Interview by Antonia Kuenzel
EQ: Hey Kayowa! First of all, you are writing, producing and mixing your singles all by yourself - how are you managing the workflow so well?
K: Hi there! I haven’t produced any of my recent music, so up till now I’ve just been writing, recording and mixing my stuff. It’s pretty easy because I’m used to it. Recording vocals can take from 15 minutes to a whole day… so I make sure to split everything up into little chunks to avoid being overwhelmed by the amount of things I have to do in the long run.
EQ: Your most recent single “And Scene” is about navigating the music industry independently. What have been the biggest challenges for you being independent?
K: Being independent itself is pretty challenging as you have to be super disciplined. No one fills up a diary or a schedule for you; you need to put in the work yourself. I’m a fairly organised and efficient person so for me it’s not too hard, but sometimes I find myself struggling because I can’t do it alone. Thankfully, I have so many good friends who fuck with my shit and are always willing to help me out. Being independent also means you have to fund your own career (unless you have a grant), which is something I didn’t realise prior to my journey. If you have the means, it’s easy, but if you don’t, it feels like you’re constantly dropping music without anything to show for it. The journey feels long and frustrating for the most part. But finally, the biggest challenge that I’m overcoming is self doubt. When you’ve been making music for a long time and haven’t gotten to the place that you’ve envisioned for yourself, it can be depressing because it feels like you’re not in alignment with your calling. I know that that’s not the case as everything will happen in divine timing for me; it’s just not my time yet.
“When you’ve been making music for a long time and haven’t gotten to the place that you’ve envisioned for yourself, it can be depressing because it feels like you’re not in alignment with your calling. I know that that’s not the case as everything will happen in divine timing for me”
- KAYOWA
EQ: How did you get into music and spoken word in the first place? Was it something you had always considered as a career?
K: I’ve always been a poet. I’ve written poetry for as long as I can remember. As a child, it was a coping mechanism for me as I grew up in a pretty toxic household. Poetry and songwriting go hand in hand so I can easily do both. My music journey started at 3 when I started playing shit by ear, and then my parents capitalised on my talent and got me piano lessons from then up until year 11. I was pushed to be a music prodigy because my mum stopped her piano lessons when she was young, and she didn’t want that for me. My mum also said that when she was pregnant with me, some lady approached her and said I’m destined to be a global phenomenon… whatever that means 😉
EQ: Who from the UK (or beyond!) music/spoken word scene would you love to work with one day and why?
K: I’d like to work with Travis Scott one day.. But really and truly it’s not that deep for me. People are people! If we vibe, great. If we don’t? Great. Talent is found anywhere so I don’t really have any person in mind whom I’d be down to work with. Real magic is created when the vibes are correct and the chemistry between artists is strong, not when you’re desperate to work with someone… cringe.
EQ: Your brand new single ‘Based’ is out now as well - are currently working on a new project as well, or anything else that you can let us in on? 😉
K: Yes yes yes! Based is out now, produced by my bro wavexnoir! A video is also coming out for that soon so keep your eyes peeled! We had so much fun shooting the video. Also expect another album from Kayowa this year… that’s all I’m saying.
Stream ‘Based’ HERE
Follow Kayowa on socials:
Instagram: @1kayowa
Twitter: @1kayowa
