'5 Questions With': KUU
"Our paths crossed in London and we enjoyed making music together, so we carried on making more music and suddenly we had a bunch of material together and thought “let's put this out!”."
Kicking off in a big way last year, trio KUU have quickly garnered an ever-growing audience with collaborations with the likes of TSHA, Dua Lipa and Foals, and defining tracks including ‘How Could I Ever‘ and ‘We’ll Always Have The Dance’. Formed of Grammy-nominated producers Riton and Alex Metric and highly acclaimed singer-songwriter Shungudzo, all three also have respectable careers of their own but decided to team up after they identified their undeniable chemistry as collaborators.
Just last week they returned with new music, an EP titled ‘How To Change Your Mind‘. The project transports us right back to the 80’s Balearic Beat scene and with its uplifting, joyful vibes it arrives in perfect time for summer.
Ahead of the release, we managed to speak to the trio and find out more about the release, how they met and more.
Read the full interview below…
EQ: First of all, all three of you have had respectable music careers of your own, how did your trio come about? Was it a spontaneous choice to form it or has it always been in the cards eventually?
Alex / Henry: There was no masterplan at all. Our paths crossed in London and we enjoyed making music together, so we carried on making more music and suddenly we had a bunch of material together and thought “let’s put this out!”.
Shungudzo: One of the most beautiful things about this project to me is that it wasn’t planned. It was born out of the three of us deciding to make music that we loved every time we got together — eventually we made so many songs that we loved that the only natural thing to do was to put it out!
EQ: How did you even meet initially? Obviously Riton and Alex, you are both producers, and Shungudzo, you are a singer - who did you know that you all were the perfect fit for each other?
Alex: A friend of mine had suggested I work with Shun when she was in London, me and Henry were working together a lot at the time so I suggested he join. We wrote two songs on that first day and straight away I knew something special was going on. “Lucky” from the EP is the the first song we made together, I think when a song like that appears on the first day you know you need to make more!
Shungudzo: It was obvious from the first day we worked together that our individual tastes and interests could come together to create something beautiful. The very first song we wrote, “Lucky,” came together so naturally and encompassed so many of the things we all value — unique sounds and melodies, and insightful lyrics.
[About ‘Dancing In The Dark’]
“It’s a reminder that, no matter how shy, sad or “unworthy” of company we sometimes feel, there are so many pleasant surprises waiting for us when we put ourselves out there. This theme — the theme of the power of togetherness — runs throughout our EP, “How To Change Your Mind.”
EQ: You have just released your newest single ‘Dancing In The Dark’- what can you tell us about the single and also the ‘How To Change Your Mind’ EP it will be part of?
Alex: The song started life in LA. Jetlag had me up super early, I was tinkering on my laptop looking out of the window as the sun was rising and the chords for this presented themselves. I think you can hear that atmosphere in the track. Me and Shun worked on it in the studio in LA later that day then it travelled back to London where me and Henry finished it up.
Shungudzo: To me, “Dancing In The Dark” is about the power we have to cheer each other up. How sometimes, when we’re stuck in our heads — or stuck inside as we’ve been for so long — what we truly need to lift our spirits is the uplifting energy of others. It’s a reminder that, no matter how shy, sad or “unworthy” of company we sometimes feel, there are so many pleasant surprises waiting for us when we put ourselves out there. This theme — the theme of the power of togetherness — runs throughout our EP, “How To Change Your Mind.”
EQ: With the project you are capturing the 80’s Balearic Beat scene, which is such a great vibe. How did that idea come about?
Alex / Henry: It’s one of many influences for us. There’s a musical influence from Balearic records but also Ibiza as a place has played a part in the project early on. A lost weekend at the famous Pikes Hotel a few weeks before we met Shun definitely put us on the path to KUU.
Shungudzo: That was all Alex and Riton! I have always loved the free-spirited energy in both Alex and Riton’s productions. Their abilities to make tracks that transport you to another time and place, and yet also feel so very current.
EQ: What else have you got planned for this year? If the world goes back to normal, is a tour planned?
Alex / Henry: Who knows, we’d love to have the opportunity to perform these records infront of people, if there is a demand for that to happen i’m sure we’ll find a way. We have an idea for a stage set up that looks amazing, hopefully we get to do it one day.
Shungudzo: Definitely to make more music! And we would love to perform these songs live and to incorporate more of our visual ideas into creating something beautiful for people to experience.
Listen to the EP below…
Stream ‘How To Change Your Mind’ HERE
Follow KUU on socials:
Instagram: @kuumusic
Twitter: @kuumusic1
Facebook: @kuumusic
