Kimia – Interview
I meet so many awesome and inspiring people with BandsRising, some turn out to be right in my own backyard. Kimia is a very diverse and talented musician from London, currently living in Dallas, Tx. She writes and records several different genres of music, and has traveled the world connecting and collaborating with other musicians.
Tony Coke: Some of your music is singer / songwriter based, some of it leans towards electronic, some even has hints of country. What type of music do you most identify with, what do listen to when you put on your headphones?
Kimia: My background is classical and I’m a huge jazz fan as well. Much of my writing for my personal projects is singer/songwriter but I love participating in a variety of genres (jazz, hip-hop, electronic, pop, world, Celtic) because I love meeting people and trying different things. I’ve lived on three continents and have been influenced by a lot of different music and cultures as a result, so I have very eclectic taste when it comes to music. The electronic music is a collaboration with a talented young DJ and has been a lot of fun. I’m also working on some hip/hop violin and reggae with a local artist in Dallas and that is a lot of fun too! I’m always happy to accompany friends as a violinist on their projects too (or fiddle as they call it in Texas ☺).
Tony Coke: You have a new project to be released soon, give us the down low.
Kimia: It’s a pop album with a full band. There will be a couple of songs on the album that are acoustic and that is because I wanted the lyrics to be the focus of those songs. I wanted a lot of space and didn’t want the songs to be overproduced. As a musician as well as a writer, I try to find a balance between space for the musicians to shine and letting the lyrics/message be the focus.
Tony Coke: Why did you write it, what was your inspiration?
Kimia: So, as well as being a professional musician, I’m a professional psychologist. I spend a lot of time helping others work through situations but often don’t take the time to process my own feelings! ☺ This album focuses on lessons from life and love. I wanted to be more real and personal with this one. Some songs are about my experiences and some were written for friends, e.g. a remembrance song written on the 1 year anniversary of a friends death from cancer.
Tony Coke: Wow, very impressive, you must be super busy! Is the album already completed? Can people see videos in the studio or get involved with the recording?
Kimia: The recording is almost completed and the album will be mixed by the end of the month. There will be behind the scenes videos on my facebook page over the next few weeks www.facebook.com/kimiajourneys
Tony Coke: When does it come out and how will people be able to listen?
Kimia: The release date is on October 16th and the album will be available in person at the CD release party in Dallas, as well as on iTunes and other online retailers.
Tony Coke: How involved are you in the beats and production of your music? there is piano in one of your tracks, is that you as well?
Kimia: I’m very involved in the production of my music and select session musicians based on a sound I’m looking for, but I’m always open to their ideas as well. The beauty of bringing a track to life is in the collaboration. We have a great music scene in Dallas and I’m fortunate to know and work with some really talented people. I specifically have to give a shout out to my friends The Funky Knuckles, Whiskey Holler, The Selkie Girls and Crystal Clear Sound.
Tony Coke: We were talking beforehand, and you mentioned a world music project you were working on. What are the details on that?
Kimia: I love to travel and meet people from different cultures. I also think its important that we work together and learn from each other. Recently I had the opportunity to travel to India to write with and produce music with two different groups. I was looking for a tabla player and was thrilled to meet one and work with him too. I’ve been enjoying working on several different genres this year so I decided to split my projects into three different releases. I’ll have my pop/singer, songwriter album, an electronic music collaboration album and a world genre collaboration with influences from India, Africa and the Middle East. It’s been a special year so far and I’ve made some great new friendships along the way.
Tony Coke: Very cool! What’s the best way for people to connect with you?
Kimia: Please find me on facebook! www.facebook.com/kimiajourneys
