Published on: STATUS magazine, 2018
An interview with New Zealand musician Kimbra on her album Primal Heart.
After four years, the queen that you used to know is making a comeback. Popstar royalty,
KIMBRA barges back into the music scene with a brand new perspective and a new sound.
Change has come, and it's the best change we've had this year.
Always up to something new, the shapeshift of Kimbra's new music is angled on innovation but still with the stamp of her heart and soul. That same emotion and sass are just poured into a different creative bowl.
In our PILLOWTALK, Kimbra shares her new album, Primal Heart, and how she conquers uncharted territory as she pushed herself beyond the enemy lines which is her comfort zone. She discusses how she feels free with musical constraints and how change is important as an artist.
As a musician, how important do you think being innovative is on doing your craft?
Kimbra: I see it as my responsibility to take the torch of the musical heroes who have passed on and try to fearlessly push music forward by taking risks and making songs that speak to the spirit. To me, art should mirror life and culture, so being innovative is about pushing forward to new ideas, just as technology is doing.
The emotions are often the same over time, but there are so many new ways to say it or sound landscapes and melodies to express it.
Why is change in an artist important in honing their craft?
Because every time you change your process, your sound palate, your approach, your
hardware, or your space, you are bringing elasticity to the mind and the muscles. That's a great thing for an artist to learn, to adapt and express in new ways, and to face our fears and turn them into strength. That's how we evolve as humans too!
How important is it for you to venture out of your comfort zone as an artist or even as a person in general?
It's very important because invaluable lessons come from being out of your comfort
zone. You have to learn humility, the courage to take risks even when you don't know the outcome, and collaborative skills because you need to trust others and it teaches you the capacity of your ability.
If I'm making a record and nothing is surprising me or making me feel slightly invaded, I'll usually look for a way to create tension in the music, so there's something to react to. I love the rub between two opposing forces.
That's where I think we come up with some of our greatest ideas. Being scared but diving in all the same. It's that moment of vulnerability that switches you from head to heart.
Do you think visually, you had changed as well? What has changed if ever?
Your aesthetic tends to change as you shift in your view of the world. I used to like summery and things to always exist a little in the clouds including my fashion. These days I'm more drawn to asymmetry, angular silhouettes, less neatness, more grounded colors, and bold lines.
This is a result of my growth as a person and how I want to express myself through music. The songs have a sense of protest and themes of primality to them, so similarly, it's only natural for things to visually follow that space and further evoke those ideas for the audience.
In creating your new album, Primal Heart, what mentality do you have to embrace and depart from?
I wanted to depart from the mentality of "more is more‟ and infinite possibilities. I wanted
to find a more exposed space to sit inside and embrace the feeling of nakedness and space.
This meant I had to feel safe inside my skin and trust the people I worked with.
I also tried to embrace courage and that came from making some strong decisions in my own life like traveling to new places and moving to New York.
Who’s an artist that served as an inspiration or as a springboard when you were creating this album?
I appreciated the space in Fyfe's music. I got lost in the dreaminess of Beach
House and their "classic‟ style of songwriting that felt so surprisingly familiar and instinctual to me. I was deeply moved by Kendrick [Lamar] as an artist who could challenge and provoke urgency in the listener.
What can your listeners expect from Primal Heart?
A more personal side of who I am.
Why is 2018 the perfect time to release Primal Heart?
Because I think people are ready for it!
As you explore different musical directions every time you create something new, who is Kimbra when it all boils down to it?
A 27-year-old from New Zealand following the ancient lines of curiosity down infinite rabbit holes in search for truth....or something like that.
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