What is your names?
Kira May
What is your genre of music?
Art pop/experimental pop
Give us a little bio about you.
I’m an INFJ, Taurus, artist, vegan woman from Toronto.
Are you a signed?
No.
You have released the your new single ‘Muscle Memory’ ,tell us more about it.
Muscle Memory looks at how we store painful experiences in our bodies as children who are soft and malleable. As we grow older we make use of the defense mechanisms that we learned to cope with pain, even though those defenses may not serve us any longer.
Tell us about the naming process of the single.
Muscle memory refers to learning a motor skill through enough repetition that it becomes second nature. The song uses this concept to discuss how the learned behavior we use to defend ourselves against repeated trauma can become automatic.
What was the writing process like?
My writing process is very much based in play. I create loops and samples with my voice and just start singing along. I record these play sessions and expand upon the ideas that excite me the most.
What was the recording process like?
I was scared to death to record the album Sense, of which “Muscle Memory” is a part. It was the very first song we worked on for the album. I was terrified. Luckily Sandro Perri (who engineered, mixed and co-produced the track) is a dream to work with. It’s very easy to feel comfortable and open around him.
You also premiered the video for ‘Muscle Memory’, how was the making of it?
Making the video was a great experience because I was surrounded by such talented, amazing and creative people. I loved seeing how video production works–I was absolutely in awe of everyone.
Any good memories from shooting?
The whole thing is a really good memory for me. Seeing Roxanne Ignatius’s paper set for the first time was a beautiful moment.
You are also set to drop your new album in the spring, what we expect from it?
You can expect ten songs that tell a story of transcendence and transformation. A LOT of vocal layers.
Describe the album in three words.
Lush. Vivid. Intimate.
Do you have any shows coming up or a tour maybe?
I am in the midst of booking a release show in Toronto for the month of May. You can also expect to see us around this summer….
Do you have any collaborations coming up with any other artists or bands?
Possibly….
Would you be up for collaborating with artists or bands?
Definitely.
What made you go in to music?
I just felt the call inside of me. I felt is so strongly, and I felt depressed when I wasn’t doing it. I had to fight every single demon I had just to get up on a stage. Every step of this process has been a fight. It’s humbling and beautiful to work so hard for something, and every time I walk onto a stage I feel the reward.
Do you play any instruments?
For now I only play voice.
Who are your influences?
Definitely Björk, Steve Reich, Arvo Pärt, Animal Collective, Kanye West to name a few.
How do you get inspiration to write songs?
Writing songs is a way to meditate upon and understand my life and the world. It’s so cathartic. I figure a lot of things out this way. The songs are all like meditations or little excavations of myself. Being a person in this world is such a strange and surreal experience, there is no limit of inspiration.
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
I hope that I will be spending my time making and performing music, making paintings, and that I am somewhere sunny and warm.
When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
I enjoy painting. I also like to swim and practice yoga. Stare into the eyes of the people I love.
What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene?
I listened to Broken Social Scene’s You Forgot It in People a lot. To me that album was such a symbol of this exciting world of music in Toronto that I wanted to be a part of.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
“Let your fear be your guide.”
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
Trust your intuition! Follow that feeling in the pit of your gut.
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
There’s only three things:
My gear, or else the show can’t happen.
Pineapple juice.
To breathe.
You come off tour;
1/ Where do you go first?
I go home and take a bubble bath.
2/Who do you see?
My cat Aslan.
3/What do you eat?
A huge bowl of home-cooked vegan chili.
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
