Entertainment
Golden Child
New Zealand recording artist Kimbra may still be best known for her appearance on the international breakout hit “Somebody I Used To Know” by Belgian-Australian singer/songwriter Gotye, she is rapidly building her own distinct reputation for being one of the most diverse and interesting pop artists to step into the mainstream in years. At just 24 years old, Kimbra is a strong proponent of independent and innovative experimentation in music as well as lifestyles, and supports the right to access medical cannabis for those that need it. She just released her second solo record The Golden Echo, which sees her continuing to push her own musical boundaries and traverse new musical terrain while collaborating with an array of talented artists. Like her 2011 debut Vows, The Golden Echo sees the artist blending aspects of contemporary pop, hip-hop, electronica and R&B, with bits and pieces of electro funk and hints of jazz and soul to create a sound that’s as catchy and captivating as it is diverse. CULTURE was able to catch up with Kimbra and learn all about the motivations and wonderful experiences behind the making of The Golden Echo.
I know you’ve got a record that just came out, The Golden Echo, did you go into the writing and recording process with any specific goals in mind?
Yeah, well, I always place innovation on a pedestal when I’m in the studio, you know? I really want to go into a space of experimentation and try to delve into places I haven’t explored before, or, maybe, places I’ve touched on before and want to explore deeper. I also wanted to have a heavier backbone, a heavier rhythm to this record; more subs, kind of a hip-hop feel, but heavier and more aggressive.
Was it challenging to incorporate more live musicians into your music?
No, it was very natural actually. The producer on the record, Rich Costey, really put a lot of time into thinking about the people who would play on it. He didn’t just bring in musicians who’d played on thousands of records, but brought in my friends and artists like John Legend, Daniel Johns from Silverchair or Michael Jackson’s studio drummer; people who you know for their sounds and you know as soon as they play on the record, like Thundercat, you know it’s them. So working with them in that context was very natural because they’re already good friends and I know their sounds inside and out.
It sounds like a really amazing experience having Rich help you make all of these collaborations happen, how did you decide you wanted to work with him in the first place?
Well, I’m a huge Mars Volta fan, I discovered them when I was 15 or 16, and I remember being so blown away by the dimension and panoramic sound of those records. I remember thinking, “Man, whoever mixed this must be insane! How did they deal with so many sounds, and yet find a pocket for all of them?!” He’s also produced some of my other favorite bands, like Muse from Denmark, and Interpol.
Your music is known for embodying a wide range of influences and styles, is it ever difficult to pick a specific direction for a song when you’re writing it?
I try not to set out with a plan for the direction I’m going to explore in or the genre I’m gonna do, I think that limits you. I go in trying to find something that makes me think of something my friend Van Dyke Parks says when he hears something beautiful, which is, “It reminds me of a place I’ve never been!”
In concert: Oct. 20 @ The Independent, San Francisco
Oct. 28 @ Sherman Street Event Center
