What inspired you to begin a career in music?
I have always been around music. My parents aren’t musicians, but we always had music playing around the house, especially 90s RnB.
When I was younger, I spent time in musical theatre, which was great as it gave me confidence to be able to perform on stage from a young age but singing was never a ‘thing’ for me really, acting was my thing when I was younger, I wanted to be in films. That was, until a couple of years ago, when I had the opportunity to perform as a solo singer at a one-off unsigned music event. This was something completely new to me, but I received a great reaction from the audience. After this, I realised that if I really put time into this, I could be successful. It was then that I really knew that I wanted to focus on music and it has progressed from there.
What differs you and your sound from other upcoming artists in the music industry?
I think the main thing about my sound that makes me stand out from other up-and-coming artists, especially in the UK, is my versatility and the way that I can sing and/or rap over beats. I believe that my vocals are as good as my rapping. Actually…I feel that my vocals are stronger, which gives me the ability to switch between these styles and seamlessly blend them together. I genuinely think that this is something that people haven’t heard before at a good level and I feel like I can bring this sound to the UK music scene. Additionally, I have a passion and hunger to succeed which will push me ahead of other artists and I’m just getting started.
If you put all of this together, I think it gives me a pretty unique lane in which to work with and lots of room for growth and development in the years to come.
Your debut EP ‘Prospekt’ is due to be released 19th June. Can you please describe the creative process and the inspiration behind the EP?
Creating the ‘Prospekt’ EP was a lot of fun. It was my first project and posed some serious challenges for me as it was something completely new. With this EP, I was determined to prove my ability, because pre-2020 I’d only released a couple of singles over a 12-month period and I knew they weren’t as strong as my new stuff was going to be.
Before the EP process began, I had created ‘Steppin’ and I knew that track was going to do numbers and get attention, I could just feel it. So, I set myself the personal challenge of ensuring every song after ‘Steppin’, was constantly elevating in quality.
I made the decision to stick with one producer (who I worked with on ‘Steppin’), so that we could build a relationship and vibe off one another, rather than have to start from scratch for each track. We would be in the studio for hoursssss. I love that place man, the home of creativity. When I’m at the studio I would much prefer to work longer hours and get the song finished within one session, rather than have to keep returning to the song because then…I don’t know… it just doesn’t feel the same, the creative juices don’t flow as well.
It was definitely a learning experience and I actually created a number of tracks that didn’t make it onto the EP, just because I didn’t think they were strong enough. It was hard work, but well worth it and I really believe in the final product.
Everyone experiences good days and bad days, as a musician, when you have a bad day, what motivates you to keep moving and look ahead to the future?
My motivation comes from inspiration. I look back on the winners of the past, for example, Micheal Jordan. He didn’t always win. He experienced many losses before reaching success, but everytime he fell, he made sure that he came back 10 times stronger. That’s the kind of mentality I carry with me, always bounce-back harder. You have to learn from your mistakes, but not let them weigh you down. Thinking forward is really important to the way that I remain positive. The music industry is a tough place, so you have to make sure that you are mentally ready for the highs-and-lows if you are going to reach the top and achieve your goals.
In your own opinion, what is the most meaningful song you wrote? What makes you say that one?
Definitely 50fifty. I feel that this song was my opportunity to express some of those deeper feelings. Of all the tracks on the EP, I put the most time into this one…It took time for us to get the beat right, but once that happened, the lyrics flowed so nicely, I knew that this was going to be my favourite. It tells my story of brotherhood and life as a teenager in this generation. The fact that it is not easy at all. It feels like everybody has underlying intentions and it’s hard to know who to love and who to trust. That’s why it’s essential to keep your real ones by your side regardless, that’s the overall message behind this song and why it resonates so strongly with me.
Throughout your musical career, have you experienced any ‘wow’ moments? Those moments that you stop to reflect and can’t believe you are where you are?
You never truly know how people are going to react to your music, so when your tracks start getting some streams, it gives justification to all your hard work. When my latest track hit 100k on Spotify, that was a big big moment for me. I feel like that was the point where I sat back and reflected on the journey so far.
What personal advice would you give to someone wanting to pursue this career?
That’s a good question. The advice I’d give to someone wanting to pursue music is it takes full commitment. There are no half-measures, it’s 110% hustle all the time, because this industry is not easy and there is always someone else trying to take your spot. It is a case of continually trying to improve. Understanding that not everyone is going to like what you are creating, but having the right mindset and determination to succeed is the key.
What does the foreseeable future hold for you as an artist?
Experiments…I’m working myself out, testing things out, finding out what I can really do. I’m really pushing myself to become the best artist I can be and I’m in no rush. I think the fact that I started this musical journey at such a young age can only be beneficial for me in the long run. I’ve got time to perfect my craft and grow…literally lol.
Lockdown has given me time to create new music, I’ve got a lot of songs in the bank now, loads of different styles and they will be released when the time is right. The next stage is all about development and hard-work.
Anything else you would like to add?
I thought it would be good to give a brief description of each track to help give people some background on the overall thoughts for the EP.
Aquaman
Aquaman is the opening song from the EP, so it was essential that this song hit-hard and brought the energy from the get-go to keep listeners interested. Furthermore, this song is about me making a point. It’s me showing my self-belief and stating why I think I stand out from other artists on the rise.
50fifty
This is my favourite track on the EP. It tells my story of brotherhood and life as a teenager in this generation. It’s not easy at all. It feels like everybody has underlying intentions and it’s hard to know who to love and who to trust. That’s why it’s essential to keep your real ones by your side regardless, that’s the overall message behind this song and why it resonates strongly with me.
Sauna
Sauna is a big vibe. It’s all about my desire to elevate and my determination to become successful in the music game and how sometimes that can have an impact on how I am perceived by the people around me.
In Range
In Range explains the countless times I have been slept-on and been second-best for various reasons. That feeling is one of the most frustrating feelings in the world, but recently I have learnt to use that as a driving force to prove people wrong and take my opportunities when they come.
Indecisive Feelings
Indecisive Feelings describes that feeling when you feel yourself becoming helplessly drawn to this person even though you know they’re probably not good for you. This has been a problem for me on numerous occasions lol. This is definitely one of my favourite tracks from the project because it’s one of those songs you can play whatever mood you’re in.
Hometime
This is the only pure RnB track on the EP. It talks about built-up tension within a relationship and the problems and stress that comes with love. Me and the producer had been itching to create a stand alone RnB track for a long time and Hometime is the outcome of that.
‘Prospekt’ EP is available now via all major platforms.
Connect with Kaci Brookz
Instagram | Facebook | Website | YouTube | SoundCloud
Leave a Reply