The bi-coastal Singer/Songwriter Kendyle Paige releases her stimulating EP titled, 'Before We Had Time, We Had Fire.'
Born with music in her veins, Kendyle Paige mentioned that seeing her music impact other people's lives validates that she's exactly where she needs to be. Not to mention catching the attention of industry giants like DJ Khaled and Diddy during the hit reality show 'The Four: Battle For Stardom,' which is validation in itself.
With the release of her latest EP, 'Before We Had Time, We Had Fire,' Paige infused fresh electronic elements within the project's exhilarating Alternative approach, full of groovy beats, hopping keyboards, and Kendyle Paige's stunning vocals.
The EP begins with the intro track "Brainless," calmly opening the project with this intense power and poise. Kendyle Paige sets this haunting and groovy atmosphere right off the bat with help from gripping bass licks and airy drum breaks. Around the hook, a heavy beat drop enters and shakes our speakers with deep and vibrating bass alongside dancing hi-hats and snares. Paige's lyricism surrounds incredibly empowering themes where she releases pent up anger and emotion towards someone who's wronged her. The song's dominant and intimidating atmosphere opens the EP with brilliance and perfectly sets the tone for bangers to follow.
On to the second groovy track "Blameful Thinking," Kendyle Paige opens the track with lyrics of thinking over the mistakes made and lessons learned from a past relationship. The playful and modern Electro-Pop instrumentation consists of a thumping bassline and intricate drum patterns. Meeting the hook, distant and soft pads creep in from behind and emphasize the transcendent and modern atmosphere. This song gives us immense BENEE vibes through the poppy instrumentals, granting us everlasting grooves. With a sweet, reminiscent, and reflective second track, the EP is up and running with incredible vibes thus far.
Adding a playful sensation to the EP with the third track "Fuck Plans," Kendyle Paige opens this track by painting serene pictures full of love and desire. Giving this track an R&B feel through her soft delivery and the track's mid-tempo pace, we love the diversity within this textured project. The instrumentals bring in modern and uplifting trap drums with smooth and rhythmic keys, exuding nothing but bliss. All while Paige's lyricism surrounds that of someone she longs for, the outro to the song stands solo with soft keys and Kendyle Paige's layered and angelic vocals adding unimaginable depth and texture.
Slowing it down with the fourth track "Our Aftermath," Kendyle Paige begins the track in an incredibly heartfelt and balladic way. Nothing but sole melodic piano accompanies Paige's mesmerizing vocals showcasing her vastly broad range. Around the hook, the sweltering vibes overcome the listener through modern R&B drum patterns and serene vocal chops delivering a down-tempo and sultry mood. This track stands out as the most powerful; the emotion that Kendyle Paige sings with creates an intense space with midnight vibes. Not to mention the addition of gentle and rich male vocals giving a beautiful back and forth dynamic, we can't express how effectual this track truly is.
Reaching the EP's outro track with "It Was July," Kendyle Paige opens the song with troubled yet honest lyricism, where her expectations of someone's love were unfortunately too high. The surrounding instrumentals perfectly reflect her heartfelt and saddened lyricism, with celestial synths and soft mid-tempo drums. As Paige continues to sing lyrics of her heartbreak and the time it's taken to get out of this rut, she brings vast power while switching up her vocal delivery to emphasize the ups and downs she's endured. Closing off the EP with a breath of fresh air, we love how Paige ended the project with a track that perfectly closes out her dynamic storyline.
"Before We Had Time, We Had Fire" showcases Kendyle Paige's immense talent through her powerful vocals and her artistic versatility through each individual track, be sure to check it out.
Hello Kendyle and welcome back to BuzzMusic. We have your EP "Before We Had Time, We Had Fire" on repeat; we love the project's versatility. Was the EP's concept inspired by a rocky relationship and the journey it's taken you to heal?
First of all, thank you so much! I had such a concept for my first album, I actually wanted to keep this one pretty open to become whatever it wanted to be. When I started this project I was brand new to LA and was experiencing so many things for the first time. I think collectively it's just about adulting, you know? Having a tough boss at your 9-5 (brainless,) living with your significant other for the first time (Fuck Plans, Our Aftermath,) going to therapy and working out your old rejections (Blameful Thinking,) and thinking about the future (It Was July.)
What made you want to create such versatile and different sounding songs within your EP, seeing as you touch on genres like Alternative, R&B, and Electro-Pop?
I am a lover of all genres FOR REAL. I mean I love everything from progressive metal to bubblegum pop and then some. When it comes to my own music I never want to label it, and I think that's why my producer Brandon Lee Rich and I create so well together. We create a mood with the song based on the emotion we're trying to convey, and it turned out to be something really different, but exactly what we were trying to say. Honestly, it was such a fun process creating something versatile, but cohesive.
Seeing as your EP "Before We Had Time, We Had Fire" contains vastly different sounds and genre elements, did you have any artistic influences that helped you sketch the project's skeleton?
When I write, I usually write without any kind of beat or music. I come up with the words and melody based off of something I create in my head, and then bring it to Brandon. I sing it for Brandon acapella, and then he creates with the keys around my vocal to start, we then bring the beat in later. I think I can speak for both of us when I say, that's how we create these songs to be the most authentic and original versions of themselves. We definitely have our musical inspirations, but it's more of a feeling. It's more "I want to write a song that feels like this" not sounds like.
Do you have a track on "Before We Had Time, We Had Fire" that stands out as the most personal for you? Was it challenging to create something so close to your heart?
I think the one song I find most personal would be, 'It Was July.' I wrote this song from the perspective of myself in the future. Basically how I would feel if I was to lose my significant other. Hard to picture, but I believe it's important to see yourself without the person you're going to marry to give yourself some perspective on what a joy it is to have them in your life and to remember what they bring to it. The line in the chorus, "Gravity won't get you there" is something I wrote in a notebook a couple of years back, and it always stuck with me. To me, it always meant things don't just continue to happen, you need to continue to work for them and make them happen. I teared up in the studio singing this track, and definitely picture an acoustic version of it in the future.
You mentioned that your entire EP "Before We Had Time, We Had Fire" is a teaser for your second studio album. What do you plan on adding to the project for its future release?
So I don't picture re-releasing these songs on an album in the future, I just believe the variety of these songs and genres kind of introduces a new part of me that I'd like to bring into the next album. The next album will be a completely new vibe, with new stories. I'm already writing and brainstorming for that, but for now "Before We Had Time, We Had Fire" is the current vibe I hope my audience can relate to, and enjoy for the next year and years to come. I'm very excited about the visuals and new stories this project will bring to everyone, and want it to make them feel all the things, embrace the change in their lives, and just keep working to be the best possible versions of themselves in their time.