As a music duo, Kalina & Kiana have always come off as naturally compatible. Already having traveled the world and experiencing novel encounters, Kalina & Kiana have a cultured perspective and apply it all to the very sound they create. It’s easy to say that we feel as if we’re on a journey with the music duo, and we get a sense of reflection and contemplation with their music. Recent offerings from Kalina & Kiana consist of the warm and bubbly expressions in their latest EP, titled 'The Golden Age EP', featuring 4 widely disparate tracks.
"Golden Age" is the last track to appear on the 4-track EP, and focuses in on a vibrantly soft soundscape. We're first introduced to a light and mellow rhythm, which slowly progresses into a slightly more upbeat feel. "Golden Age" follows along with the thoughts of Kalina & Kiana, where listeners are exposed to feelings of contemplation regarding our current times. Kalina & Kiana always maintain that positive and inspiring atmosphere with their music, so any theme that they conjure up is able to feel loose and airy. "Golden Age" will make you think beyond what's on the surface with Kalina & Kiana, which is why we felt we resonated well with the single. They give substance with melodic flair, making us anticipate whatever comes next from them artistically.
Discover "Golden Age" by Kalina & Kiana here.
Hey there, Kalina & Kiana. It's great to have you back here on BuzzMusic to talk on your track "Golden Age". Compared to the other tracks featured on your EP, how do you two believe "Golden Age" contrasts and/or complements the other tracks?
Thank you so much! We are happy to be back! This EP was a fun experiment for us because we have never written a concept album before. Last year we had the idea of adding a theme of “gold” into every song. We love that gold can mean so many things. In “That Thing” we say “I’ve struck gold” about being enamored with someone new. Gold is a frustrating metaphor for being treated like possession in “Gold.” In “She Is” gold runs through the bones of an inspirational woman. “Golden Age” obviously keeps the theme of gold, but applies it to our current state of life by asking, “Is this the golden age?” We thought that was a good question to pose going into 2020, and now it’s even more relevant as we face the challenges of the Coronavirus.
The other three songs on the EP speak to different aspects of life, and “Golden Age” speaks to life as a whole. Have we missed our Golden Age? Or is it coming? Or if we focus on the right things now, (like being present and choosing joy) can we make this the Golden Age? To us, “Golden Age” is the bigger picture and ties the EP together with a gold ribbon.
Was there a predominant theme you two were attempting to express within your single "Golden Age"? Was there certain inspiration gained for this single that stemmed from your personal experiences as artists?
Yes, definitely. The original idea actually came from a theme in the movie “Midnight in Paris.” The main character is a modern-day writer and truly believes that the Golden Age was in the 1920s. He believes that he “missed” it. Then magically, he finds himself being transported into the 20s, where he meets a girl. But she doesn’t think she’s living in the Golden Age. She believes the Golden Age was the turn of the century and that she has “missed” it.
So this sparks the idea, can we really be in the Golden Age if we are always longing for something else? This concept ties into 2020 so well, because we “should” be living our best lives. Technology makes things so easy. It gives us the ability to stay “connected” with all of our friends and family through social media. But why are we unhappy? Why is mental health, especially in America, such a huge issue?
To us, one answer is: comparisons. When we compare ourselves to others, we always fall short. And social media is a platform that breeds comparisons. “Wow, she looks so pretty and it looks like she doesn’t even have to try.” “That band has so many more followers than we do.” “She always looks so happy and put together in all of her photos. Why can’t my life be that effortless?” Comparisons race through our minds as we watch “highlight reels” from the best moments of someone else’s life.
And comparisons aren’t the only danger that social media throws us, another big one is feeling validated by how many people see, like, and comment on your post. Some use this to feed their need to feel loved and “connected,” but it’s lonely when you realize that there wasn’t any real human interaction.
So, the theme of “Golden Age” is that if we can be happy with where we are, stop comparing ourselves to others, and stop feeling pressure to appear “perfect” online, then we can be truly happy and live out our own “Golden Age.”
Are you able to explain how your music flourishes as a result of having traveled and gained pivotal life experiences? Do you two feel that your sound stems a lot from external experiences, or do you prefer to hone in on your own expressions?
We have been so fortunate to have traveled a lot of the world mostly because of music! We live in Southern California and have done a great deal of work in LA and Hollywood, but we’ve also played, recorded and filmed in New York, Nashville, Chicago, Seattle, Italy, and Australia. Our music has flourished through all of these experiences. We learned about standing up for what we want and that it’s ok to turn down a deal if you aren’t happy with the kind of music that they would want you to play. We found our sound from experiencing so many different projects and working with all sorts of people in the music industry. We learned a lot by working with country writers and producers in Nashville. And we were challenged by collaborating with Italian writers - where English was their second language. That barrier made it difficult to express ideas. Through it all, we have shaped and solidified what we want and how we want our music to sound.
To answer the second question, recently our sound has been whatever we hear in our heads, mixed with influences from other songs we like. We have recorded our last couple EPs with our producer, Darryl Swann. He is a mind-reading, musical magician. He takes the ideas we have in our heads and makes them come to life. He has really helped us create the sound that we have today and we are so thankful for him.
Possessing that clear and distinct sibling harmony, do you feel that the quality of your music is able to flourish in a varied way compared to other music duo's?
Yes we think so! Growing up and listening to The Beach Boys and The Everly Brothers, it’s clear that there is something special about sibling harmonies. Even though we both have unique voices, when we harmonize together it’s hard to tell our voices apart. We’ve always thought that was so fun. We feel lucky to be able to have that special element that not all duos get to have.
What can we expect to see next from you?
Next on the list is a live, acoustic version of “The Golden Age EP.” Sadly, we had to push the date back a little bit because of the Coronavirus, but that’s what is next on the books! In the meantime, we are always posting updates, occasional covers and videos on all of our social media and our YouTube channel.