By: Alia L - February 14, 2020
Nashville native Kaki teams up with Matt Harris and Knox Morris to write and produce "Never Stood a Chance". A song about loving and losing someone, only to miss them when they’re gone. This dreamy pop song introduces the chorus at the beginning of the song. Accompanied by simple, yet melodious guitar chords, Kaki’s vocals take center stage. A classically trained vocalist, Kaki is able to bring timbre and vibrato to the dreamy soundscape of her music. When writing, this artist explores the in-between moments of love. Rather than focusing on deep love or crushing heartbreak, she creates songs for the moments of confusion, uncertainty, and initial attraction.
Writing from her own experiences, she is able to describe liminal and romantic moments in sweeping detail. In "Never Stood a Chance", Kaki tells of being in a relationship where the odds are stacked against her, but she tries to make it work anyways. The dedication showcased in the song lyrics also exists in Kaki’s real life. For example, In 2019, Kaki played over 50 shows and continues to tour throughout Nashville, Los Angeles, and New York. With her soulful and honest writing style, Kaki is on a trajectory for stardom and in no time, she will be touring the world next.
Listen to "Never Stood a Chance" here.
Hey Kaki, thank you for being here and welcome to Buzz Music. I have to say, your writing is full of storytelling and strong melodies. How long have you been working at your craft in order to get to this point?
Thank you so much! I moved to Nashville in May 2018 and that is when I really dove into writing. Coming from Columbus, OH there really wasn’t a huge writing scene and I had never co-written pre-Nashville. Since moving to Nashville I have grown immensely as a writer and artist. I have written a variety of genres and through that have been able to find my sound and what I am drawn to musically. The special thing about being a pop artist in Nashville is working with incredibly talented songwriters who value lyrics and combining that with fresh pop melodies.
Nashville is notoriously known for its styles of Country and Blues music. Was it difficult for you to find people in your genre to work with?
When I moved to Nashville I was eager to write with anyone and everyone. Through going to writers rounds and shows I was able to meet other songwriters and artists. After about 6 months of writing a variety of genres, I realized that I was really drawn to pop and that felt the most natural and genuine. The pop scene in Nashville is on the rise and through going to pop writers rounds, showcases and pop hang I have been able to get involved in the pop community. Several organizations in town have been cultivating the pop scene such as Altadena, BMI, PØPSQUAD, and The Other Nashville Society. There are so many talented pop artists, writers, and producers in town and for the most part, everyone is super willing to grab a coffee and write.
You mentioned before that you are a classically trained vocalist. What influenced your decision to stray from your classic roots and begin making dreamy pop music?
Growing up in a non-music city there were not a ton of commercial music opportunities. Due to that I got involved with musical theatre and took voice lessons. I loved being in musicals, but my favorite part by far was singing rather than acting or dancing. I couldn’t see myself pursuing musical theatre for the rest of my life, but knew I wanted to continue music.
I got my first acoustic guitar in 4th grade and was constantly practicing and playing. Growing up, my songwriting style was more singer-songwriter, but I was always listening to pop music and Top 40. I think that writing alone, growing up is a lot of pouring out your feelings with an acoustic guitar rather than coming into a writing session with a concept and working with other writers and producers. From an early age, I looked up to Bruno Mars, Christina Aguilera and Miley Cyrus. Today I still draw inspiration from my classical background and influences by singing with vibrato and vocal runs. I appreciate that I took voice lessons growing up since I think it taught me how to use and control my voice.
You have opened for Josie Dunne and have played well over 50 shows. What do you think is the next step for you in your career?
I am excited for my first single to be out in the world and I am ready to keep releasing. My next step is to play more shows outside of Nashville and build my fan base. I think having music out will really help that and give audiences the chance to listen to my music after the show.
What can we expect to see from you throughout 2020?
I will be releasing several more singles this year and planning a tour. There is a lot in the works and I am so excited to see what comes. Follow along on Instagram @KakiSings for updates and new shows.