It wasn’t that long ago that Kimbra was taking out high school singing competitions and belting out the national anthem at rugby games. Now, fast forward a few years and fans and critics are unanimous – the Kiwi-born, Melbourne-based songstress is about to become our hottest new export.
Her list of achievements over the last 18 months reads like the ultimate wish list for any emerging artist – she’s scored a world wide distribution deal with Warner Music, her magical duet with Goyte has become a staple of television and radio playlists across the country, dates on her current Aussie tour sold out in a hot minute and her critically acclaimed debut album 'Vows' (released on September 2) is racing up the charts.
Add to that an “amazing team and manager” to back up her vision, and a style that’s distinctly her own - we can’t wait for the rest of the world to discover what we already know.
We recently caught up with music’s ‘it’ girl to talk kooky fashion, making it overseas and what’s coming up.
MTV: Hey Kimbra! You’ve been wearing some really eclectic clothes on stage for your performances, how do you find those pieces, or do you have a stylist?
Kimbra: Well yeah, there are people offering to dress me for things, but to be honest, I like the challenge of finding my own stuff. There are some designers I’d definitely love to collaborate with at some point, but at this stage it’s just fun finding stuff myself. I love op-shopping and vintage, and I did a lot of sewing at school, so I do adjustments to whatever I find…
MTV: What designers would you like to collaborate with?
Kimbra: There’s a Melbourne designer called Tony Maticevski, really awesome designer, really lavish, big, incredible shapes, I love that kind of stuff…
MTV: The last 18 months have been huge for you. What has meant the most to you so far?
Kimbra: When we sold out the Corner Hotel [in Melbourne], that was a really wonderful moment for me and the band. To be like, cool, it’s not just our friends coming along! We’ve got to that point where fans are coming along just to hear our music, for no other reason than that. That was a really proud moment for us.
This recent trip I did in LA was fantastic. I got to meet some really incredible producers like Rufus Wainwright, I got to discuss collaboration with people like Van Dyke Parks, who is a huge composer that I’ve looked up to for a long time. So working with people like that and Warner Brothers in the States, I think those moments have definitely been “pinch-yourself” moments where it’s like, wow. I’m hanging out with people who have been part of defining movements in music.
MTV: Tell us about your world wide distribution deal – is that process daunting?
Kimbra: I feel in control. Not everyone does in those situations, but I feel really blessed to have such an amazing team and manager and people around me. We’ve all got a vision for this whole thing and we’re not going to let it go off course. We’re all clear on it. Of course, it does get a little scary bringing so many people into the release and everyone has a say on something, but I feel like I trust the music is strong enough to get through that and keep its course, if that makes sense.
MTV: What will the moment be when you consider yourself a successful artist?
Kimbra: I don’t think that moment exists to be honest, it’s just I think the idea of “I’ve made it” is such an abstract concept, don’t you think? Because so many artists you think, man, they’ve made it, and you talk to them and they’re still striving for something.
I don’t look to any of that as the moment of success. Success to me is being able to touch peoples lives or the small things, like when people come up to you and say that a song really moved [them]. It sounds cheesy, but it’s about the personal connection. If I can do that I think on a world wide level, I think that will be the moment when I’ve had some influence. We as humans always want more and more, so you've just kind of got to be happy in the moment, I think.
MTV: What’s coming up next?
Kimbra: So much! Lots of touring, lots of music festivals. I’ll also be spending some time in the States, from October onward, getting the album ready for release over there, so it is pretty full on, but it’s good. It’s all starting to fall in place after so much hard work.
MTV: As you mentioned before, the right management has been crucial to your success. So what advice would you give young artists that are looking for management?
Kimbra: You want a manager who has your vision in mind and know what it is that you represent as an artist. And know what your vision is for the music. And I think even before that, the most important part is to know yourself, what you’re striving for. Because you can’t look to a manager to interpret that, because if you’re not clear on it, people will take charge and direct your career. But if you already know and you have communication really open with the people you work with, that puts you in a great position. And being really good friends, or trust, it’s about being able to trust those around you.
Kimbra is on tour now! For more info, get to www.Kimbramusic.com.
In the meantime, find out the inspiration behind Kimbra’s colourful vid ‘Cameo Lover’ in the video below…
Her list of achievements over the last 18 months reads like the ultimate wish list for any emerging artist – she’s scored a world wide distribution deal with Warner Music, her magical duet with Goyte has become a staple of television and radio playlists across the country, dates on her current Aussie tour sold out in a hot minute and her critically acclaimed debut album 'Vows' (released on September 2) is racing up the charts.
Add to that an “amazing team and manager” to back up her vision, and a style that’s distinctly her own - we can’t wait for the rest of the world to discover what we already know.
We recently caught up with music’s ‘it’ girl to talk kooky fashion, making it overseas and what’s coming up.
MTV: Hey Kimbra! You’ve been wearing some really eclectic clothes on stage for your performances, how do you find those pieces, or do you have a stylist?
Kimbra: Well yeah, there are people offering to dress me for things, but to be honest, I like the challenge of finding my own stuff. There are some designers I’d definitely love to collaborate with at some point, but at this stage it’s just fun finding stuff myself. I love op-shopping and vintage, and I did a lot of sewing at school, so I do adjustments to whatever I find…
MTV: What designers would you like to collaborate with?
Kimbra: There’s a Melbourne designer called Tony Maticevski, really awesome designer, really lavish, big, incredible shapes, I love that kind of stuff…
MTV: The last 18 months have been huge for you. What has meant the most to you so far?
Kimbra: When we sold out the Corner Hotel [in Melbourne], that was a really wonderful moment for me and the band. To be like, cool, it’s not just our friends coming along! We’ve got to that point where fans are coming along just to hear our music, for no other reason than that. That was a really proud moment for us.
This recent trip I did in LA was fantastic. I got to meet some really incredible producers like Rufus Wainwright, I got to discuss collaboration with people like Van Dyke Parks, who is a huge composer that I’ve looked up to for a long time. So working with people like that and Warner Brothers in the States, I think those moments have definitely been “pinch-yourself” moments where it’s like, wow. I’m hanging out with people who have been part of defining movements in music.
MTV: Tell us about your world wide distribution deal – is that process daunting?
Kimbra: I feel in control. Not everyone does in those situations, but I feel really blessed to have such an amazing team and manager and people around me. We’ve all got a vision for this whole thing and we’re not going to let it go off course. We’re all clear on it. Of course, it does get a little scary bringing so many people into the release and everyone has a say on something, but I feel like I trust the music is strong enough to get through that and keep its course, if that makes sense.
MTV: What will the moment be when you consider yourself a successful artist?
Kimbra: I don’t think that moment exists to be honest, it’s just I think the idea of “I’ve made it” is such an abstract concept, don’t you think? Because so many artists you think, man, they’ve made it, and you talk to them and they’re still striving for something.
I don’t look to any of that as the moment of success. Success to me is being able to touch peoples lives or the small things, like when people come up to you and say that a song really moved [them]. It sounds cheesy, but it’s about the personal connection. If I can do that I think on a world wide level, I think that will be the moment when I’ve had some influence. We as humans always want more and more, so you've just kind of got to be happy in the moment, I think.
MTV: What’s coming up next?
Kimbra: So much! Lots of touring, lots of music festivals. I’ll also be spending some time in the States, from October onward, getting the album ready for release over there, so it is pretty full on, but it’s good. It’s all starting to fall in place after so much hard work.
MTV: As you mentioned before, the right management has been crucial to your success. So what advice would you give young artists that are looking for management?
Kimbra: You want a manager who has your vision in mind and know what it is that you represent as an artist. And know what your vision is for the music. And I think even before that, the most important part is to know yourself, what you’re striving for. Because you can’t look to a manager to interpret that, because if you’re not clear on it, people will take charge and direct your career. But if you already know and you have communication really open with the people you work with, that puts you in a great position. And being really good friends, or trust, it’s about being able to trust those around you.
Kimbra is on tour now! For more info, get to www.Kimbramusic.com.
In the meantime, find out the inspiration behind Kimbra’s colourful vid ‘Cameo Lover’ in the video below…
Copyright : MTV Australia
