Kiyomi – Passion Plays and Tuneful Tears: In Depth Interview

Q: It seems in “Child in Me” your loneliness really takes center stage. Why were you so lonely as a child?

A: “I had a very colorful, nontraditional, and complicated life, I will say, during my childhood and teen years.  There were some challenging circumstances, and some exciting times as well.  Through the years, I have learned to be open to difficulties however, because it can make you see the world in a newer, deeper light.  And I feel I’ve been able to see and do many things at a young age, that I wouldn’t have been able to do under “normal” circumstances.  Also I’m grateful for the path I’ve lead since it’s made me the person I am today.”

“As for the loneliness, I want to first off say that I never went without, and I have my parents to thank for that.  They have always kept me in their hearts no matter what, and not all people can say that.  I was left alone a lot as a child, with caretakers, since I was less than a year old.  I went through many caretakers, and I guess the part that was the most damaging even to this day was that every time I would get attached to one, they would leave me and I would be alone again, with a new stranger.  I started living a “normal” family life maybe when I was less than 10 years old?  I don’t remember a lot of specifics from that period.  But today I am so very grateful to my parents for everything.  They have gone above and beyond in supporting me.  And most of us are trying to do the best we can in this world, and I am lucky to have parents who’ve done just that, and who have taught me to do so as well.”

Q: I read that a lot of your feelings inspired over 20 journals.  Did the journals really fill the void? How?

A: “Writing for me, is very therapeutic.  It’s almost like talking to somebody else, but more importantly, talking to myself.  I write down whatever’s on my mind and usually I end up figuring out the best solution, at least for the moment, to a problem I may be experiencing.  Sometimes it’s an answer to a big question I’ve been pondering for a while, or sometimes it’s as simple as realizing I need to laugh and enjoy more.  It brings out an inner wisdom that we all have inside us that’s easy to ignore or bury if we don’t make the effort to bring it out, or if we’re afraid of what we might find.  Because finding something means you now need the courage to deal with it.  Writing is a way of getting out all the garbage by venting, and then getting to a place of figuring out what will bring you the sense of peace you’re looking for.”

Q: A few times in the album you refer to “My Place” and also your last EP was titled the same.  What exactly is this place you often speak about?

A: “My EP was actually titled “A Part of Me”, and my very early demo was titled “My Place”.  Both titles are significant in meaning.  “A Part of Me”, because the cd at the time was literally a part of me, as any album that an artist puts out is.  I feel like I’ve offered up an arm and a leg for my latest album!”
“I do refer to “my place” a couple of times, and by that I mean that I am constantly making an effort to find a place where I am not dominated by fears and tears, a place where I feel solace and a sense of peace.  It’s also a place of fulfilling the dreams I have, doing what allows my heart to feel at ease and smile   I’d think most people are looking for this place, and it’s a constant effort to be there!”

Q: How do you convert your feelings to music and lyrics?

A: “Sometimes it’s a matter of discipline, where I need to just sit down at my piano and do my work, and other times I feel a pull and a need to be making music.  It usually occurs when I’m feeling very sad, or inspired.  Just the act of creating helps ease the pain, at least while I am in the process, and sometimes that’s enough to get through the sadness for the moment.  And when I’m feeling inspired, I’ll once in a while dream a song that pulls me to the piano, or I’ll hear a piece of music that really effects me and I’ll want to create something just as effective.  Usually I’ll jot down a lot of thoughts lyrically, then play around with some chord progressions on the piano, and hum a melody over the progression, and then it somehow all falls into place.”

Q: How did you find musicians that helped personify the feelings that you were trying to?

A: “Well they actually just fell into my lap, luckily!  I worked with a lot of musicians a few years back, and was literally surrounded by them and was able to see who I clicked with musically and personally, and we were able to create music together.  And the violin player on my album, Kurt Coble, was my professor whom I kept in contact with after college.  He also plays on Broadway in “Phantom of the Opera”.  I actually wrote the song “Flustered” during one of his classes.  He is so amazingly talented and I’m honored to have him on my album.”

Q: Listening to the album I noticed none of the songs were sung in Japanese or had little Japanese influence. Do you write in Japanese or have you recorded in Japanese at all?

A: “I was actually born in the US and know how to speak Japanese a little, although I sound like a little kid!  My parents used to speak to me here and there in Japanese when I was a child, but it never really went beyond that.  I remember going to Japanese school on Saturdays for a period when I was young, and I also remember getting horrible grades on my tests!  I’ve never recorded anything in Japanese, and if I did, I may be an embarrassment to Japan!  I feel a strong tie to Japan though, even though I’ve only been there a few times, after all, it’s in my blood.”

Q: There are a lot of different genres that can be heard on the album from jazz on “Blue Eyes” to country and even a little bit of waltz.  Where does that influence come from?

A: “Honestly, I never write a song thinking about what genre I will be writing in.  Sometimes I don’t even know how to classify a certain song of mine in any genre!  I don’t even listen to lots and lots of music to be honest.  But if I do like something, I really like it and will listen to it over and over.  I write from what I hear in my head.  And once I have the basic skeleton of the song (chord progression, melody), I will hear other parts that could enhance it and that’s where I bring in other musicians to do those parts. And then the musicians do their magic.  Oftentimes they will bring out a whole new sound and feel to a song.”

Q: There’s a Japanese pop artist by the name of “Bonnie Pink” whose sound reminds me of yours. Has she been an influence to you at all? Who are some people who have influenced you?

A: “I’ve never heard of Bonnie Pink, but maybe I should check her out!  I love love Sarah McLachlan, I always have.  I think everything about her and her music is an inspiration to me.  I also love the Beatles, the songwriting in particular.  I am a fan of interesting and nontraditional chord progressions, and the Beatles have that covered!  I also went through a musical theatre phase (from studying it in school I guess!) and sometimes feel an influence from that.  I also studied classical music, and heard a lot of it growing up.”

Q: How important has your classical training been to the sound that you present as a non-classical artist?

A: “In classical voice, they train you to use your voice “properly”, meaning that you are trained to sound like an opera singer!  But what you do with that training is that you learn the techniques and then apply it to whatever genre you want.  At least that’s what I did.  There are ways to position your mouth, throat, posture, etc, to get the best sound out, and most importantly, you learn how to sing without damaging your voice.  So very important, and the most precious lesson I learned through my training, I’d say.  Most pop vocalists belt out tunes in their chest voice, which sounds great and seems to be the trend, but if not done properly, it could ruin the voice in the long run.  I used to belt as a child and had to work to remove the damage it did, and now I’m playing around with mixing the head voice (how opera singers sing), and the chest voice so I can have my voice healthy and working for a long long time!”

Q: You also studied musical theater.  Any plans on trying out for Broadway?

A: “Yes, I did study musical theater, and one of the reasons I never pursued that was because I felt there is only so much I can express and convey to an audience through playing a character that’s not me, and singing songs I didn’t write.  I want to be completely me when I’m out there performing, so I can connect to the audience in a genuine Kiyomi way.  Another reason I never pursued it was that I felt completely out of place!  I am obviously Japanese, and there are not a lot of roles for me unless I want to run around in a bikini in Miss Saigon!  Although I do immensely admire the incredible talent on Broadway, wow.”

Q: “Flustered”, “Little Girl Smiling” and “My Place” were also featured on your last two EPs.  What influenced the decision to include the songs on this album as well?

A: “Those EP’s were just a matter of getting my material out there as soon as I could, so I wouldn’t have to wait to finish an entire album first.  My full length album, “Child In Me”, is made up of songs that tell stories of my life, and they are all in chronological order.  So every song plays a role in a timeline, so I couldn’t leave any of them out.”

Q: Do you perform often?

A: “Performing is what I love to do most.  In college I performed constantly, and when I left I realized I was now on my own.  What I’m trying to say is that as a musician, you are expected to be a business person as well in order to make it out there, and I’ve never been comfortable with the business end of things.  I was focusing on recording my album until recently, and now I’m ready to start getting out there and performing again.  I also am most comfortable in a concert setting, where people are seated and are there to listen, not to drink and hang out.  It’s hard to find gigs in that setting, but after college I made myself go out there and perform in all kinds of places so (I) have gotten used to it, although I still prefer the concert setting.”

Q: Do you prefer larger audiences or more intimate settings? Why?

A: “I think for me it’s more a matter of whether people are listening or not.  I also don’t sing a lot of very upbeat, loud music, so I prefer a quiet setting where people can actually hear what I’m doing.   I also prefer to sing in order to connect with the audience, and I find that hard sometimes if people are socializing and dancing and drinking too loudly.”

Q: What is your favorite venue to play?

A: “So far my favorite venues have all been concerts.”

Q: As I listened to the album and admired the art work on the cover with the butterflies and flowers in your hair I was a bit confused to see pictures inside the album cover and on your website that were a little more seductive. Any reasoning behind that?

A: No particular reasoning for that, and I didn’t realize the inside- the-album-cover pictures were seductive!  I guess maybe I can’t just look at a picture of myself and think it’s seductive, because it’s me, haha!  As for the cover, I was thinking for a while about what it should be.  I wanted something different and that would stand out, so that’s what I came up with.  I love flowers, they make everything pretty, so that’s why I thought they’d add a lot to my hair if I put a bunch of them in.”

Q: The packaging for the CD is an eco-pacTM made by Discmakers (recycled packaging materials and vegetable based inks are as opposed to arsenic based). Are you involved in any “Green” causes?

A: “I am not involved in any “Green” causes, although I am a strong supporter of recycling, eco-friendly products all around, conserving our natural resources, etc.  I would love to somehow contribute to causes like that and make a difference.  And yoga!  I think yoga could benefit people so much, spiritually, physically, and it tends to bring out the ‘green’ in people, too.”

Q: Now that you’ve finished recording your album, what do you hope will come next? Where do you see yourself within a year from now?

A: “A year from now I would love to see myself traveling all over the place, promoting my music so that I can connect with everyone.  I would love to make appearances on tv shows, radio, etc.  Whatever I can do to share my music with the world.  And I’ve been thinking of getting a real start on some new songs because maybe a year or two from now I may want to record another cd ”

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For More Information Visit:
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http://www.kiyomimusic.com

 

Author: Stacy Wilson