We recently had the chance to chat with the Montreal-based electro-pop sensation K-Bust! Check out our conversation with her and her new album, Fearless, below.
1.) I first wanted to take the time and thank you for doing this interview with me today. For our readers who haven’t heard of you yet, can you tell us about yourself and anything about the band you’d want us to know?
Thank you for this awesome opportunity to share my journey with you. I’d start by saying that I’m an Electropop artist and multi-instrumentalist based in Montreal, Canada. I’m a solo artist, who recently released a new album entitled “Fearless”. I am a vegetarian; I love all kind of music, but especially the Synthpop. And I love going to concerts and music festivals.
2.) Let’s talk about what you currently have going on. You recently released your new album, “Fearless”. What’s the reaction been like so far from the fans? What are you most excited about with the new album?
The reaction has been awesome, I’m greatly surprised. I mean it’s been great getting all those instant reactions on social media for instance and at the live show of the album release, the vibe was amazing, so I’m really excited to see where “Fearless” will take me to in the near future. I love how engaged fans have been so far letting me know about their favorite songs in the album. I can sense that they are into this new concept and enjoying the songs, it is what makes me most excited about.
3.) When you write any new music, can you tell us what the process is like? Describe to us what happens in a typical writing session.
The way we crafted “Fearless” with my music producer was a process I could describe through some steps. We started first discussing the topic or subject that we wanted it to be the center of the song, the feelings I had about it and how I relate to it. Sometimes it was me who would throw a chord progression on the piano, or an idea that I already had in mind. Other times it was my producer who would first suggest a brand-new idea. Once we were clear about the mood of the song-to-be, it was all about finding the right sounds that would craft the music around the lyrics. Usually the music would come first then it was the lyrics turn.
4.) With the release of “Fearless” how would you say that your sound has evolved since your debut album, “Urban Stories?” Back in 2012?
It has evolved dramatically I would say. With this album I felt I should explore more the darker facet of my personality, both musically and lyrically speaking. Fearless is definitely more mature, bolder and more intense compared to my first album. It portrays as well all the changes I’ve been through as an artist ever since I put my first record out.
5.) In 2014 you got the chance to record in Berlin with a German music producer. Can you tell us about that experience was like and what it was like for you as an artist? How was it adjusting to a new environment since you’re originally from Montreal?
It was a great experience; everything was new to me, the city and culture, especially the fact that I was surrounded by a language that I barely knew by then. As an artist I think it was a turning point in my career, it was a journey about reinventing myself musically. Living in Berlin made me discover new artists and sounds that I later incorporated to my own songs. It was the place that made me realize what direction I wanted to go musically speaking, where I started to craft the first chapters of “Fearless”.
6.) You get very personal in your new album. Were you ever worried about getting too personal with your fans? How did you decide what you wanted to share?
I don’t know if that has been a conscious decision, I like to be myself when it comes to sharing my musical journey with fans, and making them feel that they’re part of it, of a community. If I share something personal is because somehow I feel it can bring value to their lives, I for one, it could be an experience that somehow changed my life for the better. At the same time, I think it’s important to draw a line between what I consider to be my private life (I’m very protective of my personal life) and what’s worth it to be shared with them, about this, I try to stick to everything revolving around making an album and how a day in the life of a full-time musician looks like.
7.) Your first female influence was Madonna. Who are some of your newest female influences in the music industry?
I have many, among them, my biggest ones are Banks, Lady Gaga, Marina And The Diamonds and Lana Del Rey, just to name a few.
8.) You released your first single, “Over” off of your newest record, “Fearless”. What made you decide that “Over” was going to be the first single?
It was one of my top five songs at the beginning; it was actually hard to pick the one for the first single. So I turned to my fans for making that choice, I asked them to vote for their favorite on my website and voilà! Their opinion is something I pay close attention to.
9.) With the music industry always changing and evolving, what are the things you like and don’t like about it? What aspects of the industry do you feel have hurt or helped your career? If you could change anything about it, what would it be?
I love all the tools we have at our disposition nowadays that allow us to build a career and the immediate response we can get from fans every time we put a new song out, for instance.
What I don’t like is the less value that recorded music has now. There’s a lot of work being put into creating and making music, from songwriters, to artists and sound engineers, everybody in this ecosystem deserves to make a living.
The fact that we can now have control of the creative aspects of our careers and the power to bypass the middlemen and the gatekeepers; has allowed us to have a one on one relationship with music fans, making them part of our creative journeys. Which it’s great, it has democratized the industry, I truly feel that nowadays there’s a place for every creative soul and artist; this is something I really appreciate about how it has changed.
If I could change anything about the industry that would be the ubiquitous gender inequality that female artists face, in other words, the lack of female representation in every aspect of the music business. I am aware that there are measures in place and effort being made to fight this, but we still have a long way to go.
10.) How do you decide which songs go into a set when you perform live? Do you change up the sets or stick to a regular set list? Do you have any covers?
Right now I would say that’s an easy task, since it’s all about promoting the new album. The hard part of it is building that set list; picking the opening song and the last one of the show for instance; to create a memorable live experience and the right mood for the show. I usually stick to the set list if I feel that makes sense, it’s always a matter of how the audience react to it. I would probably make a few changes, a song or two later, depending of the show. I do have one cover, that’s part of the album. I never thought that giving “Love Is A Battlefield” by Pat Benatar a 2018 vibe would make fans got excited about it.
11.) If you had a choice to go on any bands tour, which tour would you pick and why?
I would pick Banks. I love how she carries herself on stage, that mysterious and at the same time fierce personality she projects on it. I am a big fan of her music.
12.) Do you have any advice for any upcoming artists? What’s the best piece of advice someone gave you when you realized you wanted to be a musician?
I would say the best advice I could give them is to get educated about every aspect of being a musician and the industry, because at the beginning you do pretty much everything yourself. The best advice I got was to be perseverant and that I have to learn to adapt to an ever changing industry.
13.) Any last words?
I would encourage people, music fans to go out more often to check out new acts and emerging artists, thus helping to keep the local scene alive. We live now in a very tech world, we have entertainment on our phones and computers, but nothing will ever replace the live experience. Seeing an artist give everything they have on stage and enjoy and vibrate with every move of their live performance is amazing. Nothing compares to that experience, it’s what makes music memorable.
