Meet JENNA KYLE, a electro-pop singer/songwriter based out of New York City who recently released two amazing singles and is definitely one to watch. Classically trained in piano and self-taught in singing, Kyle is a multifaceted artist with a beautiful voice and her work is unconfined by genre, which allows for Kyle to collaborate with an array of musicians and songwriters across the industry. I got a chance to learn more about this emerging artist when I had the opportunity of interviewing her which you can read about below:
MHB: Can you introduce yourself to readers? How old are you & where are you from? Can you touch a little on the music scene there and what you like most about it?
Jenna: Hi! I am from the Bay Area, in northern California, but I currently live in Brooklyn, New York. I’ve been out here for 7 years now, so it’s really home. What I love about Brooklyn and New York in general is the diversity of the music scene. From clubs to rooftop folk music, beautiful dives with good sound like Mercury Lounge, big old halls, the classics like Radio City, or Warehouse art raves, you can find whatever you want.
MHB: How long has music been a part of your life and how did it come to be a part of it?
Jenna: Music has always been a part of my life. My parents always had records playing, and we sang together to classics, oldies, and talked about the meaning of songs and played games about music on drives. Although they never played themselves, they definitely encouraged it in us.
MHB: Do you play any instruments? If so, which and for how long?
Jenna: Since I was about 2, I remember singing, and I begged for singing lessons. When my parents took me to a teacher, luckily, she recommended that I learn piano first, so I started Suzuki (ear training) Method at age 4.
MHB: When was it that you realized your voice could be used as a special instrument and that making music was what you wanted to do?
Jenna: I think the realization that Music is like the highest form of communication. We’re working on every front: verbal, non verbal, physical, intellectual, visual, emotional. It’s all of the ways humans interact and communicate wrapped up in a moment, so it’s fascinating to watch.
MHB: Who were some of your biggest musical influences growing up and who are some current artists who are influencing you and your music?
Jenna: Growing up, I listened to everything from Willie Nelson to James Taylor, Earth Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson, and Mariah Carey! Now I’m loving chill vibes like Bonobo.
MHB: Without using any musical terms, how would you describe your sound to a new listener?
Jenna: Artsy Pop Electronica (?? Hard question!).
MHB: Can you tell me a little bit about your creative process? It is typically the same or does it differ?
Jenna: I always have a concept in mind based on some of my writing. I like to write poems, and train-of-thought essays based on what I’m reading, or what inspires me each day. Generally a melody comes up as I set down at the piano, and I start singing options over some basic chords, and I start building it out, playing with harmonies, structures, concepts. I like to have a vocal ideal and chords built out before adding too much, but the whole thing may change a bit once I add a beat, or a new melody comes in with a synth line or a guitar or something.
MHB: If you had the opportunity to collab with any artist of your choosing, who would you choose?
Jenna: In this moment, Bonobo.
MHB: Lets talk about your singles ''Dust and Lovelorn"... How did they come together and what was the inspiration behind them?
Jenna: “Dust” was one of those songs what came to me, playing in my head as though I had headphones on, in the middle of the night. I got up and recorded the melody, and then developed it out from there over the next several months, performing it around the country for groups of friends, before producing it with producer Space 9 at his Bushwick studio. “Dust” is like the realization you get when you wake up from a beautiful dream. You can’t go back. Past is past. And yet we cling to moments of bliss, and we abuse our addictions to get back to those moments.
Jenna: “Lovelorn” was an exploration on the idea of wanting to shut out the world and just be in love. It’s not realistic, and we teeter on codependence if we do not maintain balance. I worked with BAILE on this track, and his textural production style really created some great tension that brings out the concept.
MHB: Do you find it easier to to write about a new love or a love lost and what has been a song/s that has always helped you with dealing with situations of the heart?
Jenna: Love lost has been more reflective for me. OMG. When Adele’s first record came out… “never mind I’ll find someone like you” I was sobbing. Another song that gets me every time is Carla Morrison’s “Disfruto.”
MHB: What projects are you currently working on and is there an album in the works? What can we expect to see from you in the coming months?
Jenna: I have a lot of new music in the works, and I’m also shooting some videos, and working with BAILE on his new EP as well. I have a bunch of new collaborations that I’m excited about. And I’m working slowly on an my live show, creating an interactive art element, and starting to rehearse again with a new setup.
MHB: At the end of the day, what do you want people to take away from your music?
Jenna: I hope people take a moment to reflect on typical constructs, and yet enjoy the sounds and texture and move their bodies and feel good!
MHB: Can you tell me one random fact about yourself?
Jenna: I meditate daily.
MHB: What does music mean to you?
Jenna: Music is the ultimate tool to be present. It is a universal commonality that links us all non-verbally.
MHB: Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself and/or your music?
Jenna: I hope your lovely readers will say hello on social media. I love hearing from you!
And follow me on Spotify for newest releases: https://open.spotify.com/artist/17mfg70P3n3uE4mZP6mH8H
You can check out her latest single "Lovelorn" (which premiered on February 16 via Line of Best Fit) below:
To hear more from JENNA KYLE be sure to follow her
on SoundCloud, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
