SS: How old were you when you wrote your first
song?
KT: I was nine. I remember deciding that I would write it,
and walking into the kitchen and announcing to my Mom that
I was going to write a song. She said something supportive
and I went to it. I don't remember the song itself, just
the sense of confidence that I had going into it. Which,
now that I'm older, is really interesting to me, that bold
confidence.
SS: When did you understand that songwriting is
what you wanted to do?
KT: I grew up listening to songwriters without identifying
them as "songwriters." I just loved the music
of people like James Taylor, Paul Simon, Rickie Lee Jones,
Joni Mitchell, Peter Gabriel, Billy Joel – the list
goes on. I imitated them from such an early age, and as
I got older, I just continued writing songs, finding my
voice, first on piano and later on guitar.
In 1987, I started college at Cornish here in Seattle.
I studied Jazz piano my first two years, and kept writing
songs on guitar and piano when I had the time. Approaching
my junior year, I realized I didn't identify as a Jazz pianist,
and I had to do some soul-searching. I'd always written
songs, so it seemed natural to study composition, and that's
what I did my last two years, as an independent study deal.
I had the opportunity to compose all kinds of instrumental
music under the direction of two incredible composers, Jim
Knapp and Julian Priester. That opened up so much for me.
It was a huge experience that I'm still reaping the benefits
of.
SS: What music are you listening to lately?
KT: I've recently been going back to Paul Simon's "Graceland"
and "Rhythm of the Saints," loving how he blended
all these beautiful styles and rhythms, vocal textures,
and instruments – just brilliant, gorgeous music! But,
always there's the story, the thread that pulls at your
heart. That to me is just the highest high. I've also been
digging Dave Matthews' recent solo effort. I really appreciate
the risks he took and think that it's gorgeous.
On the flip side, I've been playing a lot of traditional/classical
music – Mendelssohn, Handel, Malloy – just for
the sheer beauty and inspiration of the melody and harmony.
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SS: Your latest CD, On the Mend, seems
so rich in personal meaning and feeling. Can you tell me
something about creating those songs?
KT: A lot of the songs from On the Mend were written
after my Mom passed in April, 2001. After I was able to
play and sing again without completely falling apart, I
started writing. Song after song after song poured out and,
of course, a lot of them were just for me. But, the ones
that ended up on the album stood up as songs that might
connect with other folks, such as "Falling Rain"
and "I Will" and "Don't Give Up."
Ironically, the song "On The Mend" was written
back in '98 or '99. I started writing that right after the
first record came out and, at the time, I didn't even know
what the song was about. I didn't connect to it in a very
personal way, but I liked it. Now, it's such an anthem to
me. And, I like the idea that songs or poems can come to
us before we're ready to understand them. I believe that
happens all the time.
SS: What's your songwriting process like these
days?
KT: To be honest, it's in a state of flux. In the last few
years, I've written a good number of very personal songs,
which had previously been really challenging for me –
I'd always been more prone to write songs in third person,
use cryptic lyrics, etc. But, now that I've got into the
habit of being so direct, I find it's challenging to switch
gears!
I'd like to broaden my songwriting reach, tell more stories,
be more creative musically, bend genres more, take more
chances. With this in mind, I've been pushing myself to
play with different rhythms, with meter, experiment with
jazz/latin-tinged stylistic strumming, for example. Learning
other people's songs that push me in these different directions.
Right now, my songwriting process is more of a studying
process, which I'm excited about. I hope a lot of good,
new music comes out of it.
SS: Have your songwriting "intentions"
changed over time, your ideas of what a song can "do,"
or is "for?"
KT: When I started writing as a kid, I wrote because I wanted
to, because I believed I could, and because I enjoyed it.
As I got into my teens and early adulthood, songwriting
was a kind of therapy, sometimes akin to journaling.
Now, ultimately, I just want to write a good song, a song
that moves people, that's intelligent, tells a story, creates
a vibe worth swimming in for three or four minutes. I think
a song can connect us to something inside of ourselves that
we've lost or put away. A song can inform and inspire us
to reach past our comfort zone, to grow. It can remind us
of what we're here for – to love.
SS: I love the warmth and expressiveness of your
voice, and your unique phrasing.
KT: Thanks so much!
SS: Tell me about your relationship with your voice
and your singing, both as a performer and as a writer.
KT: My voice has always been a round, warm voice so it's
been a challenge to learn how to keep it at pitch, and I
still feel like I struggle with that from time to time.
That warm tone is the feature I would say that I like least
about my voice, but it's also the feature that I've grown
to appreciate because of all the texture that's there. In
the last few years, I've been performing and singing a lot
and my voice has grown from the use. It's even gotten a
bit of a rough edge to it, which I like quite a bit.
I've been writing songs that bring out the blues and jazz
parts of my voice more and that's been a kick. I always
loved singing old torch songs on the piano and have recently
started covering old tunes on the guitar. I've even written
a few songs that show those influences. I've enjoyed pushing
myself in those directions and plan to continue and see
where things go.
[ back to top ]
SS: I also love your guitar style – the syncopated,
percussive elements, complex chords, voice leading, and
custom tunings. Many people don't know you're also an excellent
pianist, and that piano was your first instrument. Has piano
influenced your guitar playing?
KT: You know, so many people have said to me, knowing that
I play piano, that I play guitar like a pianist. I think
it's because of the way I hear things. I like to lead the
bass line or the harmony lines. I always hear the textures
of the chord and the rhythm as if I was arranging the tune.
I'm sure that I got that from the piano – it's such
an orchestral instrument. But, until people started mentioning
that to me, I hadn't thought about it. It's just the way
I've played and grown as a guitarist.
photo: Louisa JenkinsSS: You've been touring a lot over the last year
and a half. How has that been for you?
KT: It's been a trip, literally and otherwise.
When I had released my first CD in 1998, I toured some,
but not very much. I was too concerned about risking my
day job, which for me is a piano-teaching practice with
around 30 students a week. I was scared of failing: losing
my practice, not being a good performer, losing money, feeling
lost. But, I think I was also scared of succeeding, whatever
that might mean.
When I released my second CD, On The Mend, in
the spring of 2003, I decided I would tour a lot behind
it, that I wasn't going to be afraid any more. I was just
going to get out there and see if being a performing songwriter
worked for me. And it did. Between May 2003 and May 2004,
I was out two to three weeks out of every month for seven
months, including a six-week cross-country tour in my hatchback.
The hardest part of touring is the booking and logistical
preparation. Oye! But, once I'm on tour, I'm OK with most
everything, even the long drives. I think I must have been
a truck driver in a previous life. The quiet time in the
car is a gift. I see the country, I catch up on calls to
my family and friends, who I never talk to when I'm home
because I'm always working on booking!
SS: Based on all the work you've done, and all
that you've accomplished in recent years in terms of critical
acclaim, airplay, and touring, do you have any advice for
up-and-coming artists?
KT: The thing I come back to time and time again is the
question, Why do I do this? It's insane, really – it's
a tremendous amount of work and struggle. You should sit
down and figure out what your dream is. What drives you
and why? What's your plan? What do you want? Where do you
see yourself in six months, a year, five years? Spell it
out as much as you can.
So many people see artists who are getting played on the
radio, are on a major label and touring all the time, and
the perception is that they're "successful," they've
made it. That might be true. But, they also might be in
hock up to their eyeballs. They may have no control over
their work or touring schedule. Who knows? The more you
clarify what "success" means to you, the more
likely you are to attain what you're striving for.
Understand there will always be more to do than you can
actually get done. There are scores of organizations, contests,
newsletters, and online resources asking for your time and
money. They can help you, but they can also be exhausting.
So pace yourself if you're in it for the long haul. Understand
that the party is always happening. You can step out for
a breath of fresh air and regroup when you need to. It may
be the best thing for you and your music.
Ally yourself with other artists/friends so that you can
back up and inspire each other. As a small band of artists,
you can present as a label, and be more likely to get distribution
and draw attention to your various projects.
And always, always be growing in your music, in your art.
Challenge yourself as a musician, writer, performer.
SS: What's next?
KT: Good question! I'm going through a reassessment of sorts.
After touring so much in the last year and a half, I'm looking
at whether I want to tour more and teach less. This period
has been incredibly instructive and such a blessing for
me. I've learned so much about myself as a person, as a
songwriter, as a performer. I've learned that I can do this
work and that I enjoy it. That, in and of itself, is such
a gift.
At the same time, I want to do some active learning and
growing as a musician and writer, so I see some schooling
in my future, whether it's private lessons or college classes
or life experiences. With that in mind, I have to do some
of my own short- and long-range planning, revise my goals,
and go from there. I'm heading out on tour in October for
about seven weeks – after that, we'll see!
[ back to top ]
More About Kym:
Kym's song, "Mercury"
www.kymtuvim.com
buy
Kym's CDs on CDBaby
hear
more of Kym on iTunes
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