A few months ago, I decided to embark on a search to find the vocalist in charge of spewing her beautiful voice all over my favorite records. The search began when listening to “No Problem” by Diplo. The second I heard it I screamed: “Oh my God! That’s the same girl from Tiësto and Cobra Starship’s song! I have got to find out who she is!” The search was a success, needless to say.
Kay Bouitilier, a dazzling young lady from Canada singing her soulful pop and spitting her wicked rhymes, completely won me over when I listened to her self titled EP “My Name Is Kay”. Want to shake your booty, hear a good hearty vocalist and bob your head to some Hip-Hop flows? Then, “My Name Is Kay” is the girl for you! I got the chance to have a chat with her and learned what makes her tick and where she gets her fashion sense. So, if I were you, I’d stick around! Take some notes.
For the readers who aren’t familiar with you, who is My Name Is Kay?
My Name Is Kay is a lady from the east coast of Canada who loves pop music and chartreuse.
What inspires you as an artist? What influenced your decision to pursue a career in the music business?
I’ve known since I was 5 years old that this was my destiny. I have never had any other plans. Music is one of my most important relationships. I would never give up on someone or something I love, it’s weird. I’m not saying that there are not going to be let-downs and tough days because I have had plenty, but I think the fear of being “ordinary” sets in and I find a way to push through.
A lot of our readers are not only fans of your music, but fans of your style as well. Are you part of any endorsements or have a fashion line in the works?
Well, that’s awesome! I am in love with fashion. I think it has to be my second favorite thing. I am really blessed to have some good friends in the fashion business. I kind of live vicariously through them. My two best friends are the creators of Joy Rich and Laina Rauma. Check them out.
What 5 songs do you have on your playlist right now?
Actually, I’m listening to Justin Bieber’s new album. The entire thing is brilliant!
Upon doing my research, I see that you have done work with artists such as Cobra Starship, Tiesto, Steve Aoki, Diplo, Datsik, etc. With that said if you could choose you top 3 artists that you would love to get the chance to collaborate with, who would they be?
My top 3 artists I have yet to work with that I would love the opportunity to would have to be Drake, Maroon 5, and Dolly Parton. I love them!
So, what is next for [My Name Is] Kay? What should we be looking out for from you? Albums, performances, tours, etc.?
I am about to start releasing a lot more free music. A couple more music videos to watch out for and then right back on tour in September.
So far in your career, what has been the most memorable moment for you?
The most memorable moments for me are meeting people like Busta Rhymes and Drake and realizing that they are not only human, but they are some of the nicest people that I have ever met. It proves that being a good person is extremely important. The biggest stars are typically the nicest.
Okay, so upon hearing of our publication “GrungeCake” what were your first thoughts?
Honestly, I thought: GrungeCake, is that edible?
Ha! Since we’re on the topic of sweet edible things… What’s your favorite?
My favorite would have to be yellow birthday cake with boiled icing. UMP!
I really appreciate you giving us a chance to talk to you. Are there any last words you would like to leave with the GrungeCakers? The floor is yours.
Low Leaf, the multi-instrumentalist singer, talks to Mark Werner about the simple things in life. Spoiler alert: She likes the smell of armpits.
Low Leaf is a multi-instrumentalist singer based in Los Angeles, California.
Where is Low Leaf right now?
I’m in Venice Beach, drinking a green chiara kalusha drink.
Where was Low Leaf yesterday?
Laughing.
Yesterday, where was I yesterday… Oh yeah, I was a lot of places yesterday. I met a bunch of new energies down by Long Beach. I picked up my boyfriend from the airport & we kicked it together. [And] after a long day, [we] came home and we watched about three firework shows in the sky.
Where will Low Leaf be tomorrow?
I will be at work! I work at a recording studio. It’s extremely inspiring to be there. I like everyone I work with. It’s a pretty historical place; a lot of amazing musicians have created in that part of Hollywood and I get to work on my material sometimes as well.
Laughing.
That sounds unbeatable.
Yes, I’m embracing that and I’m grateful that I have a situation where I can find a balance to find the time to create as much as I know I can and how I should be.
Awesome, how’s that drink by the way?
Laughing.
Let me test it out again.
Laughing.
Umm, it’s potent, it’s good, it’s good… enough.
Where does the name Low Leaf derive from?
It’s an ever changing creature. If you understand the way that trees grow, you can understand the [way] in which you are meant to evolve on this planet as a being with consciousness that is geared serve others and as the seasons change, you stay rooted! But you still continue to develop into your full form. A tree will never be anything but what it is. I feel that the representation of the ‘leaf’ embodies all of that in me and ‘low’ because you have to stay humble, even though it’s just a leaf it’s not that without the whole. It’s a bunch of ideas like that.
I was a big fan of the clothing brand LRG in the early 2000’s mainly because they incorporated trees onto their products. Since then, I’ve been a fan of “Trees”.
You don’t really know why, but you were drawn to that symbolism. Actually, that’s what I liked about LRG. It’s like what are they trying to say about trees? I never looked into [it] to[o] far, but it was cool that they had trees in their sh*t. But I’m still there in a sense, to keep growing, yeah.
Explain to me your aim when your making your music.
Generally, I try to make sure that my intentions are pure as to why I’m creating what I’m trying to say at the time. These days my aim is to spread something honest, spread love, awareness, and consciousness, and to spark something new to whoever may be receiving the sound. I like when music is visual and takes me to a place that I’ve never been before.
How long do you plan on making music?
Oh, until I pass on into the next form. I don’t think that I’ll ever stop. There’s not necessarily a point where I want to reach and then stop. I am working to get to a point where I can use my endeavors to help sustain myself, you know? But music is just a part of living, so I’ll creating music as I move towards the grave. It’ll all be in a different place, a different sound and I may not be making music for people necessarily. I honestly imagine myself getting old one day and making crazy, meditation, transcendental, kind of music.
When I play your music around people, quite a few of them could help but notice the different sounds throughout your music. How significant is it for you to incorporate those instruments and sounds into your material? Is that the basis of Low Leaf?
It is the foundation. I started out on the piano. Before I found Electronic music, I was writing compositions with my guitar, and playing the harp and doing singer-songwriter type things. It’s super important because that is the root of it. The electronic gives me a dimension in which I can utilize certain production curves. It adds a whole other prism that I can incorporate with my instruments. That’s like Raw Soul!
Let’s talk about your most recent project, Giga Gaia (Giga-Guy-a).
It’s mostly like beats. It’s not what I’m trying to do or what I’m trying to say. It’s more like a silly thing. I felt like that material needed to see the light of day because they were a part of my process these last couple of years while I was in college.
So, it was more like a collage? Of different pieces at different times?
Yes! Yes! Collage! Exactly! Great word to describe it.
‘Collage’ sounds absurdly cool. Collaaage…
Collaaage….
Laughing.
Have you heard the alternate way to say Target as in the department store? It’s Targe’.
Laughing.
Yes, my mother says it like that. I thought that was just her thing, that’s funny.
So where does the name Giga-Gaia come from?
Giga represents all that of mechanical, Gaia is of the earth. An unifying sound. As I mentioned earlier I came from instrumentations and later on when I was about 18, I started making beats. I always thought there were two distinct different sides to myself in which I could express. I was always interested in bringing them together, that was the intention.
That’s an ill title!
Ahh ok. Thanks! It has 3 G’s and 3 A’s in it.
Laughing.
Do you mind if I go around saying Giga-Gaia?
No, go for it.
Laughing.
Going back to your Chrysalis EP, what was your inspiration for that project?
I spent a year and a half to two years of isolating myself from Los Angeles. I was living with my parents, I was re-evaluating my intentions of why I was making music. I thought really into meditation and trying to find myself for real. It’s called Chrysalis because I was like really in a cocoon that I created for myself and I was using my instruments to build my own wings in a sense. I was experimenting with the instruments I around me, the piano, harp, cello.
When performing live, which one of your songs do you mostly enjoy performing?
I love performing Change Your Frequency because when I perform that live I play the harp while I sing and there is actually no harp in the recorded version. But I would say I love performing Pure Love because when the sound is on point, it makes people happy!
Laughing.
Have you ever played overseas?
Yes! I just did last month. It was my first show outside of California. I went to the Philippines and played a festival and a show, and connected out there. And I’m a Filipina, so it was a beautiful experience for me.
It was almost like a homecoming for you then.
Yes, it felt like that. I was returning to the mother land. I was raised out here in California, so I always felt a bit disconnected with my roots, but that’s a whole other conversation.
Laughing.
…2 more things before you go.
Tell me one unique thing about Low Leaf aside from the 186 instruments you play?
From The Editor:Joop, often stylized with capital letters, is the real name and stage name of disc jockey and producer from The Netherlands. Though, we are sure he smells good all the time, he is not to be confused with perfume: Joop! The contemporary clothing and cosmetics company founded as a designer label by German Fashion Designer Wolfgang Joop. Just at the puberty-stricken age of thirteen, Joop started playing music in a youth community where he taught himself how to mix with vinyls and we find that rather amazing. Years later, he is the same Joop. Just taller.
Click the image above to vote DJ Joop for DJ Mag Top 100.
Dutch powerhouse Joop released his brand new single entitled “Just One Night”. Armin Van Buuren, Leon Bolier and W&W are among those who have embraced the song with radio support. Joop who rose to fame as winner of the ID&T Talent Award in 2001 has been headlining major festivals ever since. After becoming a dad, he took a little time off, but now he is back in full force and surprising us with a string of quality material.
Labeled as “The Peoples Rapper”, Jon Connor is a third generation musical talent with the triple threat abilities of writing, producing, and performing. Jon Connor’s innovative style of music using unique beats merged with raw emotions, and clever lyrics is a talent that cannot be silenced. His music conveys genuine purpose and individuality, rare qualities in contemporary rappers.
Where is Jon Connor from?
Jon Connor was born and raised in Flint, Michigan, about an hour away from Detroit, Michigan. Michigan-born and Michigan-bred.
Is Jon Connor your real name? If not, then, how did it originate?
No, my government name is Jon Freeman. Jon Connor came about because I’m like the biggest movie nerd of all time. When I was in 12th grade, I would watch The Terminator movies back to back to back and thought it was really dope to see how the producers put the movies together with that character whose significance was to maintain the existence of people. I wanted that to be how important I am to Hip-Hop and how important I am to music. Also in relation to that character, he couldn’t escape his destiny which was to help people to exist and I feel I can’t escape my destiny which is to help people through my music so I just really really related to that character.
So Jon, what influenced you to write your first rhyme?
Aw man, what influenced me? That’s crazy! [Laughs] When I would ride the bus when I was little, I had two friends that would battle and for the longest they would try and pass me the mic. So one day, I was like you know what? Forget it! I’m just gonna write a rap, spit it and shock everybody on the bus. And at 3 o’clock after school on the bus, I spit probably the worst bars I have ever [wrote] in my life, but we were all little kids so the whole bus went crazy. So what influenced me; was to do something that I didn’t think I could do and it was on after seeing all the kids on the bus going crazy. I knew that this was what I wanted to do!
So, I take it you were heavy on the lunchroom scene with rapping and beating on the tables?
Aw man. Aw man. Yes, after that first instance of me rhyming on the bus it was on beating on tables and all that. Just listening to Eminem, Jay-Z, Nas, Biggie, Pac, Pun. I was a big No Limit fan, so I became slowly engulfed in Hip-Hop after rhyming young. Anywhere they were trying to listen, I was rhyming.
When and how was your first performance/show?
My first performance was at a school talent show. I went to St. John Vianney in Flint. It was my two friends that got me to rhyme on the bus and me. We did the show, one of my friends were on the drums, and my other man had a verse, he was garbage too (laughing). We spit. It was terrible. We might have even got booed. We were 11 or 12 in the sixth grade, so it was a learning experience and that propelled me to go home and study this craft even more.
Well, the world knows now that you’ve certainly progressed.
Aw man Mark, thank you, man.
No doubt. So, how much planning goes into the direction of a song when you’re writing?
I approach original albums and mixtapes totally different. When I’m caught in a song I make sure I execute it the way that it is in my mind. I don’t harp too long in it but I definitely make sure it’s thought out. It’s crazy! Someone once told me that “your first mind is always your right mind” and when you start overlooking things that are like putting doubt into your mind as well as your idea.
Let’s jump into some of your previous projects and material… What inspired you to create the Best In the World mixtape series?
The Best In the World mixtape series? I was on the phone with my brother Sav and we were just talking and it hit me. It was an inspired thought that I looked at like “I want to be the best to ever do this. I want people to look back at my career and say that I was one of the greatest”. I felt what better way to do that then to pay homage to those who I came up listening to and who I feel [like] are the best in the world. What I did with this series is take their beats on my path to cover the greatest that have came before me and salute to them. I just wanted to do something that I haven’t heard before. With this series, I wanted to tribute and contribute a gem to Hip-Hop and no matter what I do I wanna make sure I’m not another rapper rapping because there are a million rappers. I always try and strive to something different from the rest.
What’s the next installment in the Best In the World series?
Man, you know what? (Laughs)
Or is it top secret? (Laughs)
I can’t even let the cat out of the bag until I come with it. I have an idea for the next two but I don’t want to put them out quite yet. When I do put them out, GrungeCake will be one of the first to know.
Can you elaborate on your song and video True Colors which was recently released?
True Colors is one of my favorite joints off of my Season 2 project which is all original material. I produced the joint. Honestly, we’re the voice of what’s going on in the “real world”. I try to use my voice to make people wake up and put the mirror in people’s faces. I’m not coming at people from a perspective of where I’m talking down on them or I’m their mother or father but shit is fucked up and sometimes we need a wake-up call. [We] need to look at the bigger picture and recognize the ugly truth of life and that’s what True Colors is. I don’t make a bunch of depressing music or a bunch of happy music all the time, I speak to the people and the video True Colors is just me showing people what’s going on and/or at least what’s taking place in Flint, MI. If we don’t address issues, these issues will keep getting worse and worse. Let’s be aware of what’s going on, not to harp on it, yeah let’s all have a good time, we can club and party because I like to club and party too, buts its like Yo, let’s be aware of what’s going on and through my gift and voice, I just want to make people aware and that’s more of what True Colors stands for.
To add on to that, I feel impelled to understand your movement whenever I get to see a performance of yours. The presence of your crew is tremendously felt and admired. It seems as if everyone that sports a Jon Connor shirt at your shows lives to help spread your message. That is rare these days. A lot of camps are cursed with disloyal crew members and individualism. I see none of that with your crew. I admire that!
And I appreciate that to the fullest. Thank you. And my crew, we’re all from Flint. From the bottom of the bottom, so when you grow up like that, it humbles you. It’s like whatever we have to do to collectively make this situation better, we’re going to do it! This crew is bigger than Jon Connor, more than music, we serve a bigger cause. We are family and that’s what keeps us focused and that’s what keeps selfishness and disloyalty non-factors within our crew.
I’ve pretty much covered all that I had for you, Jon. Oh, are you a fan of Dilla?
Ah, much respect! I’m from Michigan. Nothing but respect. Much respect, yes.
What’s the next thing for you Jon?
While You Were Sleeping, an all original project produced by my production team The Worlds Greatest Music slated for a July release. Dropping something every two months. I’m from Flint where we hold close to that blue-collar mentality, so I’m definitely putting work in.
I have just one last question… What was the first thing that popped into your head when you heard the name GrungeCake?
GRUNGECAKE? (Laughter) GRUNGECAKE… the first thing that I thought of honestly was Nirvana, the band. (Jon laughs again)
The cutting-edge Italian-based Pop band inspired by lucid dreams, Talking Heads and more talks to GrungeCake and gives you a formal introduction into what they are about, their unique sound, and current musical projects.
What is your name, and name your group / band?
We are Fil and Marco, the name of our band is Videodreams.
To what genre would you consider Videodreams?
We write pop songs but we like to mix pop with much other stuff like Folk, Soul, Electronic ‘cos we listen to lots of music genres. We try to put together everything we love about music.
Where are you from? How did you and your band come together? How long have you guys been together? What is everyone’s talent in the group?
We are two brothers and we grew up in a small village rounded by mountains in the north-east of Italy, a place made of nature and silence. The Videodreams project was born in 2009 but we started playing music together almost 10 years ago, just for fun, we used to play funk music. Marco was just 12-year-old and he learned to play the drums while we practised. We’ve never taken a lesson, we’re self-taught musicians. We share our ideas for the songwriting and try to write songs together. Then, I use to write lyrics.
The name Videodreams derives from where?
I was checking some screenshots I took from the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind by Michel Gondry. They were so dreamy. It was like, I’m watching dreams on the video and I put ’em in a folder called “videodreams.” Then I thought it was a perfect name for our new band. We’re very influenced by dreams as well.
What instruments are involved in crafting your sound?
We’ve changed our setup many times. We’ve started just with drums, guitar and a looper. Then we’ve tried using laptops to find out new sounds and for songwriting and everything’s taken a new direction. After many changes, now, we find the right setting for this new “Wet Pain” songs. We have an old Farfisa organ to make the bass sound for example, but we won’t stop changing our instruments set. We write songs also by finding new sounds.
Thinking back to early childhood what was your first experience with music for the first time like?
Almost everyone in our family played an instrument, our father, our grandpa, our cousins and we grew up surrounded by music, especially folk-popular music. But I didn’t play any instrument ’till I was 17 when I started to play the guitar. I started ‘cos my bro did but he was younger, he was 10.
What made you first realize you wanted to pursue a career in music?
When we recorded our first demo with our first band I realized that was what I wanted to do, I had (and I still have) many other interests but making music is what I like more, I couldn’t live without that now.
How did you become involved in the type of music you play/sing now?
As I told, we used to play funk / noisy music. Maybe we were angry or something like that. Maybe we were playing for “our egos”. Then, by changing our influences and growing up (a little bit…) we’ve understood that making music is a gift for us and we are in the service of music and now we make it ‘cos we love to make it. So here-and-now the perfect way to express ourselves is through pop music, melody and bittersweet sounds.
Let’s talk a bit about The World…
Please explain what exactly The World EP is.
First of all, The World is a starting point for us. Our first record, we’ve tried lots of new things in this EP like singing altogether, several electronic sounds, it has been fun, a great experience. The World talks about that simple thing we all human beings went through once at least: love, control, dreams, possession, but all the songs have a positive light. It’s not pure optimism, it’s zen.
When was The World EP released?
It was released in 2010, exactly on 10/10/10.
What initial response did Videodreams receive after the release locally, as well as internationally (online)?
Before the release, we played The World’s songs live and that helped us to win a contest that gave us the chance to play at the Italia Love Wave Festival in Tuscany with other great bands like Editors and OK Go. After the release, our fan base started to increase and we started touring around Italy. That was our target ‘cos we were a DIY band and we needed to improve our life experience. Now we’re ready to talk about an international experience. It’s our aim.
Working with different band members, how hard was it to think and connect concepts throughout The World EP.
Actually, it wasn’t hard. In fact, to collaborate with other musicians, like our dear friend Brown & The Leaves, helped us to look at our work from a different point of view. It has been really inspiring.
Now, transitioning to your latest block of work; Wet Pain EP.
Where did the title “Wet Pain” derive from?
During the last year, I had some painful experiences and I made many significant decisions in my life. I always think pain can be useful if we can face it conscientiously but, you know, it’s hard to wash it away. Wet Pain… it’s a pun with Wet Paint. It’s like “Be careful if you lean on me! My pain is still wet!
Can you name the first single that you’ll be doing any visual for?
Wet Pain.
Who is on the production and post-production?
This is our first record we officially release with Megaphone Records (www.megaphone.it), a small indie label / collective based in Maniago (Italy) made by some great musicians like Arnoux, The Storylines, Threatcon Charlie. Our friend Valentino Cimenti mixed and mastered the tracks and he did a really great job. He’s awesome.
Are you running any promotional campaign?
We’re currently working with Megaphone to promote this release.
That leads me to ask if Videodreams is considering a big emphasis on touring any or even just holding live performances anywhere there is electricity to help support the movement of Wet Pain?
Playing live… It’s maybe the thing we like most and we played in many different situations so we can fit our set with the space and the audience around us, even without electricity… Of course, we have some preferences as small/medium ambiences where people can even feel our energy and concentration on stage.
Explain to GrungeCake the recording studio that has been home for Videodreams.
We’ve recorded the EP in two different studios. At Mushroom Studio with Enrico Berto and at Spiderland with our Megaphone mate Arnoux.
Does Videodreams have any video links listeners can check out?
We’re working on the video right now so you can check it out soon on our YouTube channel.
Does Videodreams have a website / social network links?
Los Angeles-based Electro-Pop band Capital Cities isn’t afraid to let the Southern California sunshine seep into their music. Synth-tastically bright, danceable and catchy, yet maintaining a depth that reflects the band’s roots in San Francisco, Paris and Armenia, it’s loaded with appeal. Perhaps, it’s the vintage Juno-106 heard punching out across their self-titled debut EP, or the unique timbre of frontmen/producers Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian’s blended vocals. Either way, Capital Cities’ songs are genuinely connecting with people.
