A mutual friend, a Facebook post, and wham! KIN was ready to go – well, they started working on music a few years ago but well, we’ll let them finish the story of how they built their foundation, and soon went on to win over fans and critics alike with just a few songs so far. We also got into their literary inspirations, figuring out TikTok, and more in this back and forth exchange.

Kendra: The last year and counting has led people to try a number of things from plant care to podcasting, but you three came together and started making music. Was music something any of you had in the back of your mind to do one day or was this one of those right people, right time, right vibe sort of thing?

Adam: I think it was a bit of both, I was looking to start a new musical project and met Grace via a mutual friend. We began writing and it just clicked, we knew we wanted to add a live drummer and Grace put up a post on a Facebook group for creatives. Ritu’s application video was great and so we asked her to go for a drink. We drank cocktails, talked for hours, and KIN was born.

We actually started making music together in 2018 but released our debut singles last year- I think going through such an intense time galvanized us for sure and our debut single was released shortly after the first lockdown.

I have also taken up plant care, but that’s a recent development.

Grace: We got so lucky that we all met and had similar backgrounds, and the fact we all love the music we make together and genuinely like each other as human beings is pretty awesome too.

Kendra: Do you think all of you coming from creative backgrounds has helped aid KIN in that you all have this innate ability to be disciplined when it comes to focusing?

Adam: If you’ve worked in the arts in any capacity you begin to view what you’re doing creatively in a different light. Certainly having experience in the arts means we all know that discipline is an important factor to make a project like this work, but it’s also about finding a balance. Fiscally, creatively and mentally. Balance is important because there frankly isn’t a lot of money in the arts and it’s also full of rejection, especially when you’re just starting out. We need to pay bills, protect our mental health and still focus on creative work. It’s not easy out there but we love it- and that’s what keeps us going.

I’m also motivated by our wonderful fans (the KINdom), and knowing that there are so many people out there that could potentially love what we do but just haven’t heard us yet – it’s a good incentive to keep promoting ourselves and it means we push our music and creativity for the right reasons. We hope our audience continues to grow with us on that journey.

The other thing about working across multiple disciplines in the arts is that it’s made us think about all aspects of our work. Each single we’ve released has had a video to accompany it and that adds to the story. We’d also love to keep developing our live show with lighting, projection, etc.

Grace: I also think that being an independent band means that you have to be proactive, focused, and organised when it comes to all decision-making, whether that be creative or administrative. And although this is rewarding, we know the hard graft and behind-the-scenes work that goes into keeping the band going. The focus and discipline have definite crossovers from the other creative work we’ve done and we’ve learned through our many practices how to find new and exciting ways to put ourselves out there and create exciting visuals, artwork, social content, and whatever else we might need with basically no budget or anyone else’s help. The other creative backgrounds have definitely helped us be self-sufficient.

Kendra: So far KIN has dropped three singles, and fans and critics alike are loving them! Now people are wanting more and more, so I got to ask – are you working on an EP, LP?

Adam: The fans we have are incredible, so responsive, and inspiring. The messages we receive about what our music means to listeners has been so overwhelming and special, we feel very privileged. There does indeed seem to be a hunger to hear more new music from us which is honestly awesome. We are currently working on our debut EP which we’ll be recording in November with the amazing Josh Tyrrell.

Separate from the EP, we’ve also just finished two new singles and we’re about to shoot the video for the next release in Brighton and London. It should be out by the end of October. We’ll have a lot of new music coming out over the next six months- I’m so excited for people to hear it, I think every time we create new music and head into the studio, we push ourselves to elevate our work and songwriting. It feels good- we’re only just getting started!

Kendra: You’ve noted that your latest, “Wander & Lost,” was inspired by ‘Call My By Your Name.’ Have any of your latest reads inspired any songs that you may be working on?

Grace: Books are an amazing source of inspiration for me and there is something about staring at beautiful words on a page that helps me hear melodies and paint pictures in my mind of fictional narratives or nostalgic memories that are great when coming up with ideas for a new song. I’ve definitely been inspired by James Baldwin’s ‘Another Country’ for some new lyrics and I’d love to write some based on ‘What We Talk About When We Talk About Love’ by Raymond Carver which I’ve just finished. Saying that the new EP was primarily written last year, in 2020, which was a really difficult year politically, socially, and as a woman too. A lot of songs on the EP are a comment on the feelings and attitudes that were circling at the time about finding your way, overcoming anger, and standing up for things that are important.

Kendra: So recently you took your manager’s advice and hopped on TikTok. How has it been navigating the very popular app?

Adam: It’s been really fun! TikTok is just another outlet for artists and like all social media it has its downsides, but it appears to be overwhelmingly positive for musicians, writers, and beyond. Anything that helps people discover our work is helpful. We’re still finding our voice on TikTok but we’re excited to be there. Our manager, Ade, was right, as he often is!

Grace: it was definitely overwhelming when I first downloaded it. It’s a true test of trying to stay youthful when you download a new app and for the first time have absolutely no concept of how it works. I’ve edited whole music videos in only a few days and it took me two hours to edit a fifteen-second TikTok! It’s a challenge to try and develop new content but it’s no surprise to see why it’s so addictive.

Kendra: Other than the possibility of more music, does KIN have any solid plans as we head towards wrapping up this year?

Adam: We’ve got a new single due in October and some more exciting gigs to announce before the end of the year. We think our live show is pretty exciting and energetic, and we put a lot of thought into live arrangements. I think audiences are always pleasantly surprised when they see us live because we really do give it everything we’ve got, each and every gig. So come and see us live!

We’re hoping next year will be the year we really put our stamp on the industry. New singles, bigger live shows, and a debut EP. Watch this space because we’ve got a lot more to come!