TRUE MUSICIAN: Kimberly Anne may give the impression of muddling through everything but she is just as serious about her work as the most renowned of classical composers.
By Geoffery Rowlands
Dutch DJ/producer Sam Feldt is the latest dance music artist to find a place in the UK singles chart. His track, Show Me Love, has shot straight to number four. But the song is drawing most attention for the vocal quality, and look, of featured singer Kimberly Anne.
Hailing from south London, Kimberly Anne is another graduate from the BRIT School. But there can’t be many of her fellow students who went on to use household furniture for drum beats on their recordings.
“I didn’t have a drum kit and I couldn’t find the drum beats I wanted on loops online,” she explained. “I had to try to create the right drum sounds from bashing things around the house. It actually worked out well. I have a table which made a great drum sound. In fact, I sometimes prefer to use the table instead of a real drum.”
This makeshift approach typifies Kimberly Anne’s work. She is an entirely self-taught musician and freely admits to struggling with music theory.
“I’ve wanted to make music for as long as I can remember. I wrote my first song when I was about eight. It was a collaboration with my friend Glen who lived next door. It was called The Boogie Man and I actually rapped, rather than sung, about the boogie man only scaring people because he was scared himself. Quite profound really for a little kid.
“In many ways, my method of creating songs hasn’t progressed all that much from my first effort. Because of my difficulty in understanding music theory, I don’t really have any idea about the chords I play. Everything I do is basically a bit of an experiment. Combine this with my furniture drum beats and you can see why I have a do it yourself (DIY) kind of approach to my music.”
Don’t misunderstand her words. She may give the impression of muddling through everything but Kimberly Anne is just as serious about her work as the most renowned of classical composers. So much so that she even gave up music for a time because she felt the songs she was creating were not meaningful or true to herself.
“I was making a lot of songs that I thought other people would think were good instead of what I thought were good. I felt like I’d become musically lost so I promised myself I wouldn’t even touch my guitar until I felt I could again write songs with the same honesty as I’d done in the past.
“I’d grown up listening to artists like Tracy Chapman, Colin Hay and Joan Armatrading. These are strong singer/songwriters who wear their heart on their sleeve. Their music is raw and honest. I’d always tried to do the same and I was determined not to make any more songs until I could be like them again.”
Although Kimberly Anne has yet to find significant chart success in her own right, her work is much admired by major names within the music business. Her five-song EP, “Bury It There,” drew enormous critical acclaim. It can still be heard at (no www.) kimberlyanne.bandcamp.com/
She earned support act slots at shows performed by artists such as Haim, Ella Eyre and The Rolling Stones.
“The Rolling Stones gig in Hyde Park was amazing. I didn’t think their fans would be too interested in hearing some girl they’d probably never heard of playing acoustic guitar. But the audience response was great and even more memorable because my parents were with me so it was such a special occasion.”
More EPs, “Hard as Hello” and “Liar,” paved the way for her forthcoming debut album. But the smash hit single she is enjoying now with Show Me Love came about after Sam Feldt heard Kimberly Anne’s acoustic version of his original song.
“I loved Sam’s track and just decided to record a cover on my home studio equipment. He heard it and wanted to use my vocal on a new remix of Show Me Love. I can’t believe everything that has happened since then.
“Having such a big hit means I couldn’t have wished for better publicity ahead of my album being released and my first major UK tour as the headline act. Life is certainly pretty good at the moment.”
IN BRIEF
Crush_DLX
Pop Levi is an English musician, producer and filmmaker. He is best known for his work with Ladytron, the experimental instrumental band Super Numeri and his 2007 solo album, “The Return to Form Black Magick Party.”
Bunny Holiday is a Canadian musician, designer and fashion model. She initially made her name in 2011 with online fashion videos and songs such as Tender Young Flesh, Rock Paper Scissors and Mmm Yummy Yummy Yummy.
Pop was responsible for producing Bunny’s solo output. After working together for four years, they decided to officially join forces as Crush_DLX and embark upon a daily song release project titled “Micro Sex Tapes.”
“We had such a wealth of recordings and ideas for songs,” Pop explained. “We didn’t know what we wanted to do with them. We eventually had the idea of spending an entire year working on the songs and releasing one per day.”
“We record every day,” Bunny added. “We add new ideas or finishing touches to songs we’ve previously recorded or create an entirely new song. This keeps everything fresh and fun.”
“The whole project is spontaneous,” Pop remarked. “We love the idea of giving people a series of immediate songs with all the possible faults rather than a polished album.”
No album could incorporate the planned 370 tracks. Pop and Bunny have now passed the 300 song mark. Their entire project can be heard at (no www.) soundcloud.com/microsextapes
Live Aid
Several radio and TV shows commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia. Some 114 videos featuring the performances from both shows are available to view at www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfVKruxpQ5Q&list=PLHp_BwHqxTe5aFv9FtC_Ql1d1hhvalgbT
Intended to combat the terrible famine in Ethiopia, there is no doubting the honourable motive of those involved in the original 1984 Band Aid song, Do They Know It’s Christmas?, and the subsequent Live Aid events. But did all the money raised actually do rather more harm than good?
In 1986, Spin investigated the relief aid abuse. The magazine has now republished their original articles and the reaction of Band Aid/Live Aid organizer Sir Bob Geldof.
The pieces can be found at www.spin.com/featured/live-aid-ethiopia-mengistu-haile-mariam-bob-geldof/, www.spin.com/featured/live-aid-the-terrible-truth-ethiopia-bob-geldof-feature/ and www.spin.com/2015/07/live-aid-bob-geldof-response-spin-1986-feature/. They are well worth reading.
Jamie Lawson
Jamie Lawson is probably an unfamiliar name to most people. But not if you are from Australia, New Zealand or Ireland. Despite growing up in Plymouth and now living in Manchester, the English singer / songwriter is virtually unknown in his home country but has enjoyed great success on the other side of the world.
“That’s thanks to Ed Sheeran,” smiled 39-year-old Jamie. “We knew each other before Ed became famous. He took me to Australia and New Zealand as the support act on his concert tour. The people there knew I’d had hits in Ireland so thought I was Irish.”
He has now become the first signing to Ed’s newly created Gingerbread Man record label. Jamie’s self-titled fourth album is scheduled for release in October.
The video for his hit single, Wasn’t Expecting That, is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHmSlgy_Liw
More of Jamie’s songs are posted at www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZeGyabh8tE&list=PLt7sMbf3PC0bs7kxj6yH9AeuBLluz1bIo
