Rebecca's Interviews: Kira Willey

Rebecca:  Who are the members of your band? Please introduce yourselves…

Kira:  My band is Zak Rizvi on lead guitar and vocals (Zak is also my producer), Leo McClusky on vocals and guitar, Tim Kerrigan on bass, Kevin Soffera on drums, and me—I’m the lead singer, and I play violin and guitar.

Rebecca:  What is your favorite song in your discography? What makes it special to you?

Kira:  At the moment, I think my favorite song is probably “Colors.” Since it was in a Dell commercial, it’s taken on quite a life of its own—there are umpteen videos on YouTube that people have made using the song, tutorials on how to play it on guitar and ukulele, you name it. It’s so fun to see people interpret it in their own unique and interesting ways. I also get lots of requests from schools and other groups to perform it. And most gratifying, I often hear that it has a positive, calming effect on children with special needs—I think because although it’s very simple, it has a universal appeal, and is easy to sing. It’s now in another commercial, airing throughout Canada.

Rebecca:  Why do you choose to play children’s music?

Kira:  It’s a blast to play, and I really feel like I have something unique to offer in that I combine simple and fun yoga with my positive, upbeat songs. It’s more of a challenge, I think, than many people imagine. Kids don’t necessarily have the social graces adults do—if they don’t like your songs, you’ll know it! I love that part of it—there’s no guesswork involved, you always know where you stand with kids.

Plus, from a purely practical standpoint, you can get great musicians to play with you who might not otherwise be available, as they can go straight from your 11 AM gig to their evening show!

Rebecca:  What age did you realize you were a musician?  

Kira:  I’ve always been playing music, so I don’t think it ever occurred to me that I wasn’t a musician! I started playing the violin at age five, and grew up playing in ensembles and orchestras, and singing in choral groups. I have a very musical family, and it’s just always been a part of my life.

Rebecca:  What or who inspired you as a child to play music/write music?

Kira:  Mostly my family, my parents were both excellent musicians. And my older brother is a great singer; he was always in fun and exciting singing groups that I followed around. He’s the one who told me, when I was still sitting in my bedroom writing songs that had never seen the light of day, that if I didn’t get out there and sing them, no one else would! Seems pretty obvious, I know, but at the time it was a bit of an “aha!” for me.

Rebecca:  What music genre do you listen to in your free time?  What are some of your favorite artists?

Kira:  From a songwriting perspective, I love Paul Simon, Patty Griffin, and Paul McCartney. I love listening to groups that incorporate lots of beautiful harmonies into their music, like Red Molly, The Good Lovelies, and The Wailin’ Jennys. And as I have a teenager in the house, I hear a lot of what’s currently on the radio too, which is fun, and keeps me up with current trends in songwriting and production.

Rebecca:  Do you have any new projects on the horizon?

Kira:  Yes! I’m working on a new album at the moment, for release this fall. It will be geared toward slightly older children/tweens. I’m really excited about it—stay tuned!

Rebecca:   What is your most embarrassing moment in front of a live audience?  How did you handle the situation?

Kira:  Oh, I had a doozy once…we were playing an outdoor show in the summertime, and the thin strap on my dress snapped where it attached to the dress in the back! I caught it just before it became a serious wardrobe malfunction. Then I had to come up with five minutes or so of entertaining things to say while a dear friend jumped up from the audience and pinned it for me. I held a contest with the kids in the audience, asking them to guess how many times we sing the word “caterpillar” in my “Caterpillar Caterpillar” song. It ended up being completely hilarious, and of course makes for a fun story now!

Rebecca:  What advice would you give young, budding musicians?

Kira:  There are times when it can be hard, or seem really boring to keep practicing. Don’t give up, switch it up! Keep it interesting by learning a new piece of music, playing with someone you’ve never played with before, even playing in a different spot in your house. Keep it fresh and you won’t get tired of it, and it will absolutely pay off in the long run.

Rebecca:  Sweet or Salty?

Kira:  Sweet, for sure! And preferably covered in chocolate…

We agree!  For more information about Kira and her band visit www.kirawilley.com where her music is available for download.