Kindred launch NEW music residency programme for rising artists 

Kindred – the ex-private members club turned community space, has launched the Kindred Uncovered Residency, a women-only programme to support rising artists and musicians living in Greater London.

The programme is supporting and championing five budding artists across a 12-month period who will receive free mentoring throughout the year from leading figures in the UK music industry including head of music at Dice Ife Awosika, Kiss FM producer Channette Carleo, VeVo artist relations manager Jodeci Chin, Lloyd Murray, and 16 more experts in their field.

“Our new residency crystallises our long-held hope that Kindred would be the home of rising talent; helping artists find mentors, and one another. We’re all about platforming the talented, passionate and joy-bringing, so we can’t wait to meet our new residents and be part of their journey.” Anna Anderson – Kindred Founder.

We had the pleasure of speaking to this year’s cohort of young artists to find out more about their journey.

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LUCY DK

Please introduce yourself

I’m Lucy DK and I make radically hot pop. 

What kickstarted your passion for music?

My Grampy. He always listened to country music. I loved the storytelling. I found his old guitar and taught myself how to play. I was this super shy kid, so it was the first time I felt truly able to use my voice. And say out loud the things I was always secretly thinking. 

What stories do you hope to tell through your music?

I want to share radical lessons, but make them hot. My song Bye to My Last White Boy is a good example. Growing up in a very white area, there was a lot of racism that was not cute. It took me a long time to realise I was hot and truly love myself. 

There’s another song coming called Soft Bitch about how capitalism tried to turn me into a boss bitch, but I’m not, I’m soft. Leaving uni and being funnelled into corporate jobs was the biggest scam. Staying true to myself in this high-key dystopian society has truly been my biggest journey in life. I want people who are also on that journey to know they’re not alone. I founded radical hotties so that we could come together and stay true to our real selves. 

What do you hope to get out of the Kindred Residency?

To learn from people who know their shit. I got onto this residency soon after my Grampy died. I know it’s a gift from him. He always taught me we never stop learning. So I want to learn as much as I can. Meeting the Kindred Residency Board members felt crazy to me. They are super well respected. You don’t know if people like that will have time for newer artists, but there was so much warmth, and there have already been so many great lessons. 

Where do you hope to be in the next year?

I’m releasing my project this year. It’s my first time releasing songs I wrote in my bedroom, but with full pop production. It’s a real representation of me, you know? And I’ve been lucky to work with some incredible producers. This next year I’m focused on building my live performance so I’m ready to truly become a radical popstar. I want to share my message far and wide. I‘m doing my first ever headline show and I couldn’t be more gassed. 

What stage would you love to perform on?

Rock City in Nottingham. I’m from the Midlands and that was where I watched my first ever gig. I was 14, I dropped my glasses in the crowd, and I was completely terrified the whole time because the crowd was so live. I was being lifted off my feet and swept up into mosh pits. But afterwards I was like, “shit. That was cool.” Performing there would feel like coming full circle. 

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JODIE KNIGHT 

Please introduce yourself

My name is Jodie Knight, I am a songwriter, artist and producer from Glasgow, Scotland. I work under 2 different names creating different music; under Jodie Knight I write sad girl pop which tugs at the heartstrings and will make you feel, and then I write dance music under the alias ALLKNIGHT which I describe as ‘songs to cry in the club to’. I started busking at the age of 13 and writing songs around the same time. In 2018 I went to study at Sir Paul McCartney’s university, LIPA, and graduated with a first class honours degree in songwriting and music production. Over the last 5 years I have supported Rick Astley, opened for Texas, performed at Murrayfield Stadium and HERE at Outernet and recorded at the world famous Abbey Road Studios. The singles from Abbey Road are currently being released, the 2nd one, ‘Heartburn’ is out on the 31st May!

What kickstarted your passion for music?

I always loved music as a child, and picked up saxophone when I was about 8 years old. My love for singing then developed and so I asked my brother to teach me some guitar when I was 12 and about 6 months after that I started busking on the streets of Glasgow. It was always a fun hobby, and I chose not to take the subject in school as I never wanted it to become a chore, and wanted it to be for me. I think thats why my love grew for it so much over my teenage years as I was teaching myself and had nobody to account to, it was all on my terms and so naturally it became my passion.

What stories do you hope to tell through your music?

For me, music is like therapy. Lyrics are where my love lies. I think it’s so incredible how you can tell stories through music and people can listen to it and feel like they’ve been heard as they’ve gone through the exact same thing. Like anyone else, I like to write about all kinds of love – romantic, platonic and sometimes self-love. It’s surprisingly hard to write a song that is not about love! In dance music, it’s more about the melodies than the lyrics, if you have a killer melody then the lyrics have to fit into that exact melody. In pop music, I think it can be a little more flexible. I love doing both because I get such different things out of them.

What do you hope to get out of the Kindred Residency?

I think one of the best opportunities is the incredible panel which we have at our fingertips. There are so many experienced people who have such a wealth of knowledge and have really done stuff themselves, who are willing to help us residents. It’s so important to have people you can ask advice of and who can be a sounding board, so I think that will be extremely valuable over the coming year!

Where do you hope to be in the next year?

For myself I’m currently working on understanding what I enjoy most about both projects. They are on different trajectories, for ALLKNIGHT I have management and I release all my music with labels and therefore I have teams to help me with everything around the release therefore that project has grown faster. I am hoping to next year be performing more at events as a guest vocalist, I sang last week at HERE at Outernet and New Century Hall to crowds of over 1000 and I absolutely ADORED it, so I definitely want to be doing more of that! For Jodie Knight, it’s been a slower rise, what with being totally independent and so I think I want to focus more on the songwriting side, and getting into sessions with bigger writers and collaborating more. Building a fanbase is key to success, and so that is definitely something I would like to build on to try create a core fan base who will come to shows and buy merch. I have a headline show on 8th October at The Green Note in Camden which tickets are already on sale for!

What stage would you love to perform on?

Seems obvious, but the pyramid stage at Glastonbury at sunset seems like it would be a pretty good goal. I’ve never been to Glasto myself but I watch it on the TV every year and you hear the stories of people saying just how magical it is. I think performing at any festival, where people are there to soak up the music and enjoy themselves is the best place to perform. People are off work for a few days, are in their true happiest self and having a good crowd makes a good gig, just as much as the performer being on their game!

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VICKY TRANTOU

Introduce Yourself:

My name is Vicky Trantou and I am a 21 year old alternative R&B singer/songwriter from West London with influences such as Jazmine Sullivan, Yebba and Tori Kelly.

What kick-started your passion for music?:

Having a professional pianist as a mother meant listening to such complex pieces as a little girl. This made me so curious to expand my knowledge and see what other music was out there in our world which is what led me to having a good ear for music alongside really understanding my voice and being able to have the vocal ability I have now.  

What stories do you hope to tell through your music?:

I am a person that feels a lot which has its pros and cons but when it comes to music, feeling makes magic. We as humans don’t always love to feel especially when life gets a bit much sometimes but being able to go to music and have it heal you is my dream.

What do you hope to get out of the Kindred Residency?:

I am really grateful for all the opportunities the Kindred Residency has already provided myself and the four other girls. My biggest goal for this year was to get my foot through the door and meet, speak and network with more industry professionals that I can really learn and understand the music scene from which is exactly what I am able to do. I’m also happy that I’m with a group of talented artists who support one another alongside continuing to build a community within the music scene in the UK.

Where do you hope to be in the next year?

I hope to be able to start opening for more established artist’s that I look up to within my field. I hope to continue learning and growing as an artist, perfecting my craft and putting in even more work to grow my social media presence.

What stage would you love to perform on?:

I see myself travelling all over the world to sing, to do what I love. Some stages being starting off in my home city, The O2 & Wembley Stadium. Doing Wireless, Glastonbury & Coachella, The BRIT Awards, BET Awards & The Grammys are all just a glimpse of what I would love to achieve within my career.

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CHRISSY DAY

Please introduce yourself

My name is Chrissy Day I am an Alternative RnB singer/songwriter drawing inspirations from the likes of Alex Isley, Frank Ocean, Noname, Michael Jackson and many more. Offering versatile melodies, vocals and songwriting techniques I have cultivated my own unique style. I’ve grown up listening to a wide range of music and from there developed my love for creating my own music. I’ve had some amazing experiences attending a songwriting camp in South Africa, writing with artists such as Kojey Radical and releasing my first ever Amapiano song. On this trip I also connected with artists such as K-Trap and Lost Girl. In December last year I released a project titled “No Agent” after having had, somewhat problematic experiences in the music industry. This project was my way of taking back the autonomy of my self and honouring my genuine drive for creating music without the excessive pressure of feeling like I have to fit into a mould or box in order for my music to be appreciated. I am currently working on new music which I aim to be a representation of my growth and overall development as an artist both musically and lyrically. 

What kickstarted your passion for music?

My passion really stemmed from my love of writing poetry. The way words come together to evoke emotions and feelings to make the reader or listener feel like they are understood amidst the chaos of misunderstanding. Knowing that I have always kind of struggled with expressing myself, music became a true form of unapologetic expression. It allowed me to peel back the layers I created in order to protect myself from being “too vulnerable” and gave me a safe space to communicate how I really feel no matter how messy that can be. Growing up my mum always played a huge role in my love for music. She’d never shy away from ensuring I experienced truly great artists including the Jackson 5, Bob Marley, Kurt Cobain, and even introduced me to musical show tunes like Singing in the Rain by Gene Kelly or Moon River by Audrey Hepburn. Through these experiences I truly understood that great music knows no particular genre. It’s about the message being conveyed through the sound that’s emitted. The lyrics and the story they tell and the energy behind how each story is being told. 

What stories do you hope to tell through your music?

Through my music I hope to create a platform for the voices in our heads to be heard. At times we can suppress our true emotions out of fear of rejection or judgement. I hope that my music can be a soundtrack for those thoughts. Writing about love and heartbreak is something I feel comes naturally as an RnB artist and while knowing that we are not perfect, sometimes we’re petty, angry and even judgmental. I want to dissect the often chaotic aspects of simply feeling things. For me it’s never as straight forward as surface level emotions there’s always more beneath and I know so many people can relate to the fact its often hard to find the words to say but the thoughts and feelings ae very much present within. I truly hope my music can highlight those moments that we struggle to put into words.   

What do you hope to get out of the Kindred Residency?

I hope to connect more with the artists on the residency as well as build a network with the members of the board and develop my understanding of ways in which to enhance my musical career. I want my music to be heard by wider audiences thus gracing bigger stages. As a songwriter also I hope to gain the right advice and support that will push me in the right direction to get more opportunities to write for other artists also. Collaborating is super important to me so ensuring that I am connecting with creatives that also want to develop and grow is fundamental.  

Where do you hope to be in the next year?

Next year I’ll be writing for a larger network of artists as well as having released my second project. This is a project that I would have collaborated with producers, musicians, artists and other creatives to release a truly powerful body of work. I hope to be gracing bigger stages and curating my own headline show with some amazing support acts. 

What stage would you love to perform on?

I would love to perform on Mahalia Presents. She is an artist that I truly respect and admire and her career trajectory is inspiring to me. To be able to even collaborate with her on music would be a dream come true. 

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KRISTIE KILLICK 

Please introduce yourself

I’m Kristie Killick. I’m an alt-rnb artist, songwriter, and producer from Berkshire but I’ve moved all around London from Wandsworth to White City and back. 

Within the last few years I’ve been blessed with many opportunities from being selected for studio time @ The Red Room, Milico Studios where Skepta recorded Konnichiwa courtesy of SNS X NIKE as well as featuring in a Nike ad with Amaarae to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Air Force. 

I’ve performed at the Nike store, Shepherds Bush in support of Grenfell Athletic’s jersey launch which included a panel of judges from DJ Semtex to Morgan Keyz and I’ve run my own show at Boxpark Shoreditch where I featured 4 upcoming rnb artists! 

I’ve been played by Theo Johnson, BBC 1xtra introducing, Claira Hermet, BBC London and my collab with Roska ‘Boogie With Me’ was played by DJ EZ, Conducta, Rinse, NTS as well as being featured on playlists such as: UK Funky, The Sounds Of UKG! 

Most importantly, I’ve been working on my second EP and the first single ‘French Wine’ which drops on Friday 24th, the day after I headline the Kindred, Hammersmith. 

What kickstarted your passion for music?

Growing up, music was all around me. My dad was a pianist and he played everything from Coldplay to Stevie Wonder and Jamiroquai whilst my mum and sisters all sang. We had a very musical household and everything was played from soul, funk and Motown to rnb slow jams, house and hip hop. 

My sister used to burn CD’s and I’d steal them (and probably scratch them lol) and I remember when she passed me down her sound system, I used to take it to all the house parties and play DJ for the evening. 

I then went uni in West London to pursue music and found myself moving around London for the next few years. I did countless shows at venues like Boxpark, Piano House, Koko Cafe Camden etc. 

What stories do you hope to tell through your music?

I hope to tell stories that help people cry then make them belly laugh, stories that make people feel seen. Stories that people feel are written about them. I want to make people step back and think, reevaluate their life, motivate them, allow them to mourn. I’ve always called it ‘cup of tea’ music. 

Most of all, I want to tell my truth. I know a lot of people are here for the moody melodies and sultry tones which is great but if you’re a lyricist, I want my stories to really resonate when you realise I’m not just telling one story. I like hiding my secrets in my songs – it feels like mini confessions whether it be life events or how I truly feel. Anything I sing is my story. 

Writing stories for others is play time for me. Theres so many people I’d love to write with from Wretch 32 to Lana Del Ray, Ghetts to 6LACK. When you work with others, fusing visions you can come up with something completely different to what you intended purely just based on something somebody else might even say in passing in the studio. 

I can say whatever I want, even be outrageous because it’s not my life. This is where a different side of creativity comes into play and I really get to just let loose. It’s like baking a cake you don’t want to eat but you know others love – you get the satisfaction of knowing people are enjoying something you created even if it’s not for you. 

What do you hope to get out of the Kindred Residency?

I think my biggest focus is really utilising the panel to achieve the best releases I can and be all ears for guidance as I roll out my EP. The panel is so varied and I’m so excited to have conversations with so many great women in the industry in particular. 

Of course I’ll be utilising the venue as well to accompany my releases with shows in interesting, quirky ways. Everything I do I want to do it different, I don’t want to just follow the protocol, I want to break boundaries and surprise people. 

Where do you hope to be in the next year?

Full time in music. Working with people who share my values and vision. In the absolute thick of it! I want to be working the hardest I’ve ever worked in my life and be doing this every single day because no matter how hard it gets, I am down. The hustle feels different when you adore what you do even with the ebbs and flows that the industry brings. You do it because you know you don’t want to stay in retail, because you have people you need to win for, because there’s nothing else you can do like this. So yeah, in the thick of it and in it full-time!

What stage would you love to perform on?

I’d love to perform at Roundhouse, Camden for a headline show. I’d change the venue up to suit the album and make it a really special. Some of my favourite shows have been there and I know I could really create something cool with the space and have people talking for years to come. If you come to that show in however many years, print this off and put it on a poster! 

 I’d love to bring in some great UK talent that maybe is a little earlier in their career than me. Community is important in want to back smaller artists who have strong vision. That’s a big value of mine.

To kick off the programme, these incredible young artists will be performing their work live on Kindred’s stage this Thursday! Tickets here: Kindred Uncovered with Kristie Killick: Live Music Night

If you’re interested in attending you can use the following code for free tickets: KINDREDPARTNER