Exploring the Journey of Singer-Songwriter Keiva: From Personal Catharsis to Shared Language
KEIVA © 2024
GH: Keiva, great to have you here! What inspired you to start writing music?
KEIVA: I’ve wanted to be a singer/performer since I was a child. Writing catchy little songs started as a childhood pastime that evolved into a sanctuary where I could process difficult life events and complex emotions. My music is a bit like a diary in that what I write is deeply personal, and not all of what I write is meant for others to hear. Many of the songs I’m releasing and working on now were actually written over several years ago. It took a long time for me to feel strong enough to share such personal pieces with the public, and although I still get a bit of anxiety, every time I share a new song I feel that’s a part of me I can let go. It becomes music and words. And I find it so healing to take something difficult and turn it into art.
GH: Can you tell us more about your experience performing live at gigs and what was the most memorable experience you had?
KEIVA: I’m fairly new to the music industry and while I haven’t had much opportunity to perform my original works for the public, I’m no stranger to performing live. I grew up singing in a church choir and have always been involved in theater. I have a BA in Theater and an MFA equivalent in Musical Theater from The Royal Academy of Music in London, England. Any opportunity during my studies that I’ve had to perform for an audience, the feeling is incredible. The energy and connection you get from a live audience is insane, and I love being able to let go and be in the moment without feeling self-conscious. I also love a karaoke bar, so if you’re in and around LA, chances are you might just stumble across me giving the performance of a lifetime.
GH: How is your process of songwriting set around?
KEIVA: I have a few ways that songs come to me. Sometimes it’s creating a simple melody on my keyboard and allowing whatever words feel right rise to the surface. Other times, I’ve written the lyrics like you’d write a poem, then it’s the difficult task of setting them to music. My favorite way, and sometimes the most inconvenient way, is when a phrase and a melody enters my head and forces me to give it my full attention. For example, the chorus for my single “Back in Brooklyn” came to me in the shower. I had been ruminating on a very intense email I had sent to an ex after the end of our relationship. Suddenly, I was singing “You told me that you loved me when you f*cked me back in Brooklyn”. Scrambling out of the shower, I poured over the infamous letter, pulling sentences directly from it and rearranging them into verses and the bridge. I had the lyrics written and melody solidified in a single afternoon.
GH: What motivates you to create music and bring awareness to different situations through your songs?
KEIVA: In addition to finding artistic fulfillment and emotional healing in the process of writing and releasing songs, I strive to create music that becomes a shared language with those who resonate with my work. When you listen and sing along to my songs, you are adding to that language as you interpret my words in your own unique way, through your own lived experiences. If my art can give voice to the thoughts and feelings someone is struggling to express, it becomes a reminder that we are not alone in our failures or our victories. I know when I listen to music that speaks to me and for me, I feel comforted knowing I have participated in the shared language between that artist and myself.
GH: Could you share some insights into your next projects?
KEIVA: Following the big launch of my first music video for my single “Back in Brooklyn” last year, I’ve been working on my first album, which will feature some of the singles I’ve already released. With so much of my work coming from writings of the past, this will be a perfect way to introduce myself and share what I’ve been through and how I’ve grown from that, while wrapping up loose ends and giving me space to look towards the future. I’m also excited to say I’m putting on “Rising Artists LA: Variety and Art Show” March 9th at The Eastwood Performing Arts Center that will feature the work of many up-and-coming artists, including live performances from yours truly. You can purchase tickets here.
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