kyle.
Singer/songwriter/producer/engineer kyle. has revealed his latest single “DUDE” off his upcoming album. Exploring different genres such as pop, r&b, funk, alternative and psychedelic, kyle. stands up from the crowds with his unique musicality and versatility. Entirely self-written/produced/mixed/mastered, “DUDE” is the kind of songs that gets better each listen. You have to pay attention to every detail when you listen to his songs and this is what I enjoy the most about his music. He’s not only a great songwriter, he’s also a brilliant producer. He’s a complete artist who knows who he is and I believe big things are coming his way. Keep and eye on him !
Make sure to listen to his latest single “DUDE”, out now.
Photo credit: Kieth Kagen, Amanda Carranza
Hi kyle, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. How are you? What's your story?
I’m well! I’ve been riding quite an emotional wave this last year and it feels nie to feel still.
I’m a 21 year old singer/songwriter/producer from Arizona, originally born in Lehi, Utah. :)
What did you grow up listening to?
I grew up around an appreciation for artists like The Killers, Coldplay, Maroon 5, Keane, and many others from a diverse selection of style and genre. My family was very diverse in their music tastes and in a family of 7, I was introduced to a plethora of different sounds at a really young age.
Could you list a few records that influenced the music you are making today?
Ahhh I’ve had a few ranging from ‘A Momentary Lapse of Reason’ by Pink Floyd to ‘Circles’ by Mac Miller. I’ve also been really heavy on artists like Gregory Alan Isokov and The 1975’s album ‘Being Funny In A Foreign Language’. As well as one of my favorite artists right now, Ben Howard. I’ve been trying to expand my music tastes and horizons by dipping my toe into new genres that I would never have normally become accustomed to, and it’s been loads of fun experimenting with new sounds and seeing what I can do.
When did you know music was more than just a hobby?
It was honestly always a dream of mine ever since I was a kid to hear myself on the radio. I grew up in a very musical family and loved the idea of being able to express myself through music. I never really knew where to start though, aside from school choir and other extracurriculars, until around age 13 when a friend of my mom’s stayed with us from some time who was very into recording and producing music of her own. This gave me an opportunity to record a song or two I had written and actually get a feel for what it was all about. I absolutely loved it.
What/who gave you the confidence to be an artist and release your original music?
There were a few artists I loved around the time I mentioned previously that I always had on heavy rotation. They included artists like Charlie Puth, Ben Rector, and Jeremy Shayne (a smaller independent artist at the time). They were my idols, and I found out at some point that all of them self-produced and wrote all their own music, which was insanely intriguing to me. I always pictured music being produced in fancy studios, being crafted by the industry, but finding out that some of my favorite names in pop music had been doing it themselves? It was absolutely eye opening and I acquired a mentality of “well, if they can do it without the big company names and millions of dollars, why can’t I? What am I waiting for?”
Photo credit: Taryn Kira
"DUDE" is your latest single - what’s the story/inspiration behind this song?
I've always been intrigued with the idea of psychology, and the theories behind the relationship we have between our brains and souls. I've always believed that one of the purest forms of inherent purpose every human experiences is to experience more of yourself. To face what scares you, explore what haunts you, venture into the unknowns of your mind, body and spirit and see how much of yourself you can actually be introduced to.
I've always been my own worst enemy. My own worst critic, my own demon, the villain in my own story. I'm the sabotage in my own game-plan and the twist in my own plot. But the more I explore myself the more I find that nobody is ever all one thing. Because I'm also the light to that same dark. I'm the comic relief in times of drama, and the calm in times of panic. The yin to my own yang.
Humans are complex creatures. Throughout my internal and existential ventures I find more and more that though we occupy the same space, we aren't ever truly alone in our heads. A war that can't ever truly be won or lost. a game that plays us. A test of patience. A constant balance that spends time and shares space on both the light and dark sides of the moon.
Perhaps the point wasn't ever to find a resolution, but to learn how to experience both sides without judgment or fear. To trust the process and find contentment in co-existing with your own mind. To make friends with them. Learn something from them.
Could you describe to us the songwriting/production process for this song? When did you start working on it?
I wrote this song during my year-long ‘van life’ experience traveling around the western United States in my little travel trailer/studio. I was in Colorado at the time, where I wrote nearly half of the songs on my newest album. I started with a voice memo I saved on my phone while driving DoorDash one afternoon, that would soon become the groovy bassline I used in the chorus of the song. My previous projects had been a little more raw, stripped down, as I wanted to convey my emotional ventures in a more vulnerable and soft-hearted light. But this project was different. I wanted to test my production/songwriting limits and do something I had never imagined I’d be able to do before. I started by finding music in genres I would never normally listen to, and made a playlist. I exclusively listened to new music during this period of time and it was the exact thing I needed to find the inspiration for my new direction. By finding a way to blend my current inspirations with the new music I discovered, into something that still sounded like me, (had my emotion, and my heart behind it) but also exploring a side of my mind and soul that I had never been able to express previously, I was able to paint a new picture. Tell a story that felt fresh and unique. A sound that I, personally, had never heard before. This song was part of the beginning of that era for me.
What did you feel when recording this song?
Absolute excitement! (as I felt after every song I wrote for this project). I remember listening to it every day when I first produced it, so excited to reinvent myself and see where this song was going to take me musically in the songs to come. I wrote it back in May of 2023, and have kept that same feeling of inspiration and joy clear to the day I released it.
What's your favorite lyric on "DUDE"?
There’s too many I love, but the opening line kicked off the song with just the right balance of angst and relaxation I think, with:
“Woken up from a bad dream,
It's funny how you
Can't avoid what you do when you're awake
Hell is loose, heaven help me
I'm becoming
Increasingly concerned from day to day”
It hits different every time I play the song. This lyric describes the way I felt after waking up from a recurring nightmare I was having at the time, in which I felt as if my subconscious mind was out to get me when I was at my most vulnerable. Or at the very least, being very inconsiderate (laughs).
What do you like the most about this song? What made you want to release "DUDE" as a single?
Aside from it being part of the beginning of my inspirations for this album, I feel this song represents the theme of the project's story very well. A journey to find purpose beyond the confines of your own mind and subjective experience. Learning how to coexist with your inner demons and find meaning in that adventure. (It’s also just a hella vibe.)
What can you tell us about the artwork?
Since this album resembles a psychedelic/soundscape/experimental theme, I felt it only fitting the artwork seemed just as trippy. The Artwork for ‘DUDE’ was made using an AI program to resemble flowers (a metaphor I use in the album, for what shows above the surface, even if your roots are messy, mangled, and imperfect.) and a saxophone (my current obsession, and used heavily as a theme throughout the project.)
What message do you want to give to anyone going through mental health issues?
Growing up, my home was always unstable and chaotic. I never had a safe place I felt I could truly retreat to, and this feeling has followed me throughout my life, even now. It’s hard to feel like you aren’t alone in the universe. That no one could truly understand the roots that we’re eternally bound to. What I’ve found is, even if there can never be a perfect cure for the profound loneliness, sadness and melancholy that's stemmed from our experience, some pretty damn amazing art can blossom at the surface. I think art is one of the purest forms of human connection, and one of the few ways we can communicate on a spiritual level and actually, irrevocably feel another's experience. That’s a beautiful thing to me. And an idea that gives meaning to whatever the hell this ‘life’ thing actually is.
What can you tell us about your upcoming album? What different topics are you talking about on this project?
The album has an experimental sound with pop, r&b, funk, and psychedelic influences. It explores the ideas of life and death, and the meaning of your place in the universe. I touch on my current beliefs about psychology and religion and how all of these things lead back to the reality that is a reflection of yourself. An honest headbanger and a wild trip.
As an artist, what is the hardest part?
I think it’s hard as an independent artist to remain passionate and inspired when the world around you consistently finds ways to remind you of how little a part you actually play in the grand scheme of things. Though you should make art for yourself, and find joy in the process regardless, it hurts to put every ounce of your heart, blood, sweat and tears into something, to be so effortlessly ignored and unnoticed by the world. Balancing your love for the art, with the necessities of music business can feel draining and unfulfilling in the worst of times.
And what is the best part?
Ever since I was young, I found solace in being able to sing to my favorite songs. No matter what was going on in my life, there was always a perfectly curated soundtrack in the background. I started writing music for that same purpose. Music is my outlet. My safe place. A way to process my emotions and connect with the deepest parts of my soul. Speak my emotions in a way that simple words could never. Regardless of if I achieve my wildest dreams of success in my musical ventures, I’m beyond grateful to have a passion I can find comfort, love and purpose in. I’ve also always loved the idea that I’ll have the perfect time capsules to look back on when I’m older. A seamless capture of who I was, all the emotions, pain and love I experienced throughout my life. I’ll have something to leave behind. Something that will be around for centuries after I’m gone. Who knows, maybe I’ll blow up in 3024 (laughs).
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
I miss live music!! The industry today is both a madhouse and a godsend. I think it’s crazy that today, I can write, record, produce, mix, and master an entire album in my bedroom with nothing but my computer and keyboard, where 30 years ago, that would never have been possible. I have the gift of the technology of my time, and nothing is stopping me from expressing myself how I wish. However, that being said, if I can do it, so can EVERYBODY ELSE. These days, If you do want to be recognized and successful, you have to do ALL the work yourself. Make music, yes, (the good part) but also seemingly have the equivalent knowledge of a bachelors in business and 20+ hours of free time a week on your hands if you even want to compete. People get lucky on social media more now, but it’s absolutely exhausting and emotionally draining most of the time. Not to mention degrading when I feel the value of my music is drastically diminished because I simply can’t keep in the business side of music. I love performing, and I wish the live music scene was as appreciated and valuable as it used to be. I absolutely dread having to be on my phone 24/7 to actually find any success in my music.
You write, produce, mix, master your own records - what is the most challenging thing about doing it all by yourself? And what is the best part?
The worst part about being a one-man-band is also at times the best part. Though it’s nice to have full creative control over my music, and write anything I feel without restriction or compromise, there’s only so many ideas running through my head. It’s easy to run out of inspiration when writing from a single experience, and I do wish at times I had more brains to pick when it comes to the creative process. That being said, studios cost a fortune these days, so having the skill set and knowledge to create a product I love and can be proud of, saves me loads of time and money, and also cuts out the middleman so my vision can come to light in the most authentic way possible.
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
Coming into my adulthood, I’ve come to terms with many life-changing realizations. I think the most notable, however- and also my favorite- is learning that I’ll always be my closest friend. My own life partner, and my one true love. The person I will have to experience everything with, the good, the bad, the ugly. The more I lean toward myself the more truth I find in my experience. I’ve learned to be more forgiving, and can better offer compassion and empathy to others, since I’ve started offering it to myself. I feel more connected to the world and feel I can see more clearly what I want and don’t, who I want to be and don’t. I’m able to be more vulnerable, genuine and honest, and I’m slowly creating a safe space within my own mind and body that I can rest in. It’s not perfect, but I think it’s about finding a balance between the light and the dark and learning to love the process no matter what. After all, if you can’t even allow yourself to offer you love and companionship, how will you ever be able to accept it from another?
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
Love ! Though it may sound a tad bit cheesy and trite, I think everyone could offer themselves a little more love and compassion. I’m a true believer that life is a reflection of the internal, and a little bit of love can take you a long way. We all have things we’re healing from, battles we’re facing, wars we’re fighting beneath the surface. We all have our insecurities, aspects of our lives we pick apart, things we wish we could change. But I’ve found more grace in self love than I ever found in my ventures of trying to be someone else. And in ways you may not always notice, love is contagious and it’s the one thing I feel we truly don’t have enough of.
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