Every Monday we will be bringing you interviews with unsigned UK or Ireland artists for Independent Music Monday. Recently we caught up with unsigned Liverpool based singer Niki Kand to find out more…
Where are you from and how did you first get into music?
I am from Tehran/Iran and got into music back in 2018 when I started producing my songs and releasing music publicly.
Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
My parents loved western pop music and would listen to a wide range of artists such as Bill Withers, ABBA, The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, Bee Gees, Frank Sinatra… to name a few but I remember it was Celine Dion whom I first listened to and it made me feel like I wanted to sing. I’m listening to a lot of French Pop music at the moment and love the thinking behind the melodies. My current favourites are The Pirouettes and Videoclub.
How would you describe your sound?
I write my own version of pop music but am not sure what category my music falls into!
My songs are synthy and rhythmic, topped with airy vocals.
What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
My latest release is called Sexy But Sad. The song talks about a bitter separation and how it’s perceived as a positive incident later on as one’s feelings and thoughts can change over time.
What’s your local music scene like?
I live in Liverpool and love the music scene here. It’s very vibrant and in my opinion got the perfect size. I’ve received a lot of support from the radio, promoters and other artists here.
What do you have planned for the next 12 months? Any albums or festivals?
I think my plan at the moment is to keep releasing singles. I like the feedback I get on each work! But I think I’ll probably gig less than I did this year as I’d love to write more and perform new material.
Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
Yeah, I’d love to collaborate with Lewis Ofman.
Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
I played at Liverpool Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon in May this year. It was outdoor and the weather was awful. The amount of rain and wind in my mouth was ridiculous and it would make me laugh whilst singing.
What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
I can sing in other languages without accent!
I used to work for a music agency in Malaysia and would just sing in English. My boss was happy but after a while he asked me to learn Chinese and Malay songs or I would lose the job. That’s how I found out I could sing in languages I didn’t speak.
You can find out more about Niki via Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, Spotify, Twitter or YouTube.
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