17 year old singer, Kristie Killick, from Buckinghamshire gives me an insight into her goals for her music career and reveals her idols and inspirations for becoming the big star that we all hope she can become. Kristie certainly has the talent, and this is starting to be recognised through her YouTube channel with thousands of views already on her videos. I spoke to her recently and asked her a series of questions:


What is your goal for your music career?


As silly as it sounds, I haven't made a goal. I'm just going with the flow right now. I'm doing what I love and there's no end aims or aspirations. I just want to write, sing, collab and express myself through what I love doing. Money and fame is nice and I suppose you could say It's part of my aim but like I just said, It's part of it and the idea of the amount of people being able to hear my music rising excites me more than the idea of fancy clothes and cars. I just want people to be honest with me about it and let me know what they think.


What inspires you to succeed?


Ooh this is difficult. Urm, I'd say watching other artists performing on stage. Whilst everyone else is mesmerised and kind of enjoying the performance, I'll admit there's a big part of me that thinks 'Damn, I can do that too, can't I?'. I try to be as positive as I can be but in all honesty, listening to yourself back is like when you hear yourself on a video recording and you think 'ahhh man, is that me?!'. I'm inspired by people everywhere though in all honesty, peoples attitudes inspire me, ironically, especially If they're negative. I'm a character creator in my lyrics, I'm always trying to figure out twists to songs that throw you off... The more negative someone is, the more it makes you wonder why I guess.

 

What is your favourite genre of music and with that in mind, who is your main idol/inspiration?


It's such a difficult thing to judge because I love so many variations of music and I'm inspired by many people in different ways.. a big inspiration for me is rap and hip hop music. Plan B brings out the rawness in me. He's so lyrically insane and when people say he's not a rapper it makes me crazy because his concepts are the kind of situations people try to avoid thinking/talking about but he says it straight up. Lyrically especially, I feel he's one of the maddest in the UK! I think his mentality is kind of like mine, I always think there's more to people than what we see on the surface though this doesn't mean I'll run around trying to excuse people's rude behaviour, haha! George the poet's political concepts are always so sick as well as his delivery being brilliant. Mic Righteous.. his fire in the booth's just have me crazy as well as his SB warm up's, he touches on some heavy things. In terms of american artists, Immortal Technique and Eminem drive me insane (In a good way, haha!), I've always been hugely inspired by Eminem. Delilah and Etta Bond are big inspirations, I love Delilah's take on 'Go' and 'Inside my love' as well as Etta Bond's acoustic 'forgiveness'... so so much honesty. As for classics, Lauryn Hill, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Destiny's child and a hell of a lot of other beautiful soulful ladies! There's so many, I'll stop there, haha!


I understand that you work with R+R productions, how does this help you?


R&R are my team. Without them, I don't even know what I'd do! I think they've brought out the artist in me... I'm in such early days, I mean, I've only just hit over 12,000 views which is great, but on a scale with all the other up and coming artists in the UK, It's nothing, so it's good to find myself before performances start arriving. My team have brought out the confidence in me, Ross (My producer) is an wicked writer... as well as Marky! When we have jam sessions, we come up with some crazy concepts and bounce off each other's ideas. Jake (My manager) sorts everything, he's the best! When he told me and Ross about Link Up I just felt like, 'Yes, it's coming together finally!'. My boys are the best because they all tell me I can make it, they believe in me a hell of a lot more than I believe in myself, although they're still trying to change that!


Do you hope to achieve fame through your YouTube video’s, or by using something else?


My Youtube channel does several things. One, whilst I work on my EP, it generates an audience through cover songs I put up as live sessions and acoustics (though within the next few months, I will be releasing live sessions of original material once my music video is dropped). Two, It builds my confidence and use of performing in front of people and to the camera. And three, it provides material for bigger broadcasters such as Link Up TV to present myself as an artist to as well as generating a name for myself. I suppose it's kind of like a foundation for me, It's the beginning and the end, I'll always have it, it will just develop. I'll be performing in some Live shows in the urban scene within this year once my team and I feel as though I am ready. It'll be after my EP release (date yet to be confirmed).


Would you ever consider going on a TV show such as The X Factor and why/why not?


Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with these shows, It's just not really me. I love the idea of working really hard throughout the next 10 years and finding my style and voice slowly. I mean, I've been singing for years and I'm still not sure what I want from music. I'm quite stubborn and It's difficult enough working with one or two other people sometimes, let alone a whole TV company. I don't like the idea of going straight there, I want to take my time and be surrounded by friends and family within the comfort of my own home. I trust my team and we get along so well, and that's beats everything else. I don't want a competition between contestants, i'm not trying to be better than anyone, or prove that I'm working harder.. I just want to do what I love doing and what i'm most motivated to do.


Do you have any upcoming gigs that we can see you at?


Not yet, I don't feel ready to jump on stage yet. I want to feel at the perfect point! You will be seeing me this year though for sure!

 

Make sure you check out Kristie's Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/user/KristieKillick/videos

 

By Luke Hastings