Review Fix chats with Kai Alece, who discusses their new single, “Raise ‘Em Up.’ and more.
Bio:
Sometimes, a song written by a brilliant, insightful songwriter who’s been flying – and singing – way too long under the radar, rises to meet the sociopolitical moment in unimaginably provocative ways. After hundreds of gigs throughout the Southeast, performing all styles of cover songs with her band Kai Alece & Company, the fiercely gifted, multi-talented jazz, pop and R&B singer is quickly emerging with her new single “Raise ‘Em Up,†a rousing, deeply soulful anthem for our time.
Review Fix: How did you get involved in music?
Kai Alece: My mother plays piano and sings… and my father played bass guitar, sung and had a band. When I was a baby, we lived on the second floor of a club my parents owned. So I had no choice in whether I was going to be a musician in some way! According to my mom, I stayed up many a nights listening to my dad and his band.
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
Alece: Usually, I get a track and try to vibe with the track. The music inspires me to feel which inspires words, thoughts and visions. With this track, we talked about the end result and went backwards. We knew what we wanted this song to evoke and went from there. It was literally divine. #NewCreativeProcess
Review Fix: What inspires you?
Alece: Life, situations, experiences. I draw from any and everything around me… my experiences and the experience of others. Helping others in any way that I can.
Review Fix: What does music mean to you?
Alece: Absolutely everything! Periodt! Music is cathartic in so many ways. You never know when someone just needs to hear your voice… your words.
Review Fix: What does it do for you that nothing else can?
Alece: Change my mood instantly! It brings me up when I’m down. It gets me moving when I’m cleaning or working out. It really is the soundtrack of my existence.
Review Fix: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?
Alece: It can be soothing or danceable, whichever you prefer. Either way you hear it, it’s easy listening to the ears. Because I have a cover band, we sing all styles, but my heart is Jazz/R&B.
Review Fix: How do you want your tunes to change the world?
Alece: I want my songs to lift people up, make people feel good and give them something good to think about.
Review Fix: How are your live shows different from your studio work?
Alece: Very interactive! I like interacting with fans and I like to put on a good show. All my songs have a live extended version.
Review Fix: What inspired your latest single?
Alece: Social injustice in America right now. I wanted to speak out to let people know that everything is not OK. Silence brings consent and something has to give.
Review Fix: How do you want it to affect people?
Alece: I want people to realize that we’re all in this together. Hopefully, this will create dialog that results in solutions, not chaos. As the words say, we have to “come together, cause we can’t be divided.”
Review Fix: What are your goals for the rest of 2020?
Alece: Keep writing new music. I am working on a followup to Raise ‘Em Up and a Christmas single. Since Christmas is right around the corner, I’m concentrating on that one first. I am currently working through different inspirations to pin the perfect holiday song.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Alece: I will continue to raise my voice and speak up in song. I will continue to help others, especially musicians. Being in the corporate world has helped me to understand things from that side and from a musician side. So, helping upcoming musicians is my number one job. I created ProMusiciansList.com to help musicians and band leaders with last minute help for gigs and it has evolved into much more. That will take up a lot of my time also.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Alece: Well, the words of my song says most of what I have been wanting to say. I haven’t been big on social media, but I promise to do more to let fans get to know me. I will always be available to communicate in some way. Oh, and musicians… check out the site.
Nice interview.