Emmett Kai – Slow Dancing on Pavement

By starrymag | September 18, 2023

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) My sound changes, along with my voice and tonality, so this question is a hard one to answer. I would say that through it all, my sound is representative of nostalgia and retro eras. I like to write music that sounds like a contemporary approach to older sounds.

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) My biggest influences have always been people like Cocteau Twins, The Smiths, Tears For Fears, stuff like that. But recently I’ve really been in love with all the music from Jorge Elbrecht. He has got to be one of the best songwriters in my eyes. He did stuff with Sky Ferreira, Ariel Pink and stuff like that. Check him out!

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Slow Dancing on Pavement.”

A) The song was originally written about loving someone (or something) that is just really, really bad for you. Like drugs! Or Alcohol! Just because you love something or someone, doesn’t mean they’re good for you. As you can imagine, I drew a large inspo from post punk type jangles with the music and it had this kind of sinister yet euphoric glow about it. When I started doing the vocals, I thought about what it would sound like if someone was telling you about their toxic relationship with someone in a confession booth at a church or something. Like a secret.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) I think that everyone has at least one example of something they’ve loved or still love that is just super bad for them.

Q) The video gives a vibe like it’s almost a short film. How does the video for the single play into the message behind it?

A) Yeahhh! That’s all Joey Emmanuel. We are upstate buddies, and we basically came up with the story after he showed me the film Let the Corpses Tan. I wanted that same energy. Just artsy ass thriller shit. The video portrays a crime duo who just fights all the time and does robberies or whatever, and at the end she kills him. But I tried to portray that the guy would do anything for his partner and follow her wherever, even if it kills him.

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) I definitely write the music before the lyrics. In fact, lyrics almost never really drive a song for me. It’s really the music and the melody of the vocals, less of what the lyrics are saying. Even though I DO BELIEVE that my music has a message and meaning, it’s not until after I’ve completed the music that I start humming vocal ideas and laying down concepts.

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?

A) I do it all myself. Every instrument. All the mixing (usually). I don’t rely on anyone to finish my music, it’s all on me from start to finish.

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

A) I think I’ve been working towards an album for a while, since I haven’t delivered one since 2020. The album will come, although I know it’s not very “of the time” to make albums.

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

A) I like to perform at packed out clubs, because it’s kind of all I know, but it feels the best and most intimate.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) I think Ariel Pink would be a blast!

Q) What artists/musicians are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

A) Like I said earlier, Jorge Elbrecht is my favorite right now. But I also have been really loving Dijon, lots and lots of old Dub Reggae, Mamas and The Papas and to be fucking honest…I actually started getting into The Beatles again. I bought a couple of Beatles records from the store last week and just got stoned and listened to them front to back and they had some crazy shit going on.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) It honestly seems like you just cannot promote yourself without social media these days. It’s like a new form of touring or something. Like instead of playing shows, people make content and use algorithms to their advantage. I mean, I hate it but it’s kind of what you gotta do to get your music out there. That is, of course, until you reach a certain bracket of attention where you can go dark, and people are chomping at their lips for you to drop something. One day I would like to get off.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) I would like to say that… the reason I RELEASE music is for all my fans and possible new ones. If I didn’t absolutely love sharing my music with you, I wouldn’t. So, thank you so much for supporting it. Every time someone sends me money or buys a shirt or something, it’s huge and feels like I just met a new friend. I really appreciate everyone that even just barely listens. It means so much to me.

 

 

Watch The Video for Slow Dancing on Pavement