They’re both hand-in-hand for me. Her range is the furthest thing from tame, and she’s methodical with her belts and coos. DJBooth: When did you first fall in love with music? “As soon as I quit all my work, the universe accepted it. When speaking on why she decided to pivot and focus wholly on herself she shared, “I left the mountain top of one career and went to the valley of another.” She also noted, “But believe me, I see the mountain ahead. I make music for men who still have a soft spot for love songs and romance. Like you’re on Mars but still listening to soul music. I went to Berklee College of Music, and told my mother, after two years, I’m leaving school to do it on my own. We have a weakness for big voices with matching hair and soul singer KIRBY delivers on both fronts with the release of her first solo project Sis. The latter is reminiscent of ‘70s funk and her voice commands attention even amidst the background sounds of heavy guitar riffs. Soul music is the core of music. 2:34 PREVIEW Kool Aid. I told [my producer] I don’t wanna make a tribute soul record. I told my parents—I was grieving at the same time—just give me a year. Never went viral or anything like that, but I would be intentional about tweeting the right people. How do you balance sounding modern with hinting at cabaret-like notes? You gotta figure out a way to change your life.”. Was there anything about songwriting that didn’t nourish you enough as an artist, moving you to go solo? The seven-track album which is her third full-length EP is equal parts soul and funk. This record is about the first time in my life when I was in love with somebody, and I didn’t give up my power. If soul music is dying, then our soul is dying. I realized that female empowerment is not just loving yourself. Sign In For You ... Open in iTunes. I’m just folding clothes at Urban Outfitters.” This is not popping, at all. While on “Apple,” she addresses pillow talking (in a good way) and how blissful it feels to be with someone that is always on your mind after you met them. Each song combines bass guitars, drums, synthesizers, and her Jazz-like vocals and harmonies to give it an authentic and modernly nostalgic feel. That’s so fulfilling. “It’s what soul music sounds like when a woman falls in love and doesn’t give up her power.”. 1. As long as you have a couple of people lighting the torch, which we do, it’s not going anywhere. I had all of my self-love, and I had someone who came into my life and loved me for me. And I didn’t get it, so I didn’t like it—I was seven years old. Though KIRBY spills her soul and lets love overtake her spirit, she never sounds weak or victim. Like I told you, I love to sing and write. I am powerful. What about professional songwriting did you find fulfilling? People ask me, “You ready to be a star?” For me, that’s never been appealing. That’s how I got into songwriting. I grew up in a super small church with my cousin on the piano, my grandmother leading the choir. Since she’s no novice when it comes to songwriting, KIRBY manages to expertly serve up a mashup of refreshing deep cuts. Sis!” Man, if people can listen to my music and feel connected to me: I’m like the girl in the salon that’s doing their hair or the girl they would call when they breaking up with their man. 2:33 PREVIEW Velvet. It’s like, “Damn! Having penned songs for Ariana Grande (“Break Your Heart Right Back”), Demi Lovato (“Tell Me You Love Me”), Beyoncé (“Die With You”), and more, KIRBY is already a music industry veteran. that girl into a Kirby ( Kirby ) She a freak, throw a … When you take one away… It’s just not fulfilling. Robyn Mowatt is a staff writer at Okayplayer where she covers culture, music, and fashion. Launching her solo career in 2017, songwriter-turned-solo-artist KIRBY, 30, stands as one of the latest in a long line of newcomers keeping the genre thriving. I’m not waiting on the world to tell me that; I know that. Sometimes, when you’re in LA, you forget that. Sis. As a seasoned songwriter, we would expect nothing less of KIRBY’s pen, but it’s the grand soundscapes that are astounding. KIRBY: I’m from the South, so, you know, Sunday mornings, everybody’s singing in the choir. A chart could never do that for me. Get notified about exclusive offers every week! What I’m speaking about is now. Her voice is delicious in its sly and shapeshifting nature. Every time I’m talking to a girl, it’s like “Sis! You can rarely give back to artists. For those who don’t know, the Roc Nation artist has been in the industry for nearly a decade, penning songs for the likes of Beyoncé (“Die Without You”), Kanye West (“FourFiveSeconds”), and Ariana … I would wake up—my mom has a piano downstairs—and write original songs and put them on YouTube. Could you speak on those themes? 1. Sis. Sis makes vulnerability sound powerful—a real statement of purpose.