Q&A: KYE Releases All Tension With New EP ‘Ribena’
☆ BY Kristian Gonzales ☆
LETTING GO OF ALL INHIBITIONS — Zimbabwean-born, UK-raised, and Australia-based singer KYE simply wants to vibe. Moving past her tribulations, from first loves to heartbreak, on her 2021 debut, Good Company, she wants to make her new EP, Ribena, a soundtrack to stress relief.
“I initially really poured over what I wanted the message of my sophomore EP to be before landing on the idea that I didn’t need to say anything particularly profound,” she shared. “What I wanted was for people to dance and to experience this chapter in my life with me where I am prioritizing joy and pleasure.”
Coming out of her recent run opening for Sampa the Great’s An Afro Future Tour, legendary ’90s R&B trio TLC, and featuring as a backing vocalist for Joey Bada$$’s Triple J Like a Version, the singer is relentless in harnessing the frenetic energy into a tight eight-song collection of bangers, mixing pop, R&B, and afrobeat. KYE keeps the party running nonstop, taking cues from UK garage with bops like “Bossin’,” “Clique,” and the self-titled track.
Read below as KYE share some insight on the creation of the record, along with her artistic switch-up and creative boost from touring.
LUNA: It’s great to connect with you! Hearing how uptempo your new EP, Ribena, feels from front to back, how has your recent performances with the likes of Sampa the Great and Genesis Owusu over the past year shaped your craft as an artist? How do
you want your fans to groove to this record?
KYE: Great to connect with you too! Sampa and Genesis are both such dynamic performers, and that is largely to do with their repertoire. I always break a sweat when performing with them, and seeing the way the crowd moves and reacts to their uptempo music definitely inspired me to want to recreate those crowd moments.
LUNA: Since singles such as “Heavy Love” caught some buzz with live audiences before Ribena dropped, did the reaction make you feel any pressure to re-evaluate the project before release in order to keep up with the track’s energy?
KYE: Not really. The key was keeping the release pretty close to the version we’d already done live. We just freshened it up and it was good to go. The addition of Budjerah was the biggest change, and it worked beautifully — I know the audiences are waiting for us to perform it live together now.
LUNA: What were the most pivotal albums you took influence from in the process of making the EP?
KYE: Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE was the album, for sure. The EP was also inspired by singular tracks such as “Babycakes” (3 of A Kind), “Rewind” (Craig David), and “In Your Eyes” (Kylie Minogue).
LUNA: When was the turning point that made you go from wanting to make a sophomore EP with a message to creating a stress-free soundtrack?
KYE: After I’d written “Bossin’” and “Clique,l I realized that I was just writing fun songs and [that] the whole EP should just be about that.
LUNA: Is the switch in content more difficult to make than expected, especially if you initially might think you have something to say?
KYE: It was actually really freeing. It was nice not to have to make some big profound statement and just make music you’ll dance to.
LUNA: What is one particular track on the EP that you know is going to go so hard live?
KYE: With so much bias, all of them.
LUNA: Are there any unique ideas you want to implement into visuals to bring across the EP’s vibe?
KYE: There’s some pretty visually striking videos for “Bossin’” and “Clique.” I wanted to recreate that 2000s club vibe but really bring it into the KYE universe. Think bedazzled flip phones, extra long nails, and so much pink.
LUNA: It's amazing to hear pop/dance music still alive in 2023, especially with other artists like The Weeknd and Beyonce also continuing to carry the wave. How important is it to keep the genre going strong, especially keeping music and creativity fun?
KYE: I think it’s important to give people a sense of freedom and release. Joy is important.
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