King DecoKing Deco is preparing to release her debut mini EP this April, and we got the chance to chat to her about being a female in the industry, what we should expect from her in the coming months and where she draws influence from.
The emerging singer/songwriter has a unique otherworldly type of pop which are showcased over her three EP tracks, featuring producers including Adam Pallin, Felix Snow, One Love, Kinetics and Ryland Blackinton.
How would you describe yourself as an artist and your material?
Strong, feminine, aquatic and etherial.
What does music mean to you?
Everything, it's a way for people to communicate emotions even if they speak different languages.
What creative process went behind your upcoming debut EP 'Tigris'?
A lot of self exploration and discovery. I had to teach myself not to overthink anything while I was creating so even though I have been working on it for a while it kind of feels like it just happened.
Who, what or where do you draw your inspirations and influences from as an artist?
I’m a very visual person, so anything from movies, to sites and places I’ve been, to photographs. I also love listening to music from different cultures and incorporating elements into my own music.
I’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from Cleopatra, she was probably the first female ruler at the time and was subjected to all the same things a woman in power today would be. I think it’s very interesting.
How does it feel to be releasing your first EP?
I’ve been working on this material for almost a year and it’s really exciting to finally see how people are going to respond to it. There’s something very vulnerable about sharing your art with the world.
How difficult is it for a female artist like yourself to break out into the music industry?
It’s definitely a different game for females, but I think that’s the case in every industry. I don’t know how difficult it is to “break out" though, I guess we'll see.
Would you say there's still a double standard in the industry in regards to the attitude towards women?
Of course! I get called bossy, crazy and demanding all the time when I make suggestions in writing sessions. I can't see a producer telling a male artist or writer he's bossy for wanting something in the track changed.
I try and make light of it though. Everyone is there to make music at end of the day and the producers I work with are great.
Where do you see yourself this time next year?
Doing the same thing I'm doing but on a bigger scale.
If you could collaborate with anyone of your choosing, who would you pick and why?
Darren Arronofsky on a music video. Nick, who directed “One”, showed me his movie "The Fountain" and I instantly fell in love with everything about it. Pretty much every scene is shot in one point perspective, the entire movie is tinted gold and there are spheres and circles throughout. It's perfect. I also love the three parallel storylines and all the underlying themes. I think it was brilliant!
Do you have any other upcoming projects we should know some details about?
A couple things in the works. 'Euphrates' is coming together quite nicely, I'm really excited about all the new music I've been working on.
King Deco's mini EP 'Tigris' is released April 7.