Artist Interview: Kyle Chatham

Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life are pleased to bring you an interview with solo musical artist, Kyle Chatham.

1. How did you get started as an artist?

Music is something I’ve always been doing in some capacity. I think in my mid teens I had made the firm decision to be a solo artist as opposed to playing as part of a band. I’m still very much on that train – but hope to open the live aspect up to a full band performance as that is generally how most of my music is written and presented.

2. How would you describe your sound?

The sound is very atmospheric and ethereal. It takes elements from indie, folk, rock and ambient electronic music to extents and often pushes quite a melancholic feel or sentiment. It definitely has moments of liberation and euphoria too though I would say.

3. What bands/artists would you say have influenced your style of music?

There are so many. I hear something new every week that changes my course even slightly. My biggest influences are definitely acts like Ben Howard, James Blake, Bon Iver, Frank Ocean as well as bands like Soundgarden and Deftones.

4. Has the rise of YouTube & music streaming helped or hindered you as an artist?

It’s hard to know how I would have handled the previous age, but I imagine not too well. I’ve been quite tentative over the years and sort of gradually unveiled myself through putting things out online to friends and stuff. I’ve found it a much easier way to present things with 100% control and freedom, if indeed on a small level. Having said that, you still have to have quite a business minded approach even to things like social media and the psychology of it all. Getting people to interact with you in different ways and whatever. The moment I’m too conscious of that stuff it begins to really turn my stomach to be honest, but I guess I’m finding it seems to be this generation of music’s necessary evil. You have to find ways of making these things work for you and do things that are comfortable. As long as your focus is on music, you can survive most of these external curveballs.

5. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not making music?

Worrying about not making music.

6. What are your future plans musically? Tours?

I’d love to tour heavily to be honest in any capacity. I think a support slot on a tour would be a really healthy thing for me to get experience, travel, and develop myself without that sort of headlining pressure right off the bat. For now I’m just looking to get back into the live scene as heavily as I can as I haven’t done it since long before the pandemic started. It’ll be exciting to feel that again. There aren’t many things like it.

Links

Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter