It's All About The Music
###This forward was taken from Editors Corner ###
Please stay tuned in the days to come as we bring you what I think will be a story of a lady who epitomizes the word " artistry ". If she were only a pianist playing Chopin I am sure you'd agree she's one of the best and most passionate concert pianists you've ever heard. But Sonya Kahn is more than that. Way more. But then she sings like no one you've ever heard and writes great songs in a way that I can only describe her as a musician's musician.
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Editor's note: I wrote about Sonya Kahn in Editor's Corner when I discovered her a few months ago, which is not to say that I " discovered " her. That was already done by some other fortunate soul, but thankfully for all of us who love great music, this wonderful and gifted talent has emerged to show the world what she's made of. How lucky we all are. Bruce J Maier/ Fall 2010
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DGT: Sonya, it is noted that you began your musical journey around the age of three, and that subsequently you experienced touring Europe around six years of age. What was it like for you to have all your childhood energies engulfed in the pursuit of music and perhaps a little fame at such an early age? I mean, did you feel that you were missing out on anything?
SK: It was an amazing experience for me and I remember pretty much everything. I was a little kid having fun performing, recording, and traveling. It was my magical world and I loved it. I liked the attention and yes, I experienced a little fame, but that only pushed me to focus more on my music. Actually, it helped me to develop a sense of responsibility because in order to accomplish what I did, I had to follow a very strict regime. Looking back, I suppose I missed out on many things that other kids my age were doing but I didn’t feel that way at the time. I wouldn’t change a thing.
DGT: Your grand-mother and your mother each contributed to your musical up-bringing. Was there a lot of pressure on you to live up to a certain standard in music, or did it come easy for you?
SK: Talking about pressure, there was a lot of it! ? In my family, standards have always been very high, not only in music but in everything. Both my grandma and my mother were examples of strong female artists with strong characters. Honestly at times I thought I would never be good enough to live up to their expectations but I realize it doesn’t happen overnight. Hopefully I am following in their footsteps.
DGT: I think you had told me previously that you produced your own music because you couldn’t find someone who understood the complexities of the different genres you work within. Has that yet changed or are you still making the production decisions for yourself?
SK: It was very difficult to find a producer/arranger who would be on the same page when it came to making this kind of music with all the complexities of the different genres I work within. Combining all the different textures and layers, etc, is a challenge. I recently finished my second album and I am still making the production decisions for myself. But that will change pretty soon because I am definitely planning to work with other producers and arrangers.
DGT: When we started damngoodtunes, part of the process was about giving all people, regardless of their looks – a chance at publicity, that it was all about the music and not their body yet you are a beautiful lady and it is evident that you are comfortable with your physical looks and the sexiness of the styles in which you are presented in your videos. It is possible that sometimes the double standard sets in and some of us may be too quick to judge against opening up to someone who is classically beautiful in addition to being bountifully blessed with talent as you are Sonya. What role do you feel that looks and beauty or the “ image “ play in the music industry?
SK: Thank you. Yes, the double standard is present everywhere and sometimes good looks are a double-edged sword. But would I choose to be less attractive so people concentrate more on my talents? NO! Indeed I am very comfortable with my physical looks and not planning to hide them. But unfortunately in the music industry, it’s true that image can be everything and it seems that lately they don’t even care about your talents; a carefully planned PR campaign seems to work its magic. As they say, “Perception is reality,” but how long can that last? Regardless of the trends in this business, I am carving my own path for a long career. I am here for the long haul!
DGT: Sonya you play the piece “ Chopin’s prelude “ in one of your videos so well. How much and how often do you practice the piano to attain such skill?
SK: Well, ideally a concert pianist should practice at least five hours a day but I didn’t have that luxury when I recorded the Chopin pieces since I was also singing, writing, and practicing guitar, etc. There is so much to learn and so little time! But in order to stay in a good shape I do practice every day.
DGT: When you write a song, what comes first to you; the lyrics or the melody?
SK : It varies but I like to start with the melody. You will notice my songs are very melody-driven. Sometimes the lyrics dictate what kind of melody should go with them. Other times I hear the whole song with its full production in my head all at once and then I have to get it out of there, put it down on paper part by part.
DGT : A lot of artists put their songs together out on the road and then get them onto tape long after they have worked them out in front of a live audience for a while. How do your songs come together Sonya? Is there a certain formula or are they different every time?
SK: Every song has a different character. No one formula works for them all. Sometimes I sing my new songs during my shows and then edit/change them before recording them. But even at that point I don’t change them too much because I already worked on them very closely, meticulously paying attention to every single detail—phrase, note, word and structure.
DGT: Some artists are never happy with their performances, either recorded or live. What about yourself?
SK : I wouldn’t say that I am never happy with my performances or recordings but most of the time yes, I feel like I could’ve done so much better or it wasn’t good enough. But that is how I grow as an artist and musician. I always push my limits or, even better, I always push past my limits and thus erase them.
DGT: What’s your favorite track on “ New Beginning “ and what if anything, would you have done differently if you could travel back to the time of it’s inception and production?
SK: My favorite tracks on “New Beginning” are “Friend,” “Where Do You Go,” and “Can’t Leave Without.” If I could travel back to the time of the album’s production I would arrange many tracks differently and sing some of the songs differently. Since the creation of that album I have changed and I have grown as an artist.
DGT: Who are some of your musical influences and is there anyone whom you would like to meet, or better yet- perform with?
SK: That list is very long! There are many artists and composers I am influenced by and with whom I would like to perform. Most of them are real iconic musicians like Barbara Streisand, Elton John, Billy Joel, and Herbie Hancock.
DGT: Music is so diverse today with it’s multi-genres of acceptance all over the world. Where do you think music is heading – for example, less tech and deeper lyrical content, or do you feel it will just branch out even further in the next ten years?
SK: I think music is going to get more diverse and hopefully new genres will emerge containing more ‘music.’ I believe there will be definitely more tech and less lyrical content. Songs are getting shorter with numerous repetitions of the same word… I guess these are fast times and minimalism comes in very handy.
DGT: Someday, perhaps when you have left this earth experience and maybe your great-grand-children are reading your hard bound journals, what legacy do you feel you will have left them?
SK: I never thought about it but that’s a very good question. I hope my legacy will be to teach them to embrace all their God-given talents, study and work hard, and lastly fight for their beliefs.
DGT: Sonya, what’s on the agenda for this coming Fall as far as performances and/or recording projects?
SK: I just finished my second album called “Stripped Ballads.” It’s an acoustic album—I sang and played piano—with my original and cover songs. I am planning to perform many more shows and promote this album.
DGT: We would like to thank you for taking the time to give us this interview Sonya. It has been a while since we were first alerted about your amazing talent and we appreciate you having waited so long for this. You are a one in a million performing artist and writer in our estimation. We look forward to you taking your rightful place leading the Pop music charts and scene of the near future. Wishing you all the best!
SK: I thank everybody at DGT for their support and understanding. I enjoyed this interview very much!
TO PURCHASE SONYA KAHN CD'S OR FIND IN CONCERT NEAR YOU SEE HER WEBSITE !
