Under the overcast and cloudy skies of Portland, electronic musician Natasha Kmeto creates soulful, synth-heavy ballads that extend across decades and genres. Kmeto writes, produces and performs all her own music, crafting a blend of house, soul and R&B that wouldn't sound out of place alongside powerhouse songstresses from the '80s and '90s, but in a forward way that is undeniably now.
Over the course of her solo career, she's graced stages with a diverse roster of artists like Flume, TV on the Radio, Flying Lotus and Four Tet, playing to festival-sized crowded and in intimate venues. In addition to creating music under her own name, she also lends her talents as a member of the Portland band Chanti Darling, whose sound harks back to decades of yore, updating a blend of funk and R&B into an ecstatic, crystalline sound.
We caught up with Kmeto to talk about her musical history, the value honesty has added to her art and the new music she's presently working on.
Homebase: Portland, Oregon
Where do you draw inspiration from?
So many things, but mainly emotions, the contrast of them, trying to describe and relate things that are hard to express literally in a symbolic way. I feel like genuine expression in any art form to be hugely inspiring. Also things that feel forward-moving and fresh.
What do you most want to communicate through your music?
So many things, but mainly, new ideas, different perspectives and stories. Things to share and relate through and/or things to open new thought processes.
What inspired you to start making music in the first place? How did you learn?
I was just always drawn toward music since I was very young, it was always my favorite thing, both listening and making it. I took piano and voice lessons as a kid. I was (am) a ravenous fan and music collector as well. I ended up going to music school and fell in love with digital production and songwriting inside of that and kind of went from there.
What music did you grow up listening to?
So many kinds. My parents and older brother were all huge music fans so I was exposed to a ton of music growing up from jazz to world to R&B to classic rock to classical. I think the first music that really felt like I had discovered on my own was electronic music though. Hip-hop was huge for me as well.
How do you feel your music has changed over the years?
It changes with me. And seeing as I am always pushing myself to new experiences I feel like it reflects that accurately. I go through cycles depending on what is inspiring me for sure but I keep shreds of what I liked in the past with me as well.
What's your song-writing process like? How long does a song take to go from idea to finished track? Where do you work on music?
With the ones that I think are worth a damn, which are the only ones I release, the writing process goes fast. It's like something moves it through me quicker because I know exactly what I want to say and what it should sound like. I try to stay in that zone as much as possible, especially when working on a body of work like an album. Once I write it, I'll spend time refining it, sometimes by playing it out live and then get it mixed. I write in my studio with my laptop, mic, synths and other instruments.
How does opening up for large audiences on national tours differ from more intimate one-offs? What do you like about each?
Opening for larger acts is a great opportunity to connect with people who maybe you wouldn't normally, it's great exposure and really exciting. It does lack some of the intimacy you can achieve in smaller rooms and can be a bit more daunting, especially if you're opening to a cold room. I love playing bigger rooms because they generally have amazing sound, lighting and stages and you can kind of get lost in the experience on your own. It's actually more isolating feeling since you're usually pretty far away from the audience or can't really see them. On the flip side I absolutely love playing smaller rooms because it's so much easier to connect with people and share energy with them. I have to say as a fan of music, I love seeing more intimate sized shows.
What's it like having your solo project versus being a member of a band? What fulfills you in each scenario?
I'm kind of a control freak, so having my own solo project obviously feeds into that. I feel like for me it's easier to create faster and more efficiently. It can be difficult to balance multiple creative voices and get things done. Playing in a band is fun because you can learn new things and push yourself out of your comfort zone.
If you were to pinpoint a specific event in your life that has changed you as an artist, what would would it be? How so?
For me, it was coming out. When I started getting really honest about who I am is when my art started flowing more freely and intensely. Everything took on a greater purpose and inspiration.
What are you currently listening to? How do you discover new music?
I'm going through a bit of a post-punk phase at the moment. I'm pretty much always listening to house and techno. I've been into my fair share of new R&B as well. I usually find out about new things through word of mouth, going out to see live music and following artists that I love and what they love.
You're presently writing new music. What can you divulge?
I pushed through some serious writer's block after experiencing some rough times, so I'm ecstatic to be through that and writing again. I really love what I'm working on. I'm also playing my live show with a band now so it's opening my mind to a lot of new sounds and ideas.
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