Interview: Kristeen Young

I first became aware of Kristeen Young in 2007 when I saw her opening for Morrissey. She had an arresting presence and I found her music to be intelligent, intuitive and wild. This week I was lucky enough to talk to Kristeen about her music and influences. You can see more of Kristeen by visiting her website HERE.

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Your new EP was inspired by cinema – how important to your personal and artistic development have your influences been? 

It’s something I’ve never been that cognisant of and I think it is a difficult thing to measure in most people. I also think, early on, to really concentrate on it would be imprisoning. Take it all in, then forget about it….always works for me….and maybe, don’t even take it completely in…isolate. Sometimes, like Chris Rock says…”I love not to know”. That way, if I’m writing about a subject others have already written about…I might get close to the same thing they are saying…but my mind won’t automatically make the turn into what they said. To me, all of this helps with finding an initial voice. After that, it’s safer to turn around and look, and make adjustments…and confront the beast head on.

The songs are written from the perspective of more minor film characters – was that an active decision or do you generally find yourself attracted to more sidelined or marginal interests and people?

Both. I AM that person. So, I know the territory.

It seems to me that every time a female artist experiences any success, she’s immediately (and patronisingly) compared to other females regardless of their style, talent or genre in a way male artists don’t seem to be. Have you experienced this? How does it make you feel as a woman and an artist?

Angered. Frustrated. There might be some people who don’t get out of this life alive because of it. It boggles my mind that people think of music in gender terms. It never even crosses my conscious radar. I hear music, not gender. I could copy EXACTLY what a male is doing musically and almost no one will make that connection. They’ll always trot out the old grey mare comparison.

Dear White Males and their Female Suck-up Counterparts, FEMALE IS NOT A CATEGORY. EVEN PIANO PLAYING FEMALE IS NOT A MUSICAL CATEGORY. JUST LIKE ANOTHER RACE IS NOT A MUSIC CATEGORY. JUST LIKE SEXUAL PREFERENCE IS NOT A MUSIC CATEGORY. What year is this?

With regards to this, how important do you think gender is in terms of music? A lot of mainstream female artists come from one very specific (and in my view, boring) mould; should we be talking about this or doing more to support ‘alternative’ female artists?

I think a lot of male artists come from one very specific and boring mould too….LATELY. But, yes, females seem to be even more limited. This is a very complicated subject.  I think the people in charge, at labels, are business people ONLY.

I think research has been done as to what has sold the best in the past…with no concern for the future (progress or change). I think people, “artists”, want to make money so they conform. I think we have to stop caring about these things SO MUCH. I think some real bravery will have to happen.

To what extent does your art influence your life and your experiences and vice versa?

There is no difference between my “art” and my life. You will find no line of demarcation. I don’t have the capacity for other existences…much to the terminal frustration of almost any loved one. This is not to say everything is on display…I shiver to think. It’s just I am narrow and have one real interest and purpose, and everything else lap dances around it and for it.

Your music is very cerebral – do you think much modern pop music is bereft of intelligence?

See, I think my music is visceral, emotional. I hate anything that’s only cerebral. It’s so boring to me. I was on an art website a couple of days ago and the work was so brainy I thought…”WHO is this going to move or connect with?” Sorry if this disappoints but I need the physical. There HAS to be something organic or sexual or tactile to a creation in order for it to interest me, particularly with music. Many times you just want to NOT THINK…shut off the brain….and be moved. But, the goal, the peak, is to have both. Something that has both is unbeatable. I would marry it.

Do you have any plans to tour the UK in 2012?

I would like to. Am thinking about an extended stay. But, am also thinking about winged horses.