Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kari Kirkland. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kari , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
On January 30, 2021, while scrolling through social media, I saw a post from the wife of a musician-friend of mine. She was reaching out to her community to ask if anyone was willing to be tested to become a kidney donor for her husband, who had been on dialysis for over 8 years. He had recently been accepted onto the National Registry to receive a kidney, but quickly discovered that he was 97,000+ on the list. The only way to truly give him a new lease on life would be to receive a directed donation from a living donor. As I scanned that post, something in me shifted; I knew it would be me. I contacted the couple, and let them know that I wanted to get tested to see if I was a match.
After the initial blood testing was completed, and it was determined that I had potential to be a living donor, the rigorous process of labwork and psychological testing began. On May 3, 2021, I flew from Palm Springs, CA to Seattle, WA, to undergo the final round of in-person testing and labwork, and meet my surgeon. When the nurse walked in the room, I had a sudden fear that I wasn’t a match from the way she was looking at me. She sat down and asked if there was any chance that we were related, because the match was as close as a sibling! I was astounded… but so happy (we weren’t related – it was just *that* close of a match!). My case was presented to the Board the following week, and I was formally approved to become a living donor to my friend.
I was scheduled to record my second album in October, 2021. The surgery could be scheduled prior to that, but there was concern that I wouldn’t have enough time to recover in order to properly record. So, the surgery date was pushed back to just a few days after wrapping at Capitol Studios in LA. As I worked with world-class musicians on pieces that were so dear to me, it began to dawn on me that something could go wrong with the surgery. I also knew they had to intubate me, and had already discussed the potential ramifications on my voice with the anesthesiologist. Would I be able to recover quickly enough to finish the production work? Would there be complications that would prevent me from touring, or gigging, or even singing? Would I feel different after surgery? Would I be weak, or tired, or unable to focus? All of these thoughts flooded my brain, and with the surgery date just a few days away, I hardly slept. At the heart of it, there I was in the studio, creating this amazing art and yet, concurrently preparing to venture into completely unknown territory. I had to push all of the fear aside, and stay steadfast in the thought that having this surgery would help another human to be able to do, like me, what they were born to do: make music. I had to remember that this surgery had been done thousands and thousands of times, and that my surgeon was skilled and confident in my pre-op health.
On October 20, 2021, I donated my left kidney to my friend. As I woke up in the recovery area, one of the songs I had recorded just a few days earlier was surging through my brain… slowly waking me up with such a feeling of peace and calm. I had a rough couple of days of recovery, and there were some very minor complications, but I was cleared to fly back home to Palm Springs just 12 days after the surgery, and I spent about 5 weeks ‘coming back to life’. I could still sing. I was tired, but I was happy. A calm, contentment spread through me, and has increased daily. Now, I’m 13 months post-op, and physically, I feel even better than I did before the surgery. I completed the production in April, 2022, and I’m releasing my second album in January, 2023. In March, 2023, I will climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with a group of 26 other living donors, to bring awareness to the power of giving life, and still being able to live your own. Overall, I would do it all again, without hesitation. I got to spend a few days with my recipient over our 1-year kidneyversary, and he is thriving. Seeing him smile, and hearing his new music is absolutely priceless.
Sometimes, a risk can feel so overwhelming it completely takes over; you can feel as though the risk isn’t worth the potential reward. But sometimes, a perceived risk can turn out to be merely a lesson in fear’s disguise. In my case, the loving thing to do won out over the fear, and every day, I’m filled with gratitude that it did.
Kari , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hi! I’m a Song Stylist based just outside of Palm Springs, CA. I moved here after spending 10 years in Seattle working as a professional circus artist, vocalist, and co-owner (with my husband) of Emerald City Trapeze Arts, a circus training and event center. I made the tough decision to leave the dazzle of the Big Top and the death-defying practice behind to take center stage as a full-time musician in Southern California.
A brief bit about my history: I was born in Canada to two touring musicians from the US, and spent my childhood crisscrossing North America by car. Music was always a huge part of my life. I played in various pop, rock, cabaret, and jazz groups through the early 2000’s in Canada and the US before moving to Europe in 2003 where I spent 4 years writing, recording, and performing. I moved back to the US in 2010 after a short stint in Vancouver, BC (after leaving Europe). While working in Seattle as a private chef by day, and performing music at night, I signed up for a flying trapeze class. There, I met my husband, Gary, in midair; he owned a circus school and performance venue in downtown Seattle. We married a year to the day later (on national tv for TLC’s ‘Four Weddings’!). Working together, we produced professional large-scale theatrical circus shows until 2019.
We decided to move to Southern California to be closer to the music scene in LA, but have found the Palm Springs area to really feel like home. Now, we rarely head into the city! I’m working nearly full time as a professional vocalist, and am proud to have co-produced 2 full length albums with world-class jazz musicians.
How did you build your audience on social media?
I don’t have a huge presence on social media, but what I’ve focused on for the past year and a half is building relationships. I really don’t care about how many followers I have – I just enjoy talking / interacting with the people who have stuck around! I have made friends all over the world just by direct messaging and commenting on other people’s posts. I feel a true kinship with the people I have met there, and have found that just being authentic, asking questions, being an honest participant, and engaging with other people’s content is far more satisfying than trying to gather likes and followers.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Authenticity! My work continues to evolve, as I do. I don’t try to fit into a box, or worry about sticking to a particular musical genre. I put out what feels like “me”. When I look back, I can see how much I’ve changed personally by recognizing who I ‘was’ in my work. It’s definitely my mission to be authentically me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://karikirkland.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karikirklandmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karijazzmusic/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karikirkland/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KariKirkland
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Jeb6sMs1pOvVXeugcoNeU?si=-rsxRBbRShKe3s_3JZFDQw
Image Credits
Jordan Pickett, Matt Kallish, Phil Donley, Bruce Feagle