We were lucky to catch up with Kiyoné recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kiyoné, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Growing up my parents exposed me to a lot of different extracurricular activities. I’ve done nearly 12 sports and various arts during that time. I enjoyed my time doing these activities but my heart always drifted back to music. I was enrolled in classical voice lessons as well as musical theater camps. Musical theater was wonderful because performing made me feel so alive. I continued doing musical theater at the Orange County School of the Arts but something still felt missing. One of my mentors introduced me to the art of songwriting and I fell in love instantly. All of my hopes, dreams, and emotions now had an outlet through song. I joined a premiere performance group to strengthen my skills as a solo act and that’s when I absolutely knew I wanted to be an artist. I continued to write on personal projects then when the Covid-19 pandemic happened I was brought under the wing of a prominent Korean producer (known as the Godfather of K-pop) to write for other artists in Asia.

Kiyoné, 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?

Kiyoné was the middle name my parents gave to me. I think they always knew that my path would be in music as Kiyoné is Japanese for “pure sound”. They exposed me to various music genres that have shaped the music I make today. I was classically trained under a prominent opera singer which gave a strong foundation for vocal technique and basic music theory. I would describe my music as “spicy pop”. Imagine it as your favorite comfort food: the familiar pop sensibility with a kick of spice that gets you grooving. I believe what sets me apart from other artists is the blend of sounds in my music that are influenced by the many pieces of my ethnic background. Culturally I hit up 5 different continents which brings so many possibilities of different flavors to add to each track. I’m proud of my team for being so diligent and devoted to the path we’re taking. They’ve been beyond supportive of the endeavors we’ve taken & are just as excited for the present and future as I am. I want people to know that being an artist does take a village. I used to think that I had to do everything on my own and couldn’t ask for help but that way of thinking caused so much uncertainty and anxiety. There are going to be people who truly believe in you and what you envision. Even if it takes some time to find them they’re out there.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

During my first year in high school I really struggled because I didn’t know anyone in such a competitive space. It was nerve racking relearning techniques from certain teachers that had a very set perspective on how musical theater voices should sound. I forced myself to conform to that which costed me the health of my voice. Two months into fall semester I was diagnosed with vocal nodules, which are like little calluses on your vocal chords which are caused from being rough while singing. I fell into a deep depression because I wasn’t able to participate in the conservatory I put so much hard work into being accepted to. However when my 6 month recovery time was over I was dedicated to healing and getting even stronger. I wanted to prove that I deserved to be there and that those six months of rest weren’t just to get out of doing the work. By the next year I came back better than ever and dedicated time into researching the vocal chords and how to continue to improve. What I thought was the end of my life was actually the fire under my but to become more than what I initially was. Even though it was scary I think that period was a blessing in disguise.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is that I’m encouraged to be my most authentic self in everything I do. Conformity was something that I really struggled with growing up for various reasons. To make friends I hid parts of myself that made me happy and it still really hurts my inner child today. But being able to be silly and fun in my work has really healed me. Creating music allows me to vent and really talk thru my feelings. And the rush of performing makes me forget about every worry and stress in my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: iamkiyone.com
• Instagram: iamkiyone
• Facebook: Kiyoné
• Tiktok: @iamkiyonee

Image Credits
Michael Higgins