We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kort Blu a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kort , appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
My single mother would sing around the house, growing up or she’d blast the radio dancing like a mad woman. People would compare her to Barbra Streisand. She introduced me to broadway shows in NYC, such as “Wicked”, “Jersey Boys”, “The Lion King”, “The Adams Family”, “Miss Saigon”, and plenty more. An icon that I loved most was Britney Spears and I bought all of her albums on CD. I always pictured myself being that star “idol”, that the world adores. Confidence and style that could take away a crowd. Uniqueness that no one could ignore. A golden ticket to live your life proud and openly. I knew I wanted to pursue this professionally since I was 8 years old when I started my songwriting journey.
Kort , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I listened to many different types of music, and instrumentals, on youtube at the age of 14. Molding my craft came down to watching other famous artists talk about their songwriting process, such as Flatbush Zombies, Joey Badass, Earl Sweatshirt, & so on. Then I’d use logic, an AKG P220 mic, Scarlett solo interphase, my closet, and some clothes as a sound barrier to record my vocals. My first album was uploaded on Soundcloud and it was called, “Suburban Dynasty”, under my old artist name “Kort”. My song, “Loser”, hit 30k plays and it was written about the mental abuse I endured growing up. The album consisted of R&B, Rap, Hip-hop, & Soul.
Furthermore, I dropped my second album, “Colour”. I recorded this in a studio in Hammonton, NJ, upstairs in an antique shop, hidden like a speakeasy. My producer Octavius Crowley, guided and opened me up with creative outlets to incorporate in my work. He introduced me to Talib Kweli, Run DMC, and Q-Tip. Shortly after the album release, I left to California, to pursue my career. I then started to release songs on twitter. One of them called, “Chasing and Dreaming”, received 1.2k likes. Producers and clients from all over were sending me dms to collaborate. The pandemic hit during this time and I moved back across the country.
In my favor. I met a new producer, Nikolas Dee. I then created a whole album of songs that consisted of pop, alternative, r&b, soul, jazz, indie, and worldwide. I’ve released each song, individually, to try a different marketing strategy. My producer started working with Michael Bolton, and couldn’t work with me any longer. Luckily, I found a new producer, named Patrick Kiebzak; also known as Momentology Music. Now I’ve been releasing my songs with and without vocals, as well as remixes to show people the dynamics behind making different versions of one song. A great example would be my eps, “Tangerine Trees Instrumental” & “Tangerine Trees Trap Momentology Remix”. I wanted to show people you can keep uploading and incorporating different approaches to music because that’s the beauty of art; there’s no limitations.
I think I’m unique in my own way, because I endured trauma and used art as my therapy. By using metaphors, analogies, similes, & imagery to allow the listener to envision what they’re listening to. Take a break from their mental prison and find a piece of heaven. I like to work with many genres, and every time I write a song, I make sure it leaves a signature.
I’m proud of the amount of music I’ve released over the years, and the new unreleased works on the way. Also, the time, experience, and dedication I’ve put in for over a decade now. I’m grateful and still learning to this way.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
No matter if you’re a creative or not; everyone in the world experiences hate and love. It really comes down to loving yourself, setting healthy boundaries, and trusting in yourself. As a non-creative please treat people how you want to be treated, whether their sex, religion, or race; it shouldn’t depict a creatives value. Unless it’s constructive criticism, or positive feedback, then why comment at all?
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
My resilience prevails through all the obstacles I’ve faced and overcame. I’ve rejected love that depleted me, and friends that didn’t believe in me. Resilience can be tough when it comes to love, but so is being around the wrong people.
Discipline and saying no to the things that didn’t work in my favor; helped me let go and move forward with life. There’s more opportunity and people to meet, who will reciprocate the energy you bring.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/KORTBLU
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kort.blu/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/courtney.mccafferty.7/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Court_McCaf
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC00M3ZpyaSKp7FRH5TVTPTA
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kort.blu?_t=8gOV1v8cBXG&_r=1
Image Credits
Bennett Dobni, Keilyn Olivera, R.she, Anna Malanina, Arnauld Sylvain, Nino De Marco, Mariah Aponte, Denise Milo.