AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION WITH ZIMBABWEAN-BORN AND CANADIAN-RAISED ARTIST KAY L ON HIS MUSIC, ACTIVISM, AND WHAT MOTIVATES HIM

Tell us about your background!

was born in Zimbabwe, Africa but raised on the North East Side of Calgary, Canada I fell n love w th H p Hop and music n general at a very young age, and neither of them has left my life ever s nce

What was it like growing up in Canada?

Canada made who I am whether r ght, wrong or indifferent I will always be thankful for how I grew up because it created my sp rit It does have ts dark side of racism and prejudice but I do feel like that will be anywhere you go on planet earth, so we just learned to deal with all adversity and become b gger and stronger

When d d you discover your passion for music?

I can’t say that I remember a spec fic time or moment when I knew I had a passion for music, but I do know that I had an extreme pass on for music and performance from a very young age as a child And I bel eve it just grew inside me gradually, but I can t pinpo nt a moment when I real zed I had a passion for it

As a songwr ter, where do you draw nsp ration to wr te your songs?

I think I draw nsp ration from the same place all artists and creators do, l fe I think anyone who is observing or paying attent on to the inner deta ls of life can be a great writer or a great artist So I make sure I’m paying attention even in moments of my life that seem insignificant

Out of the many places you have toured, where was your favorite or most memorable tour locat on and why?

I will always have a special love for Jamaica We toured five c ties in Jama ca, and the love and energy we received from the people were unbelievable In add tion to the beautiful water and landscapes n the backdrop it was just unforgettable to me

What other goals would you like to accomplish in your career?

The goals are never-end ng; every time we achieve something we’ve wanted or worked for as a goal, there are already 5 or 6 more goals lined up So that’s something that is never end ng to me; the goals and asp rations change w th every step we take But my main goal is to say that I was able to make a slight shift in society through the art of mus c and the message of love

Your song “Wish You Would” gained popularity in S erra Leone in 2019, and you donated the earnings that the record generated to a local orphanage Why is g ving back so important to you?

That’s because I w ll always remember what t’s like to have nothing So, I’m always sensitive and sympathet c toward those in that position now I w ll always be willing to give what I have to someone who has less than me

Tell us about Black Lives Matter YYC

BLM YYC was birthed around 2016, caught on fire, and spread mmensely after George Floyd’s and Breonna Taylor’s deaths We had been do ng commun ty work and activ sm long before that but dur ng that time, the public and people came in droves to support our movement We ended up putt ng on some of the biggest protests in the History of Canada

Act vism s often an uphill battle It takes faith, courage, and perseverance What mot vates you to keep striving for peace equality, and just ce?

What mot vates me is just knowing that there are st ll so many people on th s planet who don’t get a fair shot at life And it affects them and their families for generat ons So I feel like we are ch pp ng away at the racist inst tutions that hold so many of us back from accomplishing our goals and chipping away at the fact that only a spec f c demograph c or a pr vileged few have access to all the resources needed to make it I feel our work is not done

What advice would you g ve other aspiring songwriters, art sts, and activists?

For activism, I would say be ready for anything coming back at you For every revolut on there s an equal and opposite anti-revolution, so be ready for hatred, be ready for death threats, be ready for the system to use its powers to dismantle what you’ve created

For artists, my ma n advice would be, when wr ting a song do not mpose your ideas on that song Allow the song the beat and the chords to tell you what it needs and you just fill n the blanks Work off feeling and emotion rather than thought