Kim Churchill is more than a musician. He’s a world traveller, and is redefining music with his new EP “I Am“. The Australian singer-songwriter specializes in easy-listening, yet soulful folk music. His new EP is one of four EP’s that will be released, however, what makes these EP’s unique is his fascinating nomadic lifestyle. Churchill’s love of travelling is woven into his sound, as each EP is recorded and inspired by different places in the world. “I Am” takes the musicality of German producer Vincent Kottkamp, and blends it into Churchill’s own folk music, giving the whole EP a distinct sound that’s sure to stay with you! I was fortunate enough to discuss with Churchill his new EP, and take a closer look into the process behind it.
Featured Image Credit Via Kim Churchill’s Official Twitter
How would you define your sound?
Folk music with a beat.
Your track “After The Sun” has a beautiful, soulful feeling. What inspired the song
and the accompanying music video?
It started with the wonderful and reassuring idea that the sun will always come back around and it led me to question the way we chase things, always feeling as though we must make our way to what is right. I’ve found often in my own life I’ve had to let things go and learn that sooner or later most of what you love comes back in one way or another.
Tell me a bit about the process of creating “I Am”.
I took a chance and flew to Berlin to try making some music with an electronic producer by the name of Vincent Kottkamp. We had connected on some co-writing sessions and really enjoyed working together. I figured it was worth a shot and committed to the trip. It also helped lead me to the concept of my next release-4 EPs, each recorded in a different part of the world with a different producer. I’m hoping to get a cohesive
but very dynamic and contrasting body of work. Vince seemed like the perfect place to start.
The way you pull inspiration from the places you’ve lived is quite interesting, what city or country has touched you the most?
It’s pretty hard to say. Most are such different experiences that they stand out for different reasons. A trip I had recently to South Africa was pretty incredible though. I surfed my way up the Eastern cape and got to visit one of my childhood surf fantasies-a place called ‘Supertubes’ in Jeffreys Bay. I also met a bunch of really incredible people! It was a magical little trip!
What lead you to live a nomadic lifestyle?
A short attention span I think! I like to keep moving and keep the experiences and environment rolling. Keeps
it all interesting ya know!
What have been one of the proudest moments of your career?
Playing onstage at Glastonbury with Billy Bragg a few years ago was pretty dreamy! Won’t ever forget that.
What has been your favourite song to create on “I Am”?
I really enjoyed creating ‘Look Too’. It was a beautiful, still summers day in Berlin and after the session we drove an hour or two out of town to this abandoned chemiworks place and shot the acoustic video. The words were fresh in my mind and the song was so new. The sun was setting and sending these thick beams of warm light into
the old factory and the video looked incredible. It was a really beautiful day.
What can listeners expect from this EP?
Well, it’s the first of four very differently flavoured EP’s. Given Vince’s background and the general vibe Berlin was having on me, it’s got a slightly more electronic feel but quite minimal and very raw. I like the rawness and I like how much room the electronic stuff gives for the acoustic guitar and voice. It’s a relaxing listen 🙂
How do you feel you’ve grown as an artist through making this EP?
It really helped me just relax and enjoy the studio. We were working so fast and it was such a ‘throw caution to the wind’ moment. It helped me realize that taking a few risks and trusting yourself enough to enjoy the jump is a beautiful way to create. I’ll be doing it more often.
What can we expect from Kim Churchill in the future?
New and better music. A more intimate and well-structured live show with a lot of moments for stories and hopefully some laughter along the way.
“I Am” is now streaming!
Featured Image Credit Via Kim Churchill’s Official Twitter
