T.H.E Interview – Kiara Jordan

South Africa born, London based singer, songwriter and producer Kiara Jordan shared her powerful new track ‘Young Man’, out now on all streaming platforms. To accompany the track, Kiara also releases an incredibly powerful music video, watch it here.

We caught up with her to learn more about “Young Man” and how it came about, it’s music video and loads more.

Aditya – Hey Kiara, welcome to this edition of T.H.E – Interviews! How’s 2021 been for you so far?

Kiara Jordan – Hi there! Thanks for having me. 2021’s been interesting so far – like every year, it’s had it’s highs and lows, but musically I have pushed my own boundaries and grown as an artist, developing my production skills, learning the bass guitar, and exploring new genres and styles of writing. With the help of Music Gateway and Tom Graham, I have been able to land some really exciting press and radio spots with my recent release, so 2021 has set me up to grow as an artist and I’m very grateful for it.

Aditya – ‘Young Man’ sounds really sublime! Could you run us through the ideation of the track?

Kiara Jordan – Thanks so much! Telling the story of my encounter with a homeless man in South Africa, I want to use Young Man to address the systemic racism and oppression that is happening in South Africa, as well as other parts of the world as well, such as Afghanistan, and Palestine. I want to start a conversation as to why the governments and western world are sitting back and watching people suffer and turn on one another, whilst doing nothing to help. Just yesterday, the president of Afghanistan fled the country as the Taliban forces entered the capital. Where are our leaders? Why are they not doing anything?

This song is more than a song for me, it is a platform in which to spread awareness, question injustices and start conversations. The proceeds made from the song will be donated to South African charity, Operation Hunger.

Aditya – Could you tell us more about the music video? The visual direction and the production?

Kiara Jordan – The music video was inspired by the recent riots in South Africa, which occurred shortly after I wrote Young Man. Watching my home country burn was a tough pill to swallow, and I wanted to use the footage people on the streets of South Africa had taken to accurately depict the ongoing struggles people are facing there. The video direction and production was inspired by reality – I wanted the visuals to shock, to start a conversation, because sometimes a song is not enough – sometimes people need to see what’s happening with their own eyes to truly understand the weight of the issue at hand.

Aditya – Who influenced you to become a singer-songwriter?

Kiara Jordan – I always wanted to be a musician, growing up on old school rock, I was fascinated by the Beatles and The Rolling Stones, watching documentaries of their musical creations and experiences. I was inspired to write my own songs through my love of poetry – I always had a passion for writing, and utilized that to become a singer-songwriter.

Aditya – What kind of singer would you classify yourself as?

Kiara Jordan – I don’t think I can classify myself as one particular thing – I think the beauty of the music industry today is that artists are no longer being defined or having to stick to one particular genre. Look at Billie Eilish, for example, every song on her last album had a completely unique and different sound. If I were to choose though, I think I’m more of a folk, alternative singer, inspired by classic rock and indie folk.

Aditya – Let’s talk about Race. What do you think about racism in the music industry?

Kiara Jordan – As a Caucasian person who was only recently started releasing music, I have not experienced racism in the music industry myself. However, I do believe that racism is a form of discrimination that has seeped its way into all forms of life, including music. Coming from a country where racism is so stark, and the difference in musical genres was very evident depending on the race of the singer, I strongly believe that racism in the music industry exists, however I’m fortunate enough not to have experienced it personally. Saying this, I want to use the platform I have in the music industry to speak about and highlight topics such as racism, and believe others with bigger platforms should too, as art is both a peaceful and accepted form of expression.

Aditya – From South Africa to London, how did that happen?

Kiara Jordan – I was actually born in the UK, but spent most of my life in South Africa as my parents were born there. At 18, I wanted to return the UK to begin university here, as the level of education is more recognized in England than in South Africa. England is my head home, South Africa is my heart home.

Aditya – Which famous musicians do you admire?

Kiara Jordan – Currently, I have a huge admiration for Tom Misch. He is also a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer, and the quality of his music is incredible. I also have a great deal of admiration for the Lumineers, having seen them three times in concert. They have a stage presence and lyrical beauty that is not often found.

Aditya – Could you describe your favorite and least favorite part about being a singer/musician?

Kiara Jordan – My favorite part about being a musician is being able to turn my experiences/emotions/questions into art – I’m very blessed to have that kind of outlet. My least favorite part though, is the imminent failure that comes with being a musician. With each release, there will be people that decline your pitch requests, labels that don’t like your music, people that unfollow you if they don’t like your recent release – as quite a sensitive person, I’ve had to become slightly tougher, knowing that failure is a key part of success.

Aditya – Lastly, what’s on the shelf for the last quarter of 2021?

Kiara Jordan – I’m currently working on a song that I personally believe to be my best – it is more contemporary, and has been my favorite one to produce so far. I want to release it in late October/Early November, just before the Christmas chaos starts After that, I am looking to release an EP early next year.

Thank you so much for having me!