London King, born Kiara Isabella M. Monroe, is a singer-songwriter based in London, United Kingdom. She started singing and acting at age 4, when she joined a children theatre company called “The Mad Hatter.” From age 4 to age 12 she took part in more than 10 plays, and discovered contemporary dance at about the same time. At age 14 she started writing her own songs, novels, and poetry and went on to be the frontwoman of a punk band called “Rancid”, where she was the singer and the songwriter of their songs. At 16 she left her previous band, and embarked on a solo career, recording her first demo, ‘Sinking in The Darkness’ in Los Angeles. She then moved to London permanently and began working with James Colah who collaborated on her EP “Golden Edition”. In 2014 she collaborated with Warner Music signee Cornel Sorian, on the songs “Skin” and “Your Attention”, while also performing at prestigious venues. In November 2017 she released her second EP “Antichrist Child” with Producer of the Year 2017 – Aubrey Whitfield.
- How long have you been doing music and how did you get started in the first place?
London King: I started at age 4. I have been writing songs and singing on stage for ages now. It sounds weird to say this in your early twenties, but I started very young.
2. What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town?
London King: A grand piano my big brother used to play. One evening i was waiting for dinner to be ready, in my room upstairs, i remember my brother and his friend playing ‘Fur Elise’, by Beethoven. That memory still touches me to this very day. But also bars and venues in my town. Back when i was fourteen i used to play in numerous places, but also used to go to many gigs in town. I met my very first partner there.
- Is your family musical and do they support your artistic abilities?
London King: They have accepted that I am an artist, but they’re not singers. My parents are both doctors, although my uncle, my dad’s brother, has a band, also I have a distant relative called Lisa, she used to be a pianist. My brothers love music, and one of them used to play an instrument (piano), but he’s never had a band, or played live. I guess it was more of a hobby for my brother.
- Who are current your favorite artists and why?
London King: I like Tove Lo, Bruno Mars, Imagine Dragons, Amy Winehouse and Harry Styles. Also I have a crush on a German musician, called Fabian Halbig. He’s very talented and seems also a rather down to Earth guy.
- Is there any well-known artist you would like to work with? Like maybe singing a duet together?
London King: I’d love to work with Britney Spears, or Lady GaGa perhaps. I believe a duet with these ladies would rock! I wouldn’t mind a collaboration with Coldplay as well. I’m a big fan of Chris Martin.
- Have you had any formal musical training, or are you totally self-taught?
London King: I’ve had a vocal coach for a year, but I didn’t attend any school or academy.
- Do you perform in public? How important is it to you that you perform live music events/gigs?
London King: Very important. It’s crucial to find the right gigs for you, especially when you’re still at the beginning. I do perform in public. I have performed in LA and England so far.
- How would you describe the music that you typically create?
London King: Personal. Each song has a meaning, and it’s been inspired by events that happened in my life. Each song is a piece of me.
- How are your songs developed? Do you handle all the processes from writing the lyrics and the music, or do you collaborate with other creative people in producing your music?
London King: I collaborate with my producer. Lately I am also co-writing, which is something that I’ve never tried before meeting my current producer. It’s a nice experience, because you also have someone else’s prospective to your story. I like it. I usually write my own songs, but as I said, lately I have been open to collaborate also on lyrics. I am still writing my own lyrics though. I write an incredible amount of songs every year.
- More than anything else, what do you feel your listeners should get out of your music?
London King: They should first of all enjoy it without thinking too much. Music has to entertain you, make you feel lighter. Then I’d like people to catch my message, my art, I want them to listen to the music and the words, and if they wish, they can also have their interpretation of the lyrics. But above all, I want them to listen and enjoy.
- Is there one particular song you have recorded that you’re most proud of, and why?
London King: I have one, yeah, and it’s Immortality. I believe it’s because it’s very dark, melancholic, it’s true, it’s honest. There’s also an interesting story, behind the lyrics. It’s a deep song, very introspective, and that’s why I love it, and I hope people love it too.
- If you had the opportunity to change one thing about the music business, what would that be?
London King: I believe music business lately it’s too obsessed with numbers and THE social media. It’s fun and it can sure help to get singers and artists out there, but it can be quite distracting. Also it almost seems like sometimes all you need to be noticed it’s a silly, trashy song, and fundamentally be an idiot on social media. That’s not an artist in my opinion, nor a singer either, also most of the times these people sound dreadful. I’d change this aspect about music business. More quality, less social media. I like social media, I like Instagram a lot, but it should be a separate thing, or at least not so attached to music.
- Once you have created and recorded a piece of music, how do you go about distributing it? Do you use the Internet to facilitate this?
London King: I do, of course. I use everything that I believe can help me get new people to follow my journey, and enjoy my music. There’s so much out there, so much trash, but also quality promoters, that care about your success, genuinely like your music and want to see you shine. Of course, they are rare. But they’re out there. All you gotta do is keep your eyes open, and understand the difference between a scam and a legit service.
- How would you define ‘success’ regarding a singer/songwriter? What do you feel you would have to achieve to call yourself successful?
London King: Success it’s doing what you love the most, it’s going home at night, knowing you worked hard and created something of quality, above all something YOU wanted to do. I know many people that play in big, huge venues, win awards, and yet they’re such a failure. They are always unhappy and put out garbage just to get noticed, just because someone told them this it’s more beneficial to their career than that. That’s not success. A successful person works hard, works in silence, cheers at other people’s achievements, and puts out a product that comes from the heart and knows no self-pity.
- If someone has never heard your music, which keywords would you personally use to describe your overall sound and style?
London King: Cutting edge, always fresh, innovative, honest, frank, catchy, electronic, and unapologetic.
- Do you consider Internet and all the social media websites as fundamental in building a career in music today, and what is your personal relationship with the new technology at hand?
London King: As mentioned before, social media sure help, the Internet in general, although I feel like it’s becoming all about the social media, all about the number of followers, all about the likes on your picture, and not much about the music. Which I don’t like. As I said, it’s distracting. I am an Instagram junkie. I like to share stuff there, and I also have Facebook. But I’d like to see music a little more ‘distant’ from the digital world to be honest, not completely separate, only not so attached to it.
- How would you describe your musical image? How important do you think image is to musicians in general and to yourself personally?
London King: Is very important. Every artist has an ‘image’, which is different from what they are with close friends or family. It has to be this way. I believe I speak for loads of artists when I say the ‘performer’, and ‘every day person’ are two distinct people, and that’s also why many artists have alter egos. My musical image is: independent young woman, strong, with her mind made up, dealing with life with head held high, courageous, creative, glamorous, fashionable, open minded and free. This is also a side of me in my daily life, not just in the music world.
- Are your songs predominantly focused on your own personal real life experiences or imaginary concepts?
London King: Definitely my real life experiences. I have been travelling a lot, since a young age, met numerous people, been in weird places, been in stunning places, I went to live on my own, in another country, at age 17. I have had a lot going on in my life, there’s a lot I can sing and write about.
- Has there been one particular moment in your musical career that you’re most proud of?
London King: When I have people DM me telling me I am their idol and telling me they love my music, giving me feedback, calling me beautiful and complimenting my efforts. This makes me so happy, it fills me with joy. And that’s the most beautiful moment in my musical career. Also when I performed in Proud Camden, a venue I personally adore. After the show people were stopping me, hugging me and congratulating me.
- Can you tell us something about your latest release?
London King: First of all that you can find it on iTunes, Tidal, Spotify, Pandora and Shazam. I have been working very hard on this EP, I have poured my heart and soul in it. I hope you love it, I hope it will make you dance, be happy, and I hope it’ll make you feel something. I promise, this little EP won’t disappoint you.
OFFICIAL LINKS: INSTAGRAM – FACEBOOK – YOUTUBE – SPOTIFY – ITUNES
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