Los Angeles, CA based artist Leven Kali is making a name for himself in the music world with his new project, HIGHTIDE, which was released earlier this month. The album’s duration is perfect for putting on in the car – his unique mix of pop, R&B, funk, and urban influences are perfect for smooth sailing down the highway on a beautiful summer day. We had the opportunity to talk with Kali about his many inspirations, his creative process, and what it was like collaborating with Ty Dolla $ign.
BTS: Can you tell us how you got started with making music?
LEVEN KALI: I grew up in a family of musicians, so I was immersed in it immediately. I played drums in high school and started producing tracks senior year. By the time I was in college, I was in the studio constantly and that’s when I decided I wanted to focus on this as my career.
BTS: How would you describe your music for someone who hasn’t heard it before?
LK: It’s soulful, musical, groovy, and feel good. Most importantly though, it’s soulful.
BTS: Who are some of your influences, musically and non-musically?
LK: Musically I would say Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic, and Rage Against The Machine. I loved sports as a kid, naturally, growing up in LA I admired Kobe [Bryant] and Tiger [Woods] the most. As i’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how much of an influence story telling has on us and I’ve been watching Pixar movies from a new perspective. I read Ed Catmulls’ book about the inner workings and philosophies of the Pixar team and it has influenced me a lot.
BTS: Where do you draw inspiration from for your songs?
LK: It can come from anywhere. My experiences , my friends’ experiences, other songs, movies etc.. I usually get inspired by a chord progression and melody, then the words come.
BTS: You were born in the Netherlands and raised in Santa Monica, CA – how have those two places influenced your music?
LK: It gave me a sense of global awareness at a young age. My music is definitely rooted in a west coast childhood but it’s also deeply influenced by traveling and living in other cultures.
BTS: You released your new project HIGHTIDE at the beginning of May – what was the writing and recording process like for that?
LK: HIGHTIDE and LOWTIDE both were recorded over the last couple years in a few different studios. Usually I’ll have some ideas recorded and then I’ll get the band and my family together to bring it to full form. There were probably 50 demos to choose from when making the projects. When it was time to put HIGHTIDE together I locked in with sol was, Daniel Memmi and the rest of the guys and we picked from the list of demos and finished them up to make it all feel like a cohesive project.
BTS: How did you come up with the title HIGHTIDE?
LK: LOWTIDE and HIGHTIDE represent a constant yin & yang that we live with as humans….being aware of your lows and highs and knowing yourself.
BTS: What was it like working with Ty Dolla $ign on “Perfect is Boring”? How did the collaboration come about?
LK: I have been a fan of Ty [Dolla $ign] for a while so it was great to finally get a song out together. We actually have a couple more recorded. Ty is really talented and we made this one during the sessions for his project actually, but it ended up being a song of mine.
BTS: Who’s your dream collaboration?
LK: That’s a combo of Stevie Wonder, Daft Punk, me and Tame Impala all on one song!
BTS: What’s one fun fact about yourself for our readers?
LK: I love popcorn.
BTS: What can fans expect from you this year?
LK: This summer, I’ll be dropping some videos and we are working on a double vinyl release for LOWTIDE/HIGHTIDE. Then of course as soon as it’s safe to tour again, I’ll be back on the road!
Follow Leven Kali on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay up-to-date on all of his forthcoming releases and announcements.
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