Words by Carol Wright | Photo courtesy of Clutch32 Publicity
Kurita spoke with us about her album Karma, when she fell in love with singing, and advice she has for aspiring singers.
When did you know you wanted to be a singer?
Ever since I was a kid I loved singing and wanted to pursue it. I began songwriting in 6th grade and was hooked ever since. Singing and songwriting have given me a place to share my feelings, good or bad. As I got older I went through more and more intense situations and realized that what I needed to say was important. I quickly realized that the response my music received was very positive, and people could easily connect to what I had to say. I love being in a position where I can help people. I think music is the ultimate support system, and I’m glad I have the ability to contribute to it.
What is your songwriting process?
My songwriting process always begins with the lyrics. The minute I feel inspired, I will start singing pretty random lyrics and melodies until I find a line that clicks. For me, deciding what melody and lyric to go with is a gut feeling. I try to combine relevant lyrics with complex, but catchy melodies to form a progressive pop sound. Once I decide on the base lyric to go off of, I will spend anywhere from 30 minutes to numerous hours by a piano to compose the rest of the song. To do this, I will always mentally place myself in the situation I’m writing about. It’s important to put yourself back in that place, so the lyrics come from a deep place with lots of feeling. I’ve found that it’s crucial to write with the intent to please yourself, not your audience. Your audience will connect with your music if it is meaningful, which is shown through its delivery. A song with no passion behind it won’t connect with anyone. The most important part to having a successful song is believing in it, which can’t happen if the song has no meaning, to begin with.
Tell us about your album Karma. Why did you make “Karma” the title track?
My album Karma was my first ever album, and it was released on April 24th, 2020. The songs on Karma describe some of the most impactful times of my life to date. They cover all the good and all the bad. The title track, “Karma” is the oldest song on the album. I wrote “Karma” years ago, and it was the first song I had ever written that I really believed in. I had written countless songs that taught me what I liked and disliked about my original music, and Karma was the first song that I felt was catchy, meaningful, different, and me. Karma was the kickstart to my belief in achieving my goal of being an artist. It is that song that gave me the motivation and drive to pursue my career, and ultimately create and release this album.
What was the hardest song to write for the album?
The writing process was most difficult for the creation of “Welcome To My Funeral”. This song is a response to my experience with sexual abuse, and it was extremely difficult to write because I had to mentally place myself back in the situation to access those feelings. It was also the hardest to write because there were so many seemingly indescribable emotions. It seemed impossible at times to put my feelings into words. However, it was all worth it in the end because it is now a finished song that my audience can connect with. So much comfort can be found in understanding your feelings, and I hope my song helps someone in doing so.
Do you have a favorite song off of the album?
My favorite song off of the album consistently changes. Right now, I’m having a lot of fun listening to “E”. “E” is such an uplifting song, and it puts me in a great mood. This song highlights the feelings that come with true love. The dynamic creation of tension and release gets my heart beating and helps show the amount of excitement put into the song.
What advice do you have for aspiring singers?
My advice for aspiring singers is to always have fun with your music. There can be good days and bad days, and tough situations. However, music should never feel like a job you dread doing. It should be exciting and filled with passion and love. Always experiment, and strive to get better. Be open to learning new things, and believe in yourself. If music is what you love doing, and you put all of your efforts into it, you deserve to be successful with it. You just have to fully believe in yourself.
