Exclusive Interview with KYLE WAVES

Singaporean-born singer/songwriter “Kyle Waves” has established himself as one of the upcoming faces of synth-pop in this generation. Now based in New York City, Kyle is inspired by the works of both eastern and western artists such as Lexie Liu, Troye Sivan, NewJeans, and Tinashe, and has delivered a variety of synth heavy and vocal forward tracks across multiple genres, including Pop, RnB, and House. Through over a decade of singing and dance training, as well as years of K-Pop training, Kyle has now found success as an independent artist, delivering strong choreographed routines to align with his uptempo tracks. Check out the exclusive Interview below:

1. Your roots can often shape your journey. Can you share a story or moment from your early life that had a significant impact on your path into music?

KYLE WAVES: I remember being very young and forcing my parents to watch me perform pop songs, sometimes for hours, in the kitchen. I think the idea of singing, dancing, and being on stage was with me from that point onward and really shaped my interests in life and desire to pursue a career in the entertainment world. It made me want to have my own songs to sing and dance to.

2. Did your musical journey begin with formal training, or was it more of a personal exploration? How has that shaped your unique approach to your craft?

KYLE WAVES: My parents put me into singing lessons and musical theatre classes when I was about 6 or 7 years old, and I continued with those activities into my teenage years. My singing teacher was the one who encouraged me to start writing my own songs and record them so I would say that formal training really was the basis of my craft. But as I’ve gotten older and have become the sole force behind my creative growth. I think my experiences in life and my explorations of what genres and sounds speak to me has really had the largest impact on my approach to my craft and the emotions I tend to gravitate to in my songwriting.

3. Who were some of the most influential figures in your early musical life, and how did they inspire your sound? Also, what’s the story behind choosing the name ‘KYLE WAVES’?

KYLE WAVES: My earliest musical influences in life were Britney and Kylie Minogue. I think both of these women have largely inspired my sound and approach to being a musician. I loved Kylie’s synth heavy and upbeat songs, and Britney’s infectious and dance focused tracks. I’ve had and continue to have many musical influences, but I think those two in particular stand the test of time for me.

Kyle Waves actually came about when I was first toying with the idea of releasing music publicly. Kyle is my actual first name of course, but Waves came around from both soundwaves, and also my love for water and the ocean when growing up in Singapore. I think it just flowed well for me.

4. What do you believe sets your music apart? How would you describe your sound to someone discovering you for the first time, and what emotions or experiences do you hope to evoke in your listeners?

KYLE WAVES: I think my music really has a beautiful combination of the excitement and freshness we’ve been seeing in the Asian music market, with the relatability and accessibility that people get in the Western market. Add to that the queer lens that I apply to my music as well and it’s a very unique combination. I always describe my sound as being danceable, bright, and synth heavy and I hope that my music tells relatable stories and brings up emotions of all sorts of love, heartbreak, and also introspection.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style of pop?

KYLE WAVES: For me, the phase of learning is still continuing. It’s hard to figure out what feels best for you and what sounds the best. I’ve always pulled inspiration from other artists as I’ve been working to develop my sound and my image, and I feel like I’ve only recently come into a place where I’ve been able to carve my own path forward. I used to fear the idea that my music would be too comparable to another artist, and I’d be seen as a copy in a way, but I eventually understood that most artists are inspired by and emulate others that have been important to them and it’s only through those explorations that we can branch out and find our own little niche.

6. Music often transcends entertainment. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

KYLE WAVES: In my opinion, music is inherently a vehicle for all of these things whether it’s intended to be or not. I think as a queer artist my music is already viewed in a sociopolitical way and therefore it’s not really possible to ignore these themes. I’d say I am more interested in my music as an expression of personal narrative and most of my inspiration in writing comes from that, but I am always conscious of the importance of art as a way to emphasize the issues of the world. Even though I don’t often try to put that in my music itself, I do advocate for, uplift, and be an ally to those who are affected by that.

7. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

KYLE WAVES: I’m a firm believer that listening to and interpreting music is a personal experience. Even though I write through a personal lens and about my own experiences in life I think it’s important that when people hear my songs, they can relate it to their own journey and feelings. You never really know what someone else will get out of your music, so I think it’s better not to try to force it and instead give your listeners the ability to take what they need from your songs.

8. Can you walk us through your creative process? From the first spark of an idea to the finished track, what’s the most essential part of your process, and how do collaboration or external influences shape your work?

KYLE WAVES: Most of my music starts with a single line and melody. I’ve gotten into the habit of making a voice memo any time that inspiration strikes because it’s often fleeting, and you can never really rely on your memory. Once I have that I’ll play around with simple chords and flesh out the lyrical theme and topline, this is the most essential part for me as I believe great lyrics and a strong vocal melody are what make or break a song.

From here one of two things happens, I either build the track myself, playing with samples or building different synth patterns. Or I reach out to one of my producer friends with my early vocal demos and send them some inspirations and we collaborate on building a track together. Collaborating is always a much more interesting process because you get completely different viewpoints on your idea and find things you otherwise may have never considered if you were working alone. I’ve had songs that I thought were going to sound one way but ended up going in unexpected and new directions because my collaborators created something awesome. You really just have to roll with it and learn for yourself when it’s worth experimenting and also when it’s okay to put your foot down and trust your own instincts.

9. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

KYLE WAVES: I’ve lived most of my life on social media and have spent enough time on it to know that hate and heavy criticism most often comes from people who have little knowledge of your craft or have personal issues that show themselves through their online behavior. I tend not to engage and just ignore, block, etc for the most part. I’m a firm believer that we all say mean things at times and that’s okay, but keeping it to yourself is the best option.

10. What moment or achievement in your career so far has made you feel the proudest, and why? And let’s talk about your latest release and future plans.

KYLE WAVES: I was recently featured on the Ones To Watch playlist for the first time, which had been a goal of mine since I started pursuing music professionally. Even though I know I still have a long way to go, it made me feel like I was moving in the right direction and that I had finally reached a point where I was competing in the industry to an extent. Those kinds of things really light a fire in me to do more and to push harder because it puts into perspective that my goals are attainable.

As for my latest release, my new track “Thinking Bout It” is actually one of my favorite songs I think I’ve ever put out. I’m so excited that I get to dance in the music video because that’s something that I want to do a lot more of this year. It’s also the second pre-release to my upcoming EP that will be out soon, and I’m already working on the follow ups for that, so I have plenty of music and a cohesive vision and sound for the era. I’m also planning some new merch and exploring some live show possibilities as well so there’s a lot to look forward to!