You’ve probably stumbled upon KiD RAiN on your TikTok FYP as of late because he’s been releasing snippets of his upcoming music there, including his newest track ‘Half,’ which is a banger on its own. And we knew it would be a banger because he has been writing music since he was 12, you read that right, 12! So, you know, his lyrics are top-notch, which is what we get to talk to him about, as well as all about ‘Half’ and what the future holds. Check out our interview with KiD RAiN down below!
Hi KiD RAiN and welcome to The Honey POP! We know you recently released ‘Half,’ what were your feelings leading up to the release, and what are you feeling now that everyone has heard it?
Hi The Honey POP! Thanks for having me on. I won’t lie, I was very nervous. It had been over a year since my last release, and 2 years since I started writing the song, so it feels great to finally have it in the world.
When we said how everyone has heard ‘Half’ we mean it! It gained a lot of views just from the teaser you posted on TikTok. How essential do you think TikTok is for Artists nowadays? What songs have you discovered through TikTok?
Well it’s not so much TikTok itself, it’s the people on TikTok, the people that follow/support your videos and listen to your music when it comes out. Of course the TikTok platform is the best way to be able to show your music to them, but I think artists should always remember it’s just people, not an algorithm, not an alien, people. I LOVE ‘WYD Now’ by Sadie Jean, also ‘Like 1999’ by Valley, both I discovered on TikTok!
‘Half’ is all about being stuck in between, for you, what’s one way you can get out of that funk?
You ever heard that old adage (i’m paraphrasing) when you’re feeling uncomfortable or scared, you must be doing something right? I think a big evil in my life is complacency and comfortability. So taking a risk, whether it be going in a completely new direction with music, or TikTok, or working with a new artist, that always keeps things exciting.
Your lyrics are always so good, which makes sense because you’ve been writing since you were 12. For ‘Half’ we’re loving the line “Cause I work for half my life to pay for half my life / To work for half my life, it sucks,” cause true. How long did it take you to come up with the lyrics, and what’s your favorite line from the track?
Thank you! I would love to tell you I hiked up a mountain and went soul searching for months to find the lyrics, but the truth is they took me a couple of hours, I knew the song would be relatable to a lot of people, so I didn’t want to disappear up in my own arse and make them unnecessarily complicated or pretentious, there’s nothing to unravel, once you hear it you know. My favourite line is “It feels like half of the time i’m lonely, but somehow, half of the time I wish people would leave me alone”.
At the end of 2022 you posted that you were quitting your (real) job and focusing solely on music, and the selling point was seeing all your fans at your shows. What was your initial reaction when seeing how many supporters you’ve had? What’s your favorite fan interaction you’ve had so far?
My initial reaction was surprise, not many people know this but I called my manager a few days before the tour was going to be put on sale, and told him to pull it. This isn’t leading to a humble brag, I genuinely wanted to postpone/cancel the tour before it went on sale, I was so sure hardly anyone would turn up. He told me I was being an idiot (as usual) and all the anxiety left after the first night, I couldn’t believe how many people showed up and knew my songs! (ok maybe it was a humble brag). In terms of fan interactions, I love seeing people who have become friends because of my music, they meet before nay shows and hang out and now they’re good friends, I love seeing that.
Speaking of seeing fans at shows, last year you had your very first tour, previously you toured with other people, as well as played festivals. What were some big differences in doing it solo? Was it what you expected it to be like?
The biggest difference is the fact you can have everything the way you like it, the stages the sound etc, also the backstage rider (i’ll have 1 million burgers and 1 million bottles of corona in my dressing room please). It makes everyone much more comfortable on stage and makes everyone (hopefully!) perform better. I’ve loved touring with other people, but having your own show is amazing.
We just wanna say, you’re so talented! Not everyone can write and produce their own songs. Is there any nervousness when going into the studio knowing you’re in charge of both?
That’s so nice thank you! I wouldn’t say its nerves, because i’ve been doing it so long it’s kind of like second nature now. However I can sometimes feel the pressure if I know I don’t have the right song yet and if I don’t come up with it, it won’t exist, I can’t just leave it to someone else, but as I said earlier, when you feel uncomfortable or scared, you must be doing something right.
The year 2023 is almost ‘Half’ way over, what has been your favorite accomplishment whether in your life or for your music, so far this year?
I have finished most of the new songs that will be released this year, and they are by far (I know everyone always says this) but they are BY FAR the best songs I’ve ever made, so I’m very proud of that, and i’m very excited to have them released.
We’ve honestly been having ‘Half’ and ‘I Hope You Never Fall in Love Again’ stuck on repeat (btw thank you for releasing different versions of that song). What tracks do you think would be the best starter pack for new listeners to check out your music?
Thanks! I think a new listener should listen to ‘Say Yes’ first, as that was the first song I ever released, then ‘Half,’ then ‘Sole Of Your Shoe,’ bit of everything!
We’ve heard we should be expecting more from you this year, first, if that’s true we’re super excited for you and us! And second, what else can we expect from KiD RAiN for the remainder of 2023?
I am absolutely not going to take months between songs anymore, that time is over, as you said earlier, I quit my “proper” job to chase this, so my calendar is just KiD RAiN now, so lots of new music, and hopefully some shows later on in the year!
KiD RAiN is such a talented artist, and we can’t wait to see him strive.
Have you been streaming KiD RAin’s newest track ‘Half,’ since it was released? Are you already following him on TikTok? Did you love our interview with the artist? Let us know in the comments down below, on Twitter @thehoneypop, and don’t forget to talk to us over on Facebook and Instagram!
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