Conversations with Kazmyn

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kazmyn

Hi Kazmyn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have been creating songs in some form for the majority of my life. From an early age in the suburbs of Seattle, I sat at the upright piano my dad gifted my siblings and I- worn and slightly out on tune- for hours on end, usually coming up with a few verses that slightly described how I was feeling at that given moment. Music has always been an outlet for me and over the last seven years singing for people live, i’ve realized that the coolest part about making music and sharing it, is that you can speak through and for others. I’ve prioritized songwriting more over the last few years specifically, and have worked with some lovely individuals with stories to tell. As of Valentines Day here, I am finally moved into a humble little room in Nashville, Tennessee. I have new friends here and many more to meet, and I’m excited to break into the scene. I’m thankful that my dad is so supportive and my siblings stay in touch, but for the first time in my life, I am not scared to be across the country on my own adventure. Music is a comfort, like a hug, and I have clung to it with my life.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Whoever answers this question with “yes, its been a smooth road”… I would like to ask their secret, because by golly, there is so many challenges that come with this path. I want to rationalize every roadblock as ‘building character’ but some of it has really sucked, and that’s okay. I’ve been performing my original music since 2018, and only recently am I becoming sure of who I am and what I have to offer in this industry. Even then, my self-perception and sound are constantly butting heads and evolving and its hard ot catch up. There are literal struggles; using time, energy, resources, money. There is pain in rejection and fear of not living up to an opportunity or moment, and it’s a constant test as to whether someone is built to be in the public eye, with their souls on their sleeves. One of the more recent life-changes i’ve faced was losing my mom middle of last year. I had never dealt with the loss of a loved one and it has come in such uncontrollable waves. I had a show two days after I had found out about her passing, and I remember being nervous to breakdown on stage. It was an intimate little show, maybe 20 people in this hot Seattle-venue basement in early July. I have a song I wrote for my mom many years ago, called “Genuinity”, which i’ve sang to and for her hundreds of times. I sang it that night, and made it through the whole song with a glimmer in my eyes, as I felt her with me, with US. I think music transcends space and time, and being able to heal myself and others through song is something I will continue to be in awe of.
Now I’m in a new city, where everyone is trying to ‘make it’. It’s a lot different from Seattle. People don’t know who I am yet! Emphasis on ‘Yet’. I think my mindset is growing stronger, and I am beginning to engrain it in my mind, that I actually have something to offer. I am not a fluke, and my music and songs are here to stay. That keeps me going.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My music is an extension of everything I am. I have always spoken my mind, and I think that can get me into more trouble than good because often times I am not able to revise what I say before it spills out. The thing I love about writing is that I can look at the words forever, and then the moment I put them to chords and a tempo, they will most likely be reworked. Then I change one chord, and the lyrics get reworked again. Then I speed it up and I like the way it feels like a run-on sentence and the creative edits go on and on. I try to make my songs conversational while poetic and reflective. I always want my autenticity to shine through. Even if the story isn’t factual, I want the message to hit an audience, in whatever season they each find themselves in. I think what sets me apart from a lot of artists is my ability to shift genres and tones, as long as my lyrics stay at the forefront. I’ve been on Folk, Pop, Country, Rap, and Electronic music and had the opporutnity to write for these genres, which has built my repertoire as well as given me insight to formats that these genres usually fit into. From there, I’m able to tweak the shape and sound of a song into something that feels more personal to me. I will sit with an instrumental until I find words that flow right off the tongue and feel like they ring true. In the fast-paced and compteitive music scene we see today, I think quality is often compromised as there’s always a demand for something MORE and SOMETHING NEW, and i’m simply working to take my time to create what we NEED.

What matters most to you?
What matters most is that I feel loved and happy, and that the people in my life feel that way as well. No matter how much success you have, you simply cannot live your fullest life with loving and being loved. That can look a million different ways, but with every song, and with every interaction, I simply want to make people feel heard. and loved.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kazmyn.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kazmynz/

Image Credits
My sister Dezi Zercher (@dezizercher)