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Every Monday we will be bringing you interviews with unsigned UK or Ireland artists for Independent Music Monday. Recently we caught up with unsigned London band KIN to find out more…

Who is in the band, how did you meet, where are you from and how did you come up with the band name?
KIN are Grace, Ritu and Adam from London. We met a few years ago, Grace and Adam met through a mutual friend and started writing together, then they went in search of a drummer and Ritu was the perfect fit. We quickly knew that we wanted to make music together and spent most of 2019 gigging and writing before recording our first singles in January 2020 at Noatune Studios in Hackney.

The band name was the first one we all agreed on! We went through a few different options, but KIN just felt right. We’re like a little family, so we think it suits us.

Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
We each had a wide variety of musical influences growing up, from the Spice Girls and Mousse T (Ritu’s first ever single) to Joni Mitchell and Pink Floyd.

The music we make now is influenced by lots of different things including books, films, art, relationships and politics. We have a monthly playlist on Spotify called KINspire Me, which features a collection of songs that we’re all listening to at the moment.

How would you describe your sound?
Female-led, atmospheric indie pop. We blend electronic keys and catchy guitar riffs to produce a sound that we hope feels unique and dynamic, and we’re constantly trying to evolve and challenge ourselves. Our strength comes from our differences, we all bring something exciting and interesting to the rehearsal room. We’re a very collaborative band, everyone has an equal voice in the writing process.

What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
L.O.V.E is our latest release and it was written as a homage to the great British festival, it’s about the particular kind of joy and freedom that comes from people gathering together in green open spaces to dance and love freely. At a time when the future of festivals hangs in the balance due to Covid-19, the song is a reminder of the beauty of the summer music season, complete with a video tribute (premiered on Refinery29) to all the cancelled festivals. The single is a celebration of how, even in these socially distanced times, music still brings us together.

What’s your local music scene like?
London has a great music scene, venues like the Finsbury (Get in Her Ears usually host a monthly night there and it’s superb) and the Victoria (Jaguarshoes Collective) are absolute gems in the London music scene. We’d also love to tour around the UK, Ireland and beyond. It’s an exciting prospect.

The industry is under threat at the moment, due to the current pandemic, and smaller venues are closing at an alarming rate. The arts are often underfunded in the UK but it’s especially difficult at the moment. Grassroots venues are the backbone of the music scene in this country, it’s where we honed our music and without them, new bands will suffer.

What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
We have a third single ready to go for the autumn and we’re planning the video at the moment. It’s tonally quite different from our first two singles but we think it’s a really special track. We’re also back in the studio working on new music with the wonderful Laura Iredale at Abbey Road, it’s a real buzz.

Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
We’ve already collaborated closely with some brilliant creatives; including our amazing producer Nicholas Alexander and our illustrator Ella de Souza. But collaborating with a pop powerhouse like Robyn or Sia would be incredible, we’d also love to work with Andrew Sarlo, he’s one of the most inspiring producers out there.

Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
We once played a gig with a rather rambunctious Viking rock band, that was… interesting. We also love to have a shot of Archers Peach Schnapps before a show, it’s a strange ritual but it’s stuck. It’s a sickly-sweet drink but it certainly gets you going! We enjoy making each other laugh and try and build a relationship with our audience, each gig feels different and unique. It’s important to us that people feel good at our shows and we support the brilliant Safe Gigs For Women. Check them out!

What is the one thing that you want readers to know about your band?
That we love chatting to you about music and we welcome everyone in the KIN community! Come and say hi on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.

You can also find out more about KIN via Apple Music, Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, Spotify, TikTok or YouTube.