Despite only having a handful of songs to their name, KING have achieved a lofty reputation. From receiving nods by Prince and Erykah Badu to their collaborations with everyone from Nile Rodgers to Robert Glasper, the three-piece has come quite far while releasing little. While nowadays acts seem to be releasing new music all the time, KING are going at their own pace, which makes their forthcoming album truly worthy of all of the buzz.
I had the opportunity to sit down with the ladies of KING, twins Paris and Amber Strother and Anita Bias, to pick their immeasurably creative brains. What struck me most was their determination, or rather, the degree to which they don’t need any. In talking with them, it’s apparent that forming the band was a no-brainer, simply a formality. KING were going to make music sooner or later, and their success seems just as certain.
AR: So, how did you guys come together?
Paris: Well, I actually met Anita at Berklee College of Music briefly. I heard her sing once and was completely blown away. I moved out to LA after graduating and ran into her randomly-we started hanging out again and songwriting just came so naturally. Amber came out to visit one time and it just took off from there.
AR: What was the musical environment like that you grew up in?
Amber: Our father is really musical so he had every instrument around all the time. Just going through his records, listening to a lot of his soul and classic gospel…
AR: What would you pick out of those records that really stuck out?
Amber: All the jazz records, the Clark Sisters, vocalists, everything really…
Paris: Bob James.
Anita: Definitely my parents playing a lot of old-school R&B records.
AR: You guys released an EP independently back in 2011, you had another single last year and now, finally, you’re going to release your debut full-length in 2014. How would you describe that journey?
Paris: I think we’ve been fortunate to grow with our music. When we released the EP in 2011, it was just those three songs, but it was a chance for us to grow into those songs as well. We had the opportunity to be ourselves. It feels like we’ve grown up together.
AR: What do you mean by “growing with the songs”?
Paris: I think when we were writing the music, maybe more so than we knew at the time, it was really a statement about who we are. It was good to see it manifest itself when we released it to the world.
AR: So, who were you guys then and who are you guys now?
Amber: I think we’re the same people, but with everyday life, you’re just going to have experiences that help you grow into who you will become. I think all of us, collectively, are stronger versions of ourselves.
AR: What was the moment like when you decided to make it official and dive 100% into being KING?
Amber: People kept wondering why we hadn’t full-force declared, “We are KING now.” We put together the EPs out of loving to create with one another.
AR: So, you just needed a little push?
Amber: Not so much. I just think we had to do it.
Paris: We had been performing live for a little while around Los Angeles and were often asked, “When are you going to put something out?” It was just a reminder that we really should try and record something and see what happens. What came out was just so “us” - it was a lot of fun. Releasing those three songs was an extension of us wanting to share our music with the world.
AR: How did coming up in the Los Angeles scene influence your music?
Amber: There’s just so much energy. It was definitely compatible with how we worked – sharing new ideas. There were people who were eager to hear and understood it right away.
Anita: Definitely. I feel like we just feed off of that energy with our live performances-it’s always a learning experience.
AR: Did you guys ever have any doubts?
Paris: It wasn’t something that you could doubt really. It was just something that we had to do. It didn’t feel like it was forced. It was as natural as breathing. There was no room for doubt because we were fine with whatever happened.
AR: Now that the full-length is finally coming out, what are you feeling?
Amber: It’s a good feeling. I think we put so much of ourselves into this project. It’s a labor of love. We really try to put good energy into our work. Anytime you can sit and hibernate with something, that’s a positive experience, but releasing it has just magnified the feeling a million times. I feel nothing but hopeful.
Paris: For me, it feels as though we’ve made a gift for people we know and people we haven’t met yet. We’re ready to give it to them. It’s everything we wanted it to be.
AR: Musically speaking, who among your various collaborators has been the most eye-opening?
Amber: Every time someone asks that question, I feel like I give the same answer. For me personally, it would be these two ladies. We still keep digging and discovering different areas and energies. It’s still so mind-blowing to work together.
AR: What kind of statement do you want to make with your debut LP?
Amber: I just hope it’s something related to love. I do think we’ve put a lot of love into this project – it’s up to the audience how they want to interpret it. So, whether that’s strengthening their self-worth or maybe a song captures how someone feels about their significant other, their mom, whatever. I do think that love is a very strong and reccurring message in our work.
AR: So, after the album drops, what’s next? Are you going out on tour?
Paris: Yeah, we want to go out and see the world, do some shows, meet some friends, and just have a great time. Music is a lot of fun and we want to share that with everyone.
