kezia

Name, where are you from?
My name is kezia and I’m from American Canyon, California.

Describe your style in three words?
Comfortable, ethereal, nudity.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
I think the best show I’ve seen might’ve been SZA at Flog Gnaw. It was really just her on stage, but she moved so effortlessly and was so playful with the audience. She was like a waterfall or something out of a fantasy. It was so magical.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Modest Mouse, Paramore. Both of these bands hella inspired me growing up, when I was a kid I would steal my mom’s iPod and play the same ten songs over and over. Modest Mouse was very much ingrained in my childhood, but Paramore was the first band I really stanned and discovered on my own. Their first three albums were so monumental for me.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
Emo/scene/alternative/R&B/indie/hip-hop. Underground bay area art scene. In middle school, I was sooooooooo emo, in a time when there weren’t a lot of black emo kids. I was pretty closeted because I was so afraid of getting bullied and made fun of, but my interests at the time were so reflective of the culture. My hair was a mess, and everyone in my mp3 player wore eyeliner. 2017 was when I really found myself meshed into the underground bay area art scene. People would throw events out of random spaces in Vallejo, East Bay, San Francisco. People would display their art/photography, sell clothes, and just have a good time. My friends and I would perform out of shitty sound systems for tough crowds. It was probably the best time of my life. I met so many beautiful people and learned so much.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
I would pick my bibi (my grandmother in Tanzania). I never got to know her when I was alive, but I’ve gotten to know her spirit. I went to Tanzania in 2019 and I would always sit by her grave and play guitar and sing for her. Up until that trip, my family always told me I was the only one with any musical inclination, which made me feel pretty isolated, come to find out that my bibi was very musically talented herself. I feel a deep bond with her spirit.

Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
My favourite venue I’ve played so far is the New Parish. I opened up for Pivot Gang in November 2019 to a nearly sold-out crowd and the energy was insane. One of the joys of performing is winning over an audience that may not know who you are, and it was fun to see people so engaged. I miss outside.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
To me, Blood Orange is such an icon, everything he does is so effortless and ahead of the curve. I’m in love with everything he does <3