Kimiko Glenn on Modern Dance, Dating Chaos, and Turning Heartbreak Into Pop Songs

0:00 [SPEAKER_00]: It's easy to hear your favorite artist on WFPK from wherever you are. [SPEAKER_00]: Listen on your smart speaker, live stream from our website at WFPK.org from Louisville Public Media. [SPEAKER_02]: Do I need to record on my end? [SPEAKER_02]: What do you feel? [SPEAKER_01]: And welcome to another edition of Kyle Meredith with, it's the interview series presented by WFPK at WFPK.org Consequence and the Consequence Podcast Network.

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1:50 [SPEAKER_01]: That's me, Kyle Meredith, today catching up with actress musician Kameko Glenn. [SPEAKER_01]: On the acting side, you've seen her in Orange is the new black. [SPEAKER_01]: She was the voice of Baby Shark. [SPEAKER_01]: She's currently been doing the voice of Kif on the Disney channel and she's got her debut EP out called Modern Dance, which we got to talk all about, her journey to putting her music out in the world.

2:14 [SPEAKER_01]: She's been writing music for most of her life. [SPEAKER_01]: This is the first time she's really made this public. [SPEAKER_01]: And so much of this EP is based on her real experiences in bad dating. [SPEAKER_01]: I guess that's the way to put it. [SPEAKER_01]: So we're going to talk about that, the Meloneness and Masculinity Crisis, the Divine Feminine.

2:33 [SPEAKER_01]: And we'll hear some stories behind some of the songs and music videos. [SPEAKER_01]: If you haven't seen the videos behind these songs, definitely make your way out and check them out right now. [SPEAKER_01]: But also juggling her time as a successful voice actor and putting, you know, this music thing on its own pedestal.

2:48 [SPEAKER_01]: So all that and more as we get into the album, the EP Modern Dance, it's Kyle Meredith with Komiko Glenn. [SPEAKER_02]: Hi, I'm sorry I'm late. [SPEAKER_02]: There's a lot going on in my house right now. [SPEAKER_02]: I'm like hoping my gardener doesn't come because they'll like blow past the studio and it'll just sound like really fun.

3:09 [SPEAKER_02]: Invite him in and Raphael, we love him. [SPEAKER_02]: He does a great work. [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know what I look like. [SPEAKER_02]: Hold on. [SPEAKER_01]: You look fantastic. [SPEAKER_02]: Stop. [SPEAKER_02]: Tell me more. [SPEAKER_02]: I meant to look at myself and then I hid so few.

3:25 [SPEAKER_02]: I'm like, I swear I'm a young person. [SPEAKER_02]: Wait, by the way, am I allowed to swear? [SPEAKER_01]: Yes. [SPEAKER_01]: In fact, I encourage swearing, even when you don't need to. [SPEAKER_02]: Fuckin' love you, just kidding. [SPEAKER_02]: No, I do love you, I just, it's the fuck part.

3:40 [SPEAKER_02]: Anyway, yeah, whatever you can through that end. [SPEAKER_02]: It was going from cartoons to this. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, right, right. [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's also the fun part of this, too, and we'll get to that. [SPEAKER_01]: But here you are, you've got your debut EP, which was preceded by Ohoney, what's summer of last year.

3:59 [SPEAKER_01]: What, what is the journey like, you know, I know you're a music fan. [SPEAKER_01]: We've talked a little bit of music in the past and everything. [SPEAKER_01]: But why did it take this long for this to happen and more importantly, why now? [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I mean, it's been a journey.

4:11 [SPEAKER_02]: I've always written music. [SPEAKER_02]: It's something that makes me feel better. [SPEAKER_02]: It's kind of like my own version of journaling. [SPEAKER_02]: I journal too, but there's something about putting it to music, especially given that it's part of my background and like a way I express myself, where it's like putting puzzle pieces together and forming a thought to process my feelings.

4:37 [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, there's nothing like it for me anyway, and so I've been doing that for a really like a long time like over a decade. [SPEAKER_02]: So I spilled coffee all I am. [SPEAKER_02]: I'm normally way more put together. [SPEAKER_01]: No, you're a moping basket. [SPEAKER_01]: You're moping basket.

4:52 [SPEAKER_02]: My friends are like absolutely not going to go to life. [SPEAKER_02]: Anyway, um, so I have always written music and it's sort of been like my little secret and it's not it's not something I like put out there or tell my friends that I'm doing I just sort of like do it I like write a verse chorus and then I'm like okay feeling over I'm walking away that was fun and I feel validated and better [SPEAKER_02]: And then during COVID, I started, and the reason I never pursued it is because the first job I ever had was spring awakening, which was a Broadway tour, and so we toured North America for two years.

5:27 [SPEAKER_02]: And that was a lot. [SPEAKER_02]: like for us, how old was I 17 to like 20 or 18 to 20? [SPEAKER_02]: That was a lot and I like to be rooted down on a cancer so I really value like my home and everything and I have three animals and I just like I love just being cozy and like at home and around my comforts and my things but also like choosing my chaos because I love to have a party, I love to like rally and be crazy and do like say yes to everything, [SPEAKER_02]: You know, like I have to find like the calm in the center too.

6:01 [SPEAKER_02]: So anyway, I never wanted to pursue it because it felt really like not the lifestyle I wanted. [SPEAKER_02]: And so I was like, well, I mean, what's the point in sharing any of this is just going to cost me money. [SPEAKER_02]: Like so this is like the my thought process. [SPEAKER_02]: And then during COVID, I started sharing some of my songs because I was writing, I'm processing my feelings, with some people, like some trusted friends that are like musicians who are like, you know, supportive, no matter what, and they're like, you should, like, [SPEAKER_02]: These are not bad.

6:33 [SPEAKER_02]: These are good. [SPEAKER_02]: You should do something. [SPEAKER_02]: And then a few years later, I met a producer through a friend and we became friends first. [SPEAKER_02]: And then I was like, is it crazy to be like, we should maybe do something? [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know, it could be fun.

6:50 [SPEAKER_02]: And he's like, yeah, of course. [SPEAKER_02]: And so, like, because I wasn't taking it seriously, it was like, over the course of like, [SPEAKER_02]: work on this or that and like we would get distracted or both like 80d and like we would start a new thought and a new project and a new song and like and finally we were like we're getting closer to finishing this one that's like lean in and so we finally finished it and I was like oh my gosh how magical that was so cool and so then I was like maybe I should like [SPEAKER_02]: you're just like put out music like this is kind of good and I might as well just like finish songs and put them out they like this is really exciting and my parents will love it and um and so I started two years ago working with this producer James Kala and he's been awesome and we've gone on like a huge like journey together um like growing um as artists and individuals and um and I've also worked with other producers and

7:49 [SPEAKER_02]: It's been really cool and an exercise and finishing what I've started because yeah because it would be like it would just simply be for a purpose and then I'd like throw it out the window and then Review my notes app like you know three years later and be like oh, yeah, I wrote that song.

8:05 [SPEAKER_01]: It's kind of good You know, let's how you know when they're good when they're still good later, you know, it's [SPEAKER_01]: Melodies with that having to like refer back to my voice notes, you know, so so like that means a catchy yeah that leads up to this group That ends up on this this EP and and you know, I listen to the whole thing together.

8:30 [SPEAKER_01]: It's pretty instant. [SPEAKER_01]: You're like, oh, we've got a theme going here. [SPEAKER_01]: It's sort of a dating European. [SPEAKER_01]: I guess that's why oh honey was part of it is what my guess completely that was something I had written. [SPEAKER_02]: So my friend who was one of he was my best friend and I have known him for 25 years, like since I was 10 since he was 11 and [SPEAKER_02]: He like has we've always paralleled lives like we've always been in each other's lives and he passed suddenly like he basically had a health episode and was like on life support for a week and we like sat by him.

9:04 [SPEAKER_02]: I was actually like it was the night before I was supposed to go on the trip with him and my other friends were at dinner with him. [SPEAKER_02]: I was a little late because my cat had a health emergency and so I was like dealing with that and so um [SPEAKER_02]: annoyingly and should he should only enough it was for me and my friends like birthday week and um they were like he just had like a health issue like a dinner and I like had a flight out the next morning and I was like oh my god and so I got there and he was on life support for a week and then finally we had to like make the horrible awful decision we were going through like the whole processing of like [SPEAKER_02]: And then we finally had to let him go.

9:46 [SPEAKER_02]: And so that was just, that was born off of like, I like a whole, I don't know, grief is crazy because sometimes it's just like, like, lives in you like anxiety and sometimes just like pours out of you out of nowhere. [SPEAKER_02]: And like I was just feeling really like this tension. [SPEAKER_02]: And that night I was like, what would he say to me?

10:07 [SPEAKER_02]: Because like I was just sitting on my couch and he would always be like sitting on the other side of the couch or be watching something silly. [SPEAKER_02]: real house so I have whatever a catch an up and I was like imagining him sitting there like giving me advice because he was also he was literally everything I know this is like a tangent from from the EP itself that is the first single I put out and it's like the reason it was the kickoff to everything that I was you know doing as an individual but yeah I he was really wise like as as someone who he was the perfect friend [SPEAKER_02]: When I described like I would do EMDR therapy and I remember this later that he was like you do retourcing where it's like someone wise, someone compassionate, someone who's like a good leader, you know like you try and source different like people or fictional or non-fictional and he fit in every category.

10:57 [SPEAKER_02]: And so he was everything to me and so I was like he would know the answer of like hell to like handle this feeling I have like of grief because I've lost him, you know? [SPEAKER_02]: And so it was like me giving advice to me like thinking about what he'd say to me, you know? [SPEAKER_02]: Um, I put it out.

11:15 [SPEAKER_02]: I wasn't planning on it like just on my Instagram a little like me on the couch with my guitar and then like everyone who knew him was like this has been so helpful to listen to because it feels like he's telling me this like this is what he would say. [SPEAKER_02]: And so I felt really like it was special because it like channeled him in a way that I like, I don't know, I just thought it was helpful to me, but it was like really wonderful to get the feedback that it was helpful to other people to so [SPEAKER_02]: And he was the first person I would show all my music to.

11:46 [SPEAKER_01]: So it just totally makes sense that that's the debut, that's the entrance right there, like what a beautiful first statement. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, yeah, and I put it out the anniversary of his passing. [SPEAKER_02]: And so it was like a hard day for everyone. [SPEAKER_02]: We all got together, but it was like nice that it was out there for people to like listen to officially and not just like from my Instagram and stuff, yeah.

12:09 [SPEAKER_01]: And we'll be right back right after this. [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back, it's Kyle Meredith with Camico Glenn. [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, so then we get the other songs, which are so far. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, like we got more of a synth vibe and these great songs are they based on real experiences?

12:26 [SPEAKER_01]: Are these characters' studies? [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, these are real experiences. [SPEAKER_02]: Unfortunately, all real experiences. [SPEAKER_02]: It's very, very Sabrina Carpenter of me, I feel. [SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, like unfortunately, so much of my processing [SPEAKER_02]: I just dealt with another fucking ass.

12:45 [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, like, how does this keep happening to me? [SPEAKER_02]: And like, you know, it's just every single experience I have is worse than the last, and I can't even believe it. [SPEAKER_01]: And it seemed like a nice person. [SPEAKER_01]: It didn't seem like that, like, what is the, what's, what did the universe keep putting this around you?

13:03 [SPEAKER_02]: It's not around me. [SPEAKER_02]: I think it's a global issue to be honest. [SPEAKER_01]: And it's, it's, it's my kind. [SPEAKER_02]: I think that there's something big going on. [SPEAKER_02]: And there's a big conversation happening around the male loneliness epidemic. [SPEAKER_02]: And that doesn't just happen.

13:20 [SPEAKER_02]: I think that the division between men and women right now is so it's getting, the divide is getting greater and greater. [SPEAKER_02]: It's like so vast at this point that like, women are talking, especially when Trump selected, sorry, reelected, not to bring him up. [SPEAKER_02]: Listeners who support but like a lot of women.

13:40 [SPEAKER_01]: We're on the same side, by the way. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's to be said. [SPEAKER_02]: Okay But like um, you know a lot of women were talking about the four B movement that happened in Korea where like women basically boycotted it's like uh, I don't know what it stands for, but it's something in Korean that starts with the B and I remember it.

13:59 [SPEAKER_02]: Um, they were like essentially boycotting men and like [SPEAKER_02]: you know, dating men, uh, marrying men, you know, that sort of thing, but like there was a lot of conversation around that, because of the culture that this administration brings in and brings up for women and what with the Epstein files and all this, not to bring it into politics, but that's not really politics, that's just something shitty that happened, that we're still processing.

14:25 [SPEAKER_02]: But anyway, yeah, there's just like a lot of stuff happening in the culture, like the Manus fear, I think is sucking. [SPEAKER_02]: A lot of guys in and a lot of men are into the internet and I think it's just making it hard for men and women to relate anymore. [SPEAKER_02]: I think a lot of men are listening to other men about how to date women or what women want and that's I think the biggest issue.

14:50 [SPEAKER_01]: I just read a push notification on my phone right before this interview that says, men, some men are obsessed with their testosterone. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, there's like a whole masculinity crisis happening. [SPEAKER_02]: And I think it's just like there's this confusion with like a lot of progressive, progressive, speak and a lot of like progressive ideas getting put out there where there's just like a conflict where it's like I think people [SPEAKER_02]: roughness and like, you know, I don't know, there's like this idea of masculinity or what it once was represented and to get away from that isn't necessarily to like have less muscles or like to be more physically feminine or whatever.

15:35 [SPEAKER_02]: I think there's like the wrong idea. [SPEAKER_02]: Like, [SPEAKER_02]: around masculinity right now. [SPEAKER_02]: And I think what women really are hoping for is just a little more like emotionally sensitive, emotionally, more mature, emotionally intelligent. [SPEAKER_02]: Like I think emotional intelligence is kind of more so what we're looking for.

15:57 [SPEAKER_02]: It's not like a lack of masculinity or more masculinity. [SPEAKER_02]: It's just sort of like, get on my level, you know? [SPEAKER_01]: Like I've been married for a while now and and Congratulations You're you're out of it. [SPEAKER_02]: Thank God. [SPEAKER_01]: And that's what we talk about because she's say like I a lot of what you're saying I get my news from her on on that side of thing.

16:17 [SPEAKER_01]: She says very tapped into that she knows these conversations I hear about these conversations. [SPEAKER_01]: We talk about You know not being in the dating game for a long time now and hearing these stories is it's like holy cow You know and there's always [SPEAKER_01]: something, I guess, you know, through every decade, there's always some version of this, but this does seem really, really toxic.

16:37 [SPEAKER_01]: What's happening with it? [SPEAKER_02]: It's big, yeah. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and it is big. [SPEAKER_01]: And and then there's a big just female forwardness happening in the world. [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, if you, you know, you brought up your star sign. [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, if you're locked into that type of thing, there's there's also something that a physical happening out there at this same time.

16:56 [SPEAKER_01]: But I say, oh, go on, please, [SPEAKER_02]: Well, I'm not saying anything new by saying like women no longer like financially need men anymore. [SPEAKER_02]: And you know, because of the economy and because of like everything in our culture, like women have to work. [SPEAKER_02]: And like it's like, okay, we cannot get into this idea of trad wives and like, you know, the traditional like male female rules.

17:19 [SPEAKER_02]: But like is that realistic in this day and age where [SPEAKER_02]: One income does not necessarily sustain a household of not just another person but maybe a whole family. [SPEAKER_02]: Like it's we're at a point where it's like we kind of both need to be working to like if we do want a family and like how does that work for both where it's like this whole Jumble of like thought and and stuff that we're all like kind of working through [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and so I'm bringing it back around like I'm really interested now hearing how that works its way into these songs because you know we get something like hang out forever the first single which has this incredibly unhinged [SPEAKER_01]: You know, your acting is stiller all the way through.

18:03 [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, thank you. [SPEAKER_02]: You're an actor after all. [SPEAKER_01]: But, you know, like, like, like, when you take the, the crazy absurd, you know, from the visuals out in everything and even the song, like my thought was like, [SPEAKER_01]: You know, at its bases are we talking about co-dependency, you know, or or like, and you're saying like every one of these is kind of based on real stuff.

18:25 [SPEAKER_01]: It's like, what is so that's it. [SPEAKER_01]: What's the story behind this when how does what you say get into this. [SPEAKER_02]: This is the nicest song I've written. [SPEAKER_02]: So this is actually about a guy I was dating last year and he was like, honestly, one of two guys in the past seven years slash maybe my whole life who has actually been nice to me.

18:46 [SPEAKER_02]: Or like, we're not like, had some weird like, like, [SPEAKER_02]: Bring in their stuff in where it's like, you know, like as much as we all bring in baggage, I think, like, a lot of men don't understand like, oh, like, it may be how to approach conflict. [SPEAKER_02]: There's a lot of like, projection stuff like that because I think there's women are very reflective.

19:09 [SPEAKER_02]: You know, after something happens, we go like, oh, yeah, like it was probably my fall. [SPEAKER_02]: We talked to our girlfriends, we figure out how we can grow and whatever, but I feel like, [SPEAKER_02]: My sense is a lot of men just go to the club and straight back on the apps. [SPEAKER_02]: So I think like this was an un-nice to me, like every step of the way you so secure, he's so wonderful to me, like there's literally nothing wrong with him.

19:33 [SPEAKER_02]: I was pushing him away for so long because I was so used to men just taking advantage of me or like presenting one thing and becoming something else later or like much sooner [SPEAKER_02]: And he just was awesome and solid from the get to the end, and I was like, wow, so I, the origin of this all was like, I had the thought like, Oh, she hang out forever.

19:55 [SPEAKER_02]: Like in my head, and I wrote that down as like a concept, hang out forever. [SPEAKER_02]: And then like, [SPEAKER_02]: It like a melody popped in my head and I was like, you'll find, okay, and then I recorded it. [SPEAKER_02]: And then he had done so much really sweet stuff for my birthday.

20:09 [SPEAKER_02]: Like he had gotten me so many gifts. [SPEAKER_02]: He had done thoughtful things. [SPEAKER_02]: And I was like, oh, well, I really have to put out all his stops for his birthday. [SPEAKER_02]: And so I was like, oh, I'll finish that song. [SPEAKER_02]: That was basically a bad amount. [SPEAKER_02]: I'll finish that song.

20:21 [SPEAKER_02]: And so I wrote the song. [SPEAKER_02]: And then I brought it to my producer. [SPEAKER_02]: Like all of this happened very quickly because I was like, his birthday's coming up. [SPEAKER_02]: And so, you know, we did it, we finished it. [SPEAKER_02]: And I was like, oh my god, this is so earnest.

20:33 [SPEAKER_02]: This is too earnest. [SPEAKER_02]: Like, I know that, like, because also, I don't think it had gotten, like, it was only halfway their production wise. [SPEAKER_02]: So it got a little more, like, you know, fun, ridiculous, but at the time, it was very earnest feeling. [SPEAKER_02]: And, you know, if you look at the lyrics and everything is pretty earnest.

20:50 [SPEAKER_02]: So I was like, I need to balance this out. [SPEAKER_02]: And so I was like, in the shower, I was like, oh my god, what if I, like, trapped? [SPEAKER_02]: What if I was like, and you will hang out with me forever, and I was like, that is so fun. [SPEAKER_02]: I have to do this, and I was totally planning with the EP with all my music to just drop it.

21:08 [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, I have a following like people are like, people will pay attention eventually, who cares, like I don't need to like do the whole music thing, like I never wanted that. [SPEAKER_02]: And so I was like, just gonna drop my music, but then I was like, I gotta do this concept. [SPEAKER_02]: It's so fun.

21:21 [SPEAKER_02]: And so I started working on like the visual component of this, and I was like, [SPEAKER_02]: best for that they present ever. [SPEAKER_02]: And so we're doing pretty pre-production. [SPEAKER_02]: Anyway, things just like didn't work out with us. [SPEAKER_02]: It wasn't because of how he treated me.

21:34 [SPEAKER_02]: It was because it just wasn't quite a personality fit. [SPEAKER_02]: Like a lifestyle and everything. [SPEAKER_02]: And so we ended up breaking up, which ended up giving me an extension. [SPEAKER_02]: You know, all of the like getting it together. [SPEAKER_02]: And then I, um, [SPEAKER_02]: And then I put it out and then after I put it out I was like, oh, oh shit.

21:54 [SPEAKER_02]: Now like this might be what people are expecting, you know, for the rest of it. [SPEAKER_02]: And when I was like, we're looking back on the rest of the songs. [SPEAKER_02]: It's like all of the songs deserve it. [SPEAKER_02]: Like there's so much I could do visually with all of this. [SPEAKER_02]: Like I've always wanted to be.

22:11 [SPEAKER_02]: I've always thought like oh I'll direct something at some point. [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, I write you know like I write music I write like scripts when I'm bored You know, I just like I'm just a creator of things and I have this like Vision in my head of all the things that could possibly happen.

22:27 [SPEAKER_02]: It's like why not execute it? [SPEAKER_02]: And so now I'm in this mode of like okay, I'm like doing it for real now [SPEAKER_02]: And yeah, and that's how I ended up doing hang out forever and then, you know, the ball started rolling with everything else. [SPEAKER_01]: And we'll be right back right after this.

22:44 [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back. [SPEAKER_01]: It's Kyle Meredith with Camico Glenn. [SPEAKER_01]: And especially knowing because, you know, they're very next video with emotional whiplash. [SPEAKER_01]: Like that's that's your, quote, directorial debut. [SPEAKER_01]: And that's why I was thinking, like, so many of the greatest directors of our time got their starts on music videos.

23:02 [SPEAKER_01]: Like, like, you know, I grew up in, you know, the music video generation, you know, the Asian music video. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_01]: And it's where you look, Spike Jones and make G, and just, you know, all of I keep going and going. [SPEAKER_01]: But like, there's something about what you can do visually in that, you know, three or four minutes or whatever.

23:21 [SPEAKER_02]: and also what's helpful for me because it was always like this idea in my head of like oh, I'll probably direct something you know, but it's like such a small scale and like by small scales big for me because of like I'm executive producing I'm I have a hand in absolutely everything like I edited all of it and like I just I styled myself like I had so much to do with it that it feels so big it like is all consuming because I don't have a giant team helping me out [SPEAKER_02]: But on a scale of 1 to 10, it's probably closer to a 2 of how hard a production of something would be.

23:55 [SPEAKER_02]: And so this is a good entry way and a good practice in just starting and just taking a risk. [SPEAKER_02]: like the whole music venture has been such a risk in the best and worst way where I like my anxiety is so high. [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm like, wow, the thing that like really was helping my anxiety is now causing my anxiety.

24:17 [SPEAKER_01]: So because you put yourself out there in a different way than ever. [SPEAKER_01]: This is this is the most vulnerable way you can do that. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, well, that's also why I never shared my music because I was like, this is like my diary, like it's too personal. [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know, it's like embarrassing, you know?

24:30 [SPEAKER_02]: And so now I'm just like, I'm just, this is what I'm doing, ah, just actor and like that creates a situation where it's like, my job is to get attention, basically, or to have eyes on me, I hate attention. [SPEAKER_02]: Like it really makes me so uncomfortable, even amongst like close friends, like if I'm like sitting, [SPEAKER_02]: Like in a group dinner and I start speaking and everyone looks at me.

24:55 [SPEAKER_02]: I'm like, oh, you know, like it's really stressful. [SPEAKER_02]: And yeah, there's something about that. [SPEAKER_02]: And then like doing this to like 800,000 people plus, you know, is like, oh, wow. [SPEAKER_02]: That's really, that's really bold. [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm just doing it.

25:14 [SPEAKER_02]: And just like, [SPEAKER_01]: But how fortunate are you, then, that your career takes the path that it did into voice acting, which is also why I kind of figured, like, is part of the why now. [SPEAKER_01]: Like, obviously, I don't know the insides of your life, and the inside baseball, as they say, but you look to be very successful in, [SPEAKER_02]: the voice world especially right now and when that happens like what can you do with your time as a creative person as you're saying oh wow I've got this let's do this yeah well it's also like voiceover has provided so much flexibility in my life um like I do my session and then I have free time you know and granted like you know my life is so crazy busy now trying to do the music stuff but like at the time there was like good

26:07 [SPEAKER_02]: period of time, or I was like, this is so nice. [SPEAKER_02]: So like, what do I do with this? [SPEAKER_02]: Like, and it's like, one of the only worlds where you can kind of get residual still. [SPEAKER_02]: And so like, I, with my free time and flexibility, I was like, [SPEAKER_02]: Well, just kind of explore this creative outlet, you know, and then it morphed into this bigger thing that's way more front facing.

26:32 [SPEAKER_02]: And so, um, yeah, it's hilarious. [SPEAKER_01]: The, you know, the difference in those to be just a voice, you know, about the character that you don't have to worry about your face being there. [SPEAKER_01]: And then on the very opposite side, it's all of you. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, completely and like that's why I think the anxiety has been so high is because I've gotten so used to being behind the scenes and like being behind the camera and being like behind the mic and just sort of like doing things kind of not anonymously but semi-anonymously.

27:01 [SPEAKER_02]: Like people are fans of the animation in a big way and I go to conventions and I meet those fans and they all know who the voice actors are. [SPEAKER_02]: So [SPEAKER_02]: Definitely, but also it's way less of a thing than like if I'm in a movie and like my face is on the poster, you know It's like you kind of have to be like a fan of it, you know, to know [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I haven't actually, it's about the music side of the thing here, too.

27:24 [SPEAKER_01]: Like, like, I know the last time we talked, like we were talking a little bit about Celine Dion and you're passing everything. [SPEAKER_01]: I don't imagine that she is a big part in this, and maybe she does, I don't know, but, but do you find that you sort of have a musical north star?

27:37 [SPEAKER_01]: And the reason I'm asking is like, when any art is just starting out, there is that like, who am I? [SPEAKER_01]: What's my voice, you know? [SPEAKER_01]: And a lot of the time it's like, you start looking at other people going, oh, I'll take a little bit of that from here and a little bit of that from here, [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I mean, honestly, I'm the worst at this.

27:54 [SPEAKER_02]: So like, my, my, maybe the answer is no, by the way, maybe you don't, it is kind of no, like the thing is, it's not just say that I haven't been inspired by anybody. [SPEAKER_02]: Of course I have. [SPEAKER_02]: Like I love female pop, like I love female artists, like I find it really inspiring, um, [SPEAKER_02]: And I think like I just grew up with such an eclectic and random like music genre taste whatever it was like sort of spanned everything and I just when people ask what my favorite genre music isn't like anything good I don't know I really like music like I just love music and all the different ways which we can like tell a story and I like long folk seek kind of like instrumentals I like you know things that are more hard hitting I like

28:44 [SPEAKER_02]: Sparkly bubble gum pop like I love it all and if it's good, it's good, you know, and But at the same time. [SPEAKER_02]: I am more of a podcast listener So I don't like I I tell this to people I'm like I am someone who's like pursuing music Who doesn't really listen to music all the time.

29:03 [SPEAKER_02]: I am someone who's like as an actor who like all watches [SPEAKER_02]: true crime and like housewives, you know, so I'm like contributing to the downfall of my industry. [SPEAKER_02]: And like it just being said, and I like I don't know the inspiration pulls from like mostly like real life.

29:22 [SPEAKER_02]: Well, in just my general music knowledge that doesn't have to do with what I'm listening to now, necessarily. [SPEAKER_02]: However, I relate a lot to like Sabrina Carpenter and like I've been loving like Chloe Kisha. [SPEAKER_02]: I think that's how you say her last name. [SPEAKER_02]: And I loved Lily Allen.

29:43 [SPEAKER_02]: So that was a fun to listen to. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that was a fun listen. [SPEAKER_02]: I like I was like, what's the deal with this and I started from the top and I was like, oh, I was just like reading a lyrics while I was like on the drive home from like the airport and I was like, this is crazy and amazing and I get it.

30:02 [SPEAKER_02]: Anyway, but I love things that feel really real and [SPEAKER_02]: And also feel inspired, you know, I think you can tell in some things just a formula and just to put out music, just to fill a quota or to like we need to write a hit or whatever you can tell and then when it's like coming from inside you and something that needs to be told or something that just like came from a moment of inspiration you can tell and that is what inspires me, but yeah.

30:32 [SPEAKER_01]: and you can hear that like you can hear that in these songs and i'm not saying that just as a compliment everything but that's what i meant at the beginning like oh that it's sort of like listening to the lily alan record for the first time we were someone listening this album going this sounds like it's real stuff you know this sounds like this as you say it's coming from a real place you know let's stuff [SPEAKER_02]: I know, and I was a little self-conscious or concerned, like when I first started, I was like, if I actually am putting this out, like, what is my sonic world?

31:02 [SPEAKER_02]: Like, I don't know. [SPEAKER_02]: I just sort of like to write whatever I'm feeling and I don't want to, like, part of why I didn't share it is because I wanted to just like write what I was feeling and write how I was feeling and not be like, what are other people going to think? [SPEAKER_02]: You know, and like now I use the what are other people going to think with like, can I beat that melody or can that lyric be better, you know, like, and that helps me because it's like, yeah, it can always be better, you know, so now as a songwriter, I'm like, okay, there's no excuse, like these people just kept that really bad lyric in there, you know, you can always change it.

31:40 [SPEAKER_01]: You can get, you can do better. [SPEAKER_01]: So we get these five songs in May and then what? [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, okay, so I am starting a new project actually. [SPEAKER_02]: Based off of real life experiences, unfortunately, but like one of my really good friends of seven or eight years, like initiated a relationship with me and then like had a sociopathic response.

32:08 [SPEAKER_02]: about it all like he just like the whole thing is is crazy the like he drew me in for this relationship had a girlfriend at the time that you know and this is not me at all like but this is the tea um but you know he the I had been as one of his close friends for so long and so I had heard about this relationship and how it always seemed like he was trying to exit the relationship [SPEAKER_02]: And so it's like, oh, this is just his path on exiting or something, you know, like I justified it in my head in this odd crazy way that I would never I've never done it all been that [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I hadn't been until this moment so because I was like, I know you and like this feels right and like, you know, and he was like, oh, I don't want this and I was like, what that's crazy.

32:52 [SPEAKER_02]: You have a lot to lose, buddy. [SPEAKER_02]: And so yeah, there was just like one night where he sat across me and said really sociopathic things like kind of with a straight face and I was just like, oh, wow, I don't know who this person is like, thought I did. [SPEAKER_02]: I've known this person for like seven or eight years.

33:06 [SPEAKER_02]: I guess I don't know them. [SPEAKER_02]: You know, and we had been like intimately involved, like not like that, but like for like a very long time. [SPEAKER_02]: You know, just like working together, seeing each other like a lot, because we were working together and stuff. [SPEAKER_02]: And so it was just sort of like this, my brain like broke and I have because I was like, [SPEAKER_02]: Nothing makes sense.

33:31 [SPEAKER_02]: Like two plus two does not equal for any more. [SPEAKER_02]: This person is like actually this thing that I didn't expect at all, you know? [SPEAKER_02]: And it's just like when that happened, I wrote so many songs. [SPEAKER_00]: And so, and they're really good. [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm really excited about it.

33:51 [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm excited to tell that story. [SPEAKER_02]: It's kind of gonna be like Lily, and it's in the sense that like, [SPEAKER_02]: It's going to go that I don't know if it's going to be a EP size thing or an album size thing. [SPEAKER_02]: It might be an album. [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.

34:04 [SPEAKER_02]: But I am eager to just get it out there because I love this song so much. [SPEAKER_02]: But it is sort like start with telling like the story of us in a way. [SPEAKER_02]: And [SPEAKER_02]: I'm just excited because I think like not only is it like story telling which I love and I think is so interesting and I get to be so specific because he was such a jerk I was like gonna go soft and then he came to my house and said crazy things and I was like oh get the fuck out of my life forever and also everyone needs to know Yeah, you know And so like the lyrics are very specific.

34:37 [SPEAKER_01]: That's that's my favorite thing about songwriters is is is that Lily Allen thing those lyrics are so specific [SPEAKER_01]: Like, there's that, there's that thought that, you know, if you're a son right or like, oh, you got to make it universe, like, man, the universe will stuff just comes and goes.

34:53 [SPEAKER_01]: And I know, but you give me that type of stuff. [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not there. [SPEAKER_01]: I wasn't part of that, but I can latch on to every bit of that. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I mean, my brain when I write is very specific. [SPEAKER_02]: And like, I would be like, you know, trying to rhyme like, [SPEAKER_02]: Bungie cord with shit.

35:12 [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, that's not I don't I don't but like you know what I mean, like I'll just I'll start like pitching dumbass lyrics that I know will never make it to my friends because it starts to make me laugh But I I don't actually put those in there, but like when I'm I think what they did allowed for songwriting to become way more specific and And I think like I wrote this EP and like a lot of these songs one to two years ago and it's nice to feel like I can actually be [SPEAKER_02]: more specific and less general and less like oh, but like maybe we should change this so it's it feels more like something that other people might understand But it's like I think people really love storytelling so I'm just allowing allowing the lyrics to be What they are well, I can't wait to hear that it's fun

36:00 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I can't wait to do that. [SPEAKER_02]: And I already have a lot of visuals, like a lot of visuals in my head for that already, which is also a fun way for me to view this project, because I already started one of the songs kind of similar to Hangout Forever. [SPEAKER_02]: I was like, oh my gosh, and these are the images, and it's going to be, yeah, I'm just like pumped.

36:22 [SPEAKER_02]: So I want that to come out as soon as possible after, but I also need it to be like a fully fleshed out. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so in the meantime, though, as you said, you're so busy. [SPEAKER_01]: Um, the kit's still going, right? [SPEAKER_01]: That's still going. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

36:38 [SPEAKER_02]: Hopefully forever. [SPEAKER_02]: It's so fun. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_01]: And then Spider-Man. [SPEAKER_01]: That's what I saw. [SPEAKER_01]: Like, you're not only are you playing Penny Parker, but, and I'm like, I had to look this up. [SPEAKER_01]: I don't want to say this like I knew this going into it.

36:50 [SPEAKER_01]: I wish I did. [SPEAKER_01]: But this is a character created by George Way, my chemical romance. [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, someone told me this. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I didn't know until the fans told me. [SPEAKER_01]: So it's a pretty cool thing. [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, like, I dip in and out of the, you know, the, any of those movies, they're fun.

37:08 [SPEAKER_01]: I have a son, you know, I get it from him too, but of course, I'm just a big music nerd, so it's like, Gerard Way, like, that's pretty awesome. [SPEAKER_02]: But totally. [SPEAKER_01]: Let me compliment you again, Ben, on this, on this EP and modern dance and hearing what you're doing. [SPEAKER_01]: You know, we've always been fans of seeing you out in the acting world and in the voice world and the cartoons and everything.

37:30 [SPEAKER_01]: But seriously, this music thing has been so fun to follow already and I love the music videos and I really cannot wait to see where this keeps going for you. [SPEAKER_02]: I didn't think I'd be this excited, but yeah, it's definitely coming together in a really fun creative way that I was not expecting.

37:48 [SPEAKER_01]: Well, it's so great to talk to you as always. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, thank you. [SPEAKER_02]: So good to talk to you and see you. [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks to Camico, the new EP is called Modern Dance. [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks to you for checking out the episode, do hit that subscribe button before you get out of here to keep up with all the interviews that we put out every single week, just like this when it's Spotify, Apple Podcasts, NPR, WFPK.org, consequence, YouTube for the video versions or anywhere you get your podcast from, you can subscribe to Kyle Meredith with, and please do give the series a rating and leave a review where every listing from.

38:21 [SPEAKER_01]: After that, you can head over to WFPK.org, where I do a show Monday through Friday starting at 6 p.m. Eastern, you get four hours of classic alternative indie rock, you get the best in new music, there are bonus interviews, lots of music and film news as well. [SPEAKER_01]: One of my recent shows, in fact, featured some classics and favorites from Florence and the Machine, Maya Hawke, Angelique Kijotina Turner, [SPEAKER_01]: Oasis, David Bowie, Superdrag, Jack Harlow, Courtney Barnett, Tyler Chilters, Chrissy Hine, Bryson Cyrus, Joan Shelly, Ringo Star, Tom Petty, The Escape Club, Sarah McLaughlin, The Afghan Wigs, and my interviews with Sabrina Carpenter, Samantha Morton, Jack Johnson, Jewel, Josh Hammie, Devo, Timothy Olivephant.

39:06 [SPEAKER_01]: That's what you can hear when you tune in. [SPEAKER_01]: Consequence, as your music and film news, you can also find me on any of the social media sites The address is always the same. [SPEAKER_01]: It's at Kyle Meredith. [SPEAKER_01]: Please do like follow along and that does it for another edition Kyle Meredith.

39:25 [SPEAKER_01]: I'll see you next time Consequence podcast network [SPEAKER_02]: Oh my gosh, I feel like I remember that crazy shit. [SPEAKER_00]: It's easy to hear your favorite artist on WFPK for more ever you are. [SPEAKER_00]: Listen on your smart speaker, live stream from our website at WFPK.org from Louisville Public Media.