For me, my musical journey all started with a burning desire to tell my own stories and craft a sound that would stick with my personality; an inner desire to share my life experiences and thoughts through a universal language, the one of music. This was the main motto that made me grab my guitar, pen and paper and start drawing the first strokes of a very raw version of a song.
Know your direction
Before getting into the studio and starting to work on an album, I would say that we must be sure about the musical direction we want to go in and stay true to our own style. After all, making music should be a pleasing experience for ourselves (the musicians) as well as for our audience—we should bear in mind that we can’t please everybody.
Find the right producer
Bringing each song to life could be a daunting task, so I would always advise working with a music producer who’s able to understand my vision and musical aesthetic.
For both albums that I’ve put out so far, I’ve had the opportunity to work with an experienced music producer; someone who has a fresh ear, so that they can bring the project to a higher level, by introducing new ideas, both musically and vocally speaking.
Make sure the producer is capable of producing the qualtiy of music you're wanting
In my own experience and working with a music producer on my records; I’ve always had a clear vision, from the beginning to the end of our collaboration, about the overall sound I wanted to achieve and the outcome I expected in terms of quality. By this I mean it has to be what I consider to be “radio friendly”.
Communication is key
Having a musical chemistry with someone whom you will spend months working is key; as well as good communication and understanding in regards to what our musical influences are, who we are as artists and understanding the purpose for putting new music out. This serves to fulfill our expectations when it comes to having a finished material.
Stay open to new ideas - but not all of them will be gold
The studio is the lab, the place where we would try ideas, melodies and chord progressions and where our own formula will come to life. Sometimes a first idea or vibe we’d lay down would be the one to ignite our creativity, other times we would start over if we were not hundred percent into it. Music would come first, having a concept to set the mood and tone of the song, and finally the lyrics revolving around it.
Every creative journey and its challenges have made me go through a great learning curve so far. In my own experience working with a music producer, I’ve enjoyed every one of those challenges. They have taken me out of my comfort zone, and made me grow as an artist. I would sum it up by saying that “we never know what we’re capable of until we face new challenges that make us push ourselves further”.
Montreal-based electro-pop/urban artist K-Bust expresses herself fluently in English, Spanish and French while managing to speak three additional languages. Originally from Valparaiso, the cultural and artistic center of Chile, this self-taught musician has transformed from a shy little girl learning to write songs on her grandfather’s guitar into a strong feminist and rising international sensation. K-Bust has just her second studio album titled ‘Fearless’, which has been produced entirely by Albert Chambers, a Juno award nominated music producer from Montreal.
