A CONVERSATION WITH... KALLITECHNIS
We chatted with KALLITECHNIS, the Canadian singer who dove into her love for R&B, her excitement for SXSW, and her path as an artist.
WHEN DID YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH MUSIC? how did that lead you to r&b?
I’ve been in love with music my entire life. I haven’t known a reality without it. Growing up, my dad played Sade all the time. Hearing her music around the house definitely developed my affinity for R&B. I was in love with the sensuality of the sounds and the warmth of Sade’s tone, which are two elements I continued to find in a lot of my favourite R&B acts as I started to develop my own musical palette.
A lot of our readers aren’t Canadian, so how would you describe the R&B (and general music scene) in Montreal? How do you think you fit into that music scene?
picture of KALLITECHNIS in all black (credit: KALLITECHNIS on Instagram)
I think the R&B scene in Montreal is finding itself. Influential producers like KAYTRANDA have paved the space, which has opened some doors for the rest of us. Personally, I think I’m adding bricks to the foundation, and an example of existing within the R&B space but approaching the genre in an alternative way.
Who is KALLITECHNIS and who is Cassandra Kouremenos? Who are these two sides in you, and what overlap do they have?
KALLITECHNIS is the embodiment of Cassandra’s artistic expression. If Cassandra’s the painter, then KALLITECHNIS is the canvas and the colours Cassandra chooses to paint with.
So KALLITECHNIS is a Greek word — how do your Greek roots influence your music? Do you want to have it more incorporated into your music & creations, or do you feel like you’re balanced right now in your roots and future being represented?
For right now, I think the Greek influence is mainly in my artist's name. I’ve sung in Greek on one song called Sirens that I made with Gayance and Dapapa, but I do intend to incorporate a lot more Greek in music and projects to come.
Soul over ego — where did that come from?
I can’t remember exactly when I started to welcome that saying into my life, but it probably has to do with me being a psych major. I’m always overthinking and analysing my behaviour and intentions. I realised a lot of my decisions are fuelled by either my soul or ego, so that expression is just something I use to keep myself in check.
What have you learned from your artistry through the years? What lessons do you think you could’ve only come through your music?
My experiences may seem unique, but I’m actually a mirror of the world around me. The more personal I get in my music, the more likely someone will relate to my sincerity and vulnerability. You can try to create alone, but that never feels as good. Art is always collaborative in some sense. Making music is less about seeing your idea through and more about making decisions that will make for the best song possible. It’s more soul and less ego. Being an artist isn’t a role. It isn’t a job. It doesn’t start in the studio or exist on the stage. Anyone and everyone is an artist every time they choose to live their life creatively and consciously.
How are you feeling about SXSW?
Going to SXSW is exciting! I’ve heard about it for years, and it honestly feels like a right of passage. I’m really looking forward to just being there for the first time and absorbing new music and influences.
Speaking of new music, what are your new songs like? How are they similar/different to your previous music in your eyes? What can fans expect?
This new music is the best I’ve ever made. These songs are a level up sonically and lyrically and I’m excited for people to feel them. They’re still hybrids. No song is just one thing, like I do have traditional R&B but it’s still my own spin.
Who do you create music for, and what messages do you want people to get from your music?
I make music for people who are learning to love themselves and their lives. The people who want to slow down and smell the roses. The people who want to take in the world through all their senses, the ones who close their eyes when the sun hits their face.
What’s a moment of joy you really want to share but hardly get the chance to?
When I got to give my parents the VIP festival treatment the year I played Osheaga. Seeing them on golf carts getting driven around the festival, them enjoying the artist catering and them watching me perform on a big stage meant the world to me. They were so happy. They were like little kids at a fair. It makes me smile just thinking about it.