Look What You Did | February Edition (Patreon)

Another month has come and gone and I couldn't help but take a moment this morning to think about all the things I have been able to do this last month because of YOU. Mind if I share?

Look What You Did | February Edition

Last month KG Records allowed me to:

- Produce: When I first started recording "Lonesome" I was completely stumped after laying down the acoustic guitar. Production is so so new to me (thanks to you!) and it felt like maybe I'd hit my wall. But I stepped back, gave it a day, and when I came back ideas just started falling out of me. It was so fun and amazing.

- Mix: Mixing is another super new skill for me (also one I've been able to begin exploring thanks to all of you), and I kind of LOVE it. It's an incredibly meticulous process, but once I get into the flow it feels really therapeutic to me. I just get swept up in the current, like a little feeder fish that is picked up and washed here and there, and wherever it falls it manages to tidy things up a little bit, until the whole thing is shiny and clean :)

- Shoot: Shooting the "Lonesome" music video out in Joshua Tree was pretty much a dream. At first my only thought for this video was "desert" (and I'm not sure why), but one day the image of a huge tortoise popped into my head and I just couldn't shake it. As the process unfolded, about a million little symbolisms came forth as if to say "duh of course this needed a tortoise in it". It helped me say all the things I wanted to (and all the things I didn't know I wanted to, too). I've been surprised in this last year how the video making process can be as magical and mysterious as songwriting itself. In the past they felt so separate. Songs were these magical little beings that came to me, and videos were very planned out and methodical, and generally other people's arena for expression (whatever director I happened to be working with). They now feel like an extension of the creative process for me--another moment for me to learn a little more about the song and a little more about myself. This one, of course, was a extra special thanks to my guest star ;) 

- Edit: We got back from Joshua tree on a Monday around midnight with a 1 terabyte hard drive that was COMPLETELY filled with footage. The video came out the following Friday. That week I lived in my pajamas in front of my computer and tinkered around until the video took form. At first it felt like someone had dumped out a 10,000 piece puzzle in front of me and said, "Go." (And I'm not very good at puzzles :/ ) But slowly it came together in the most beautiful way and I loved every part of it.

- Color: Another new skill thanks to the time you all have afforded me! I watched a friend help me out with the "When Will I Learn" music video, and I've been exploring it on my own ever since. I still have a ways to go, but turns out I love doing this, too.

- Play: I made a totally silly, crazy, little thing! This was entirely unplanned and one of the most fun thing I've done in years. I actually want to save talking about this until I post about this video in the next couple days, but for now I just want to point out that I would never have been able to take the time to create a thing like this if it were not for the time and flexibility that your support allows, and I am so so grateful for that.

- Be there for family: Thanks to you I was able to unexpectedly take off a couple days in order to go meet my new niece and help take care of her and my sister! This was just the most meaningful magical time ever, and I am so grateful to have been able to be there for it.

There were many years where creating started to feel like an obligation, like something I was behind on, that I needed to force out in order to keep up with the YouTube machine. These days it feels real, fulfilling, and magical again, and that is because of you. Thank you for believing in and supporting my art (...not to mention making it possible) <3

xo

Kina