We had a chat with the soulful Canadian artist about her thoughtful and powerful new single and the story behind it
Kärma Sounds is an artist who has done an incredible job of showcasing her powerful, soulful allure on her releases up to now, often delving to vulnerable and relatable places through her artistry with a sense of composure and charm that befits such a vintage, engrossing style.
The latest single from the artist is the anthemic and inspiring ‘Getting Better’, a track informed by the artist’s work with single mothers at a local shelter and commitment to supporting and raising awareness to our most vulnerable people in our society. This makes for a track that melds her blissful soulful allure with an engaging socially conscious message, blending Soul, R&B and contemporary influences to craft a thoughtful listening experience that feels rewarding and special. We love the artist’s irresistible sound on the track and the deeply thoughtful narrative that encompasses it, and had a chat with the artist to find out a bit more about how it came to life.
Hey! We love your new single ‘Getting Better’, what more can you tell us about it?
I’m very proud of this song… it was actually one of the first ideas that came together when we sat down to write for my solo project. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to work legendary producer Chin Injeti, who’s worked with everyone from Pink, Eminem, Drake, Aloe Blacc and Anderson Paak. Working with him was instrumental in giving the piece it’s unique and palpable sound
What was the process like putting it together?
One night my partner Karl O and our friend / co-writer Doug Milledge, sat down and jammed on an old loop idea Karl had recorded in his vintage keyboard about 15 yrs ago. The chords, he said reminded him of a traditional Native American chant. Once we started grooving on it, the first words that fell out of my mouth were “she’s a girl who walks with her head up high” i got chills when I sang those words and the next day, listening back to the rough recordings, it was clear that we needed to develop it further. I wrote around the theme of a young single mother, remembering an experience I had while volunteering at the women’s shelter. It was also important to me that the chorus had a universal message “It’s only getting better”. I wanted it to be something that could stick in peoples’ heads. Something simple and uplifting or healing. After we finished the demo, I knew I had something special. I reached out to Chin and I’m so very grateful that he agreed to produce the track, giving it its modern, soulful and very unique sound.
What were your biggest influences when creating the track?
It’s difficult to pinpoint all of the musical influences, but we definitely had Stevie Wonder and Sade in mind.
What made you want to release a track raising awareness for vulnerable people?
I had been working with local charity organizations over the years and had to stop during lockdown, so at the time I wrote this song, it felt very natural and aligned to raise awareness and funds for those who need it most in our community. There are so many worthy causes to be a part of, but I felt it was important to highlight the people in need in our community. Sometimes we tend to lose sight of what’s happening in our own ‘backyard ‘. It is my hope that this song can help people in any way and remind them that wherever you find yourself in life, it can get better.
What else do you have planned for the near future?
I will be releasing some more singles very soon and that will lead up to my debut album release I later this year.
AND look out for some live shows in the coming months!
