Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: My name is Keaton also know as Killing Art. I’ve lived in Texas my whole life, and have been making music for over 5 years now. The kinda music I make defintely reflects a lot of the type of music my parents listened to when I was a kid, and the way my childhood/teenage years went. I grew up on rock/dad rock, alternative, radio pop, and country. My family struggled a lot while I was growing up, and I didn’t always have the best relationship with my brother or parents. I ended up diagnosed with depression, ptsd, and few other things, which greatly changed everything around me. I started listening to Emo, alternative, screamo, rap, and a lot of sad music because I felt I could relate more with it and it made me feel less alone. Growing up with depression among other things, I feel like greatly influenced the kind of music I make today, since I lean more towards sad, emo, indie and alternative music.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Killing Art”?
A: I plan on growing my fanbase by just trying to stay authentic to who I am, and what I like. Mixed with promotions, videos, post, and articles that can reflect that.
My message for anyone who is about to discover Killing Art is you are not alone, and I hope my music can help you feel that way.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: I would say the most inspiring artists for me right now is Mico. The way his music just feels like raw emotion really inspires me to do better.
I find inspiration for making music from my own life experiences, or even my friends experiences. I like telling stories of what I know I or have gone through, or that other people have, through my music.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “It’s not real love.”?
A: The story/message behind “it’s not real love” is thar being in a relationship that’s one sided can just drain and destroy you as a person. Saying “it’s not real love if I gotta ask you to love me” because you shouldn’t have to ask to be loved by your partner. And how you’ll lose interest in what you love giving up a piece of yourself everyday that you might not get back, and how much that hurts.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: I would describe my sound as “different.” I don’t have your typical singing voice/or sound, and I write about real things we feel or do. And I feel like that kind of music needs to be made more often.
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “It’s not real love”?
A: While recording “it’s not real love” I faced the challenge of my voice slowly slipping away from me. I didn’t know it yet, but I was getting sick from the cold weather change recently, and was experiencing the beginning stages of it. I was able to write and record everything before getting truly sick and was very lucky.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: My message with my music is that you are not alone, and it’s okay to feel something. I feel like a lot of people, especially men nowadays, all repress our feelings and don’t talk about them. So I hope when someone hears my music it helps them face these feelings.
My goals as an artists is to be able to do this full time and travel to meet fans/do shows. Which I haven’t been able to do much as of yet.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: My dream artists to collaborate with is blackbear. I’ve been listening to him since 2016, and he’s definitely had a huge impact on my music as a whole.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: My advice for anyone starting music, is that we all start somewhere. It’s not gonna be amazing, and you might eventually hate what you first made, but just starting is the hardest step. Once you start, it can only get easier.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: If I could give my younger self some advice, I’d tell myself to convince my parents to get me FL studio, and start making music, and learning how to produce sooner. So I would be able to master it by the time I’m this age. Kinda funny I know, but it would help change things for me I feel.
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