Kylie Trout Interview by Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine & Radio Show
Q: Do you write the songs yourself?
Yes
I write all of my songs myself. A lot of times I work with a co-writer
as well just to have more ideas flowing. Songwriting is a huge passion
of mine.
Q: What inspired you to become a songwriter?
I’ve
had traumatic things happen to me in my life that made me feel a
certain way, and I’ve witnessed other people go through and feel similar
things. We’re all human, we all go through obstacles in life and music
has always been there for me as something I can run to for healing. So I
figured I would write my own songs about my experiences for others to
relate with that will hopefully help them through whatever they’re going
through. Life gets hard sometimes and we all need reminders that we’re
not alone. On the opposite side of the spectrum, music is also there
when we’re in great moods and just want to have something that will keep
the good vibes going. That’s what I love about music and what also
drove me to songwriting. There’s literally a song for everything and I
love having that diversity to work with!
Q: What will your next single be?
My
next single is called “Can’t Remember Growing Up”. This song is all
about my childhood and how I grew up without a mother, so it holds a
special place in my heart. It will be out on June 28, 2019 and I really
hope y’all like it!
Q: What is your favorite song among all the songs you have recorded and what’s the story behind it?
No
doubt my favorite song I’ve recorded has to be “Can’t Remember Growing
Up”. When I was little, my biological mother was abusive. I haven’t seen
her since I was 4 years old. It’s been 12 years and she’s never tried
to make contact with me once. This was by far the most hurtful thing
I’ve ever gone through and the hardest thing to deal with growing up.
But at the end of the day, I stay standing as a firm believer that
everything happens for a reason, and I actually turned to music for
healing because of the hurt I was going through. I remember as a little
girl listening to Kellie Pickler’s song “I Wonder” about her mother, and
I would just cry. This song reminded me that I’m not alone and is what
got me through. I decided I wanted to do the same thing and help others
in similar situations, so that is why I wrote “Can’t Remember Growing
Up”. It tells exactly how my mother made me feel with her being gone and
is a way for me to talk to her in a sense, and tell her that yes, she
hurt me horribly. However, she did not break me.
Q: What drives you?
My
biggest drive is making my family proud. Since I didn’t grow up with my
mom in the picture, my dad and his whole side of the family have always
been my number one supporters. I’m beyond grateful for them and their
continuous encouragement, and I would never want to let them down
because they’ve always done so much for me.
Q: Who inspires you musically and how deep do your musical roots run?
Carrie
Underwood has always been my idol. Her range and ability is insane and
I’ve looked up to her for as long as I can remember. Kellie Pickler is
also an inspiration to me for not only her music, but for overcoming her
situation with her mother leaving her and how she ended up at the top.
Music
has been in my veins since day one. My grandma tells me stories of how
just as a baby I would always be dancing to her old country and would
try to sing before I could even talk! Then when I actually could talk I
would belt out songs like Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel”,
Martina McBride’s “Independence Day”, and a top favorite of mine, Patsy
Cline’s “Crazy”. Everyone always knew I would end up being a singer!
Q: As an artist, you do many tasks such as recording, touring, interviews. What do you like best, what’s your favorite activity?
I
would have to say my favorite part is recording. Since I write all my
songs, I always have a vision in place of how I want each song to be.
Whether that be a heavy sounding song with a strong beat, or a soft
ballad, etc. Being in the studio and seeing these songs come to life has
got to be the coolest thing to ever witness. I have been blessed to be
able to work with outstanding musicians who really take my ideas and put
them into action, and also add in their own ideas that I may never
thought of that make the songs even better. The transformation from
writing a song with just an acoustic guitar and my voice in my garage to
a full blown studio version with some of Nashville’s top musicians with
my own words and voice, is literally insane. After finishing each song,
all I can think is, “We really just did that”. I love every part of the
process.
Q: Who is your biggest critic, yourself or others?
I’m
definitely my own worst critic. Once I have a vision of how I want
something to be or sound, I won’t stop working at it until I achieve it.
I worry about the little things that no one would probably even notice
honestly. I will also say so far I’ve been lucky to have many more
supporters rather than critics, but I think that constructive criticism
is always good and helps me grow.
Q: Is there anything in your life that you would change if you could?
No,
not at all. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.
There’s always something positive that comes from a negative situation
that helps us grow as people. We might not see the effects right away,
but time always tells.
Q: Many music fans today get their information about artists online. Do you have your own website and what will fans find there?
Yes I do! My website is kylietrout.com. Here you can find all of my social media links, as well as all of my tour dates and music!