How did the collaboration between you two come about? Was this something you had discussed before, or did the opportunity arise organically?
Lin Gardiner – Julia Sound (JS): This was definitely an organic collaboration. Kinnie and I have worked together a bunch over the last few years, mainly on her solo music, but she also featured on a track from my 2023 album. When I was putting this track together, Kinnie’s was the only voice I could hear on it, so I was thrilled when I asked if she’d be up for another feature, she said yes!
“Cars Crush” blends Julia Sound’s mellow electronica with Kinnie Starr’s chill rap and ethereal vocals. Can you describe your creative process for this track and how you melded your distinct styles together?
JS: Our collaboration is always really easy, which I love. I sent the track to Kinnie asking if she’d be interested in contributing a kind of chill stoner rap, and she responded with what you hear.. I loved it right away! Kinnie is a producer as well as a writer and performer, so she recorded the vocals in her studio, including adding a lot of the effects you hear in the track. It’s so seamless when we collaborate, we’re on the same page creatively which is really cool.
KS: Lin and I have been collaborating for years. We share similar work ethics and enjoy the art of communicating, which makes work easy. I think people rush too much with communication, and when we do that too much, the relationship and work suffers. When Lin and I collaborate, we offer each other time, but also we know that follow up is important. So our work flow is very successful.
Julia, your background spans across video games, TV, and film—how did those experiences influence the production and feel of “Cars Crush”?
JS: I would say they don’t influence this track at all. When creating music for visual media, you are informed by the characters, the story, the setting.. When creating a music track isolated from any other form of media, the canvas is completely blank and I just follow ideas in my mind’s eye, rather than my actual eyes 🙂
Kinnie, you’ve been a major figure in the Canadian indie hip-hop scene for decades. How does collaborating on a project like this challenge or excite you compared to your solo work?
KS:Collaboration makes songs easier. I do most of my production (beats and bass lines and keys and structure) alone, which can get boring. I really prefer throwing it back and forth and Lin is great at that.
The single is described as a taste of Julia Sound’s upcoming album. Can you give us a hint of the direction the full album will take, especially in terms of sound and themes?
JS: The album has a few tracks with this mellower trip hop vibe, but there are also a couple of tracks where I up the tempo quite a bit (by Julia Sound standards anyway!). The opener is going to lean into a bit of a nostalgic 90’s club vibe, and another track has a more edgy, slightly indie style.. Both of those songs also have some exciting featured vocalists. Stay tuned!
How does “Cars Crush” reflect both of your personal journeys as artists, and how do you see it fitting into your broader musical narratives?
JS: I think I have a 90’s trip hop influence at my core (among other genres & time periods), and this track is one of the most reflective of that trip hop vibe. I love rap and hip hop too, and have so much respect for Kinnie’s work, and see this track as showcasing some of the many strings on her bow, from cool chill rap to beautiful melodic phrases.
KS: Oh I don’t know the answer to this one! But I really like this track. It feels like the west coast – blurry.
Kinnie, your versatility in switching from rap to ethereal background vocals is striking on this track. What inspired you to experiment with those different vocal styles on “Cars Crush”?
KS: That’s just how I work. I’m not trained in music so I’m very exploratory. I am always learning. I like breaking my voice up.
Julia, as someone who works across multiple mediums, how do you approach songwriting and production differently when creating music for an album versus for TV or video games?
JS: As mentioned above, writing straight up music tracks is quite free-ing, as I’m not bound by any other influences such as a story or setting for a film or game.
You both have had long careers in the music industry—what do you think makes “Cars Crush” stand out in today’s musical landscape, and what are you hoping listeners will take away from it?
JS: The whole Julia Sound project is 100% female (and non binary) created, which I think gives it a unique story. In terms of the track standing out, how does anyone stand out these days with 1 million uploads per day? All I can hope for is that some people dig it and add it to their playlists (which appears to be happening so that’s cool!). I just love creating music, and collaborating with amazing artists, so for me it’s all about enjoying the process of creating, and then putting it out in the world for people to enjoy, rather than having any grandiose goals or expectations.
KS: Honestly I’m not sure how music reaches people or IF it reaches people. The amount of new songs that are released on Spotify alone daily is staggering. I think it’s important to make the work for the work, not for expansion or for any goal other than to do it well. I have a very small following on Spotify and don’t really have a competitive spirit so it’s been hard for me to understand how to embody that “get it” mentality we are supposed to have in music. I am just grateful to be working.
Finally, with “Cars Crush” as a preview, what can fans expect next from Julia Sound and Kinnie Starr? Are there any exciting plans for live shows or future collaborations on the horizon?
JS: From me, there’s the new Julia Sound album due late Spring, an EP from my electro-punk trio Bae Baracus, as well as some live shows in the summer in BC. Also, I’ll be finishing up co-producing and mixing some tracks for a fantastic new Kinnie Starr release slated for release soon(ish!).
KS: Yes!! We are always working together and actually Lin worked with me on my whole new album, DESTROYER. I think we are in it for the long haul. It’s very important to develop deep working relationships and in particular to hire women and Indigenous people as much as possible to keep populating the industry.
