All Photos Credited To Press Company
“An artist who simply expresses her feelings through sounds and visuals”. That’s how South African singer Keziah Zoë Meyers, known as lordkez, describes herself and her relationship with creating music.
The simplicity and apparent confidence with which lordkez describes her music is exactly what intrigued us about it. Through her latest EP, “Juicebox”, released on April 30, she explores themes of everyday life in a vulnerable, yet fun, manner that characterises her work with diversity of sound, and even thought.
Her music reminds us of the sounds of Erykah Badu and Jorja Smith, with the revolving rhythm and flow of artists like IAMDDB. But if you’re not familiar with her music this description won’t be enough to understand the intricacy of her music and productions.
lordkez does not consider herself as a certain type of artist, nor she associates her music to a single genre. She’s an artist of all forms, one who perceives music as a multidimensional industry in which to grow and experiment in.
“As soon as you start expressing yourself, and as soon as you start making something, you become an artist… That’s essentially what I do, I just sit there and I create a world in my head”.
We wanted to know more about this world, about the mind behind the catchy hip-hop rhythms and experimental sounds that we hear in “Juicebox”, which is why we decided to ask her directly.
Have a read below to find out everything about lordkez and her music:
How did you first discover music? And what is your relationship with it now?
I discovered music at a very young age. My very first memory of discovering music would be the one of my mom singing to me throughout my childhood. Then as I grew up, I started playing a little home organ and writing my little melodies up to when I started playing for the church. That acted as the foundation for me.
I continued with that until I moved abroad. I started spending a lot of time by myself, in my own exploration… Instead of figuring out what I did not want, I concentrated on what I could do with what I wanted. That’s how I started writing songs. I made a couple of songs and realised that it was my passion. I will only be doing something that I feel this passionate about, I wouldn’t let myself do anything besides this. I am focused on my dreams.
What kind of artists do you describe yourself as?
I consider myself as an artist who simply expresses her feelings through sounds and visuals. I’m definitely not a specific type of artist. Because I believe that as soon as you start expressing yourself, and as soon as you start making something, you become an artist.
So I do experiment a little bit with poetry, words and arts. I’ve had a big love of fine art for a very long time in my life. I was even studying art. I do it just like music, I paint not only to let go but just to hang out, just chill out, you know… It’s one of my favourite things to do. It’s also good for mindfulness, you sit there and create your own world. That’s essentially what I do, I just sit there and create a world in my head.
What do you enjoy the most about creating art?
For me, it’s the progress of creating, it’s the “juice” as people say. It’s the journey and not the end, and that’s my benefit. Because when you work on something for so long and enjoy it, then at the end it’ll always be a wonderful product. The work of creativity, the ideas, the back and forth, that’s what is important for me.
I also really love seeing people’s reactions to it. I just love how music makes me feel. And because I feel so deeply about it I hope and enjoy when my audience feels the same way as I do.
What is the most challenging part of working in the music industry?
I think that being a woman who is also a musician is challenging. It’s also empowering, okay, but this industry is selected and framed by men. Often they are the ones who approve of you and hold on to you, and once you’re in it you will know what’s going on.
I would say that in the beginning, I was scared because I was just surrounded by masculinity. Especially in the rap scene, it’s all just guys… but the kids are happy about it. I feel like it makes it a bit more difficult for women because we also have things to say. We write words, to say the same thing over and over and over again, right? But in the end, it’s all about the consumer.
I didn’t know that being a full-time artist would be this challenging. But it’s also a warning because at the end of the day, I am doing everything that I love and I had to realise the challenges that would come up. You can’t just get a rainbow out of nowhere.
When talking about the challenges that women face in the development of their career and making it out in the music scene, do you think that this has started to change in recent years? Have you noticed any changes or do you think there is still a long way to go?
I do think that it’s changing quite drastically, because so many kids, other people who make music, fight these challenges. We have so much potential to be even greater than what they expect us to be. I can say that the audience is growing, especially the one of the alternative scene. Although alternative music is a very new thing… people back here, just like to listen to something that sounds nice. But that’s not my case, I just want to talk my shit. However, I do feel like it’s growing and we’re gonna take our spot up there.
We know that you do not identify with a single genre. Can you tell us a bit about your experimentation with different music?
With experimentation, I’m just going to go anywhere where my music takes me. I don’t want to be stuck. I do identify with soul, hip hop and with the foundation of the indie genre. But I also love some jazz. So I like to ‘chunk it out and just think that whatever happens happens. I like to think of myself as an artist, an alternative artist in the art hub, or just an art girl.
Out of all of the songs that you have written and posted until now, which one would you say is your favourite one and the one that represents you the best as an artist?
Juice, it must be juice.
Could you tell us why?
Because I got the juice. That song is like an embodiment of fun, of the things that taste sweet and make you happy. While I made that song, I was extremely happy. I recall recording and hyping myself up at the booth because juice is just like a burst of flavour and fun.
If you could describe juice in three words, which would these be?
Tasteful, unique and saucy.
And finally, what are you listening to at the moment?
Right now I’m listening to Tierra Whack, Tia Corine and Doja Cat.
Listen to lordkez’ latest EP here:
Words By Chiara Ferrari
