Go behind closed doors with KITA _{by Madelaine Empson}

“From dreaming of home fires for those away, to wondering what lies behind closed doors for people. From rethinking what we wish to experience and make of our lives, to a comforting lullaby for those having a hard time. From challenging our colonised minds to learning how to love again.”

These are the themes of KITA’s self-titled debut album, frontwoman Nikita 雅涵 Tu-Bryant tells me just one day before its release. 

“I haven’t been this nervous for a while”, she says of an album written and produced (by Grammy Award winner Tommaso Colliva no less) largely during the pandemic.

“Our feelings were so magnified, rising to the surface during lockdown. All the art that was made during that time feels very visceral, still. Each of these time capsules are personal and encapsulate all the extreme experiences and thoughts during that time. Putting the album out tomorrow is exciting for sure, but how am I feeling. Vulnerable! I hope people find something that resonates with them.”

Now that the self-titled debut is out in the world, the psychedelic Wellington trio will perform it at San Fran on the 19^th of June. In their element in a live space, with soaring synths elevated by her exhilarating vocals, Bryant says they intended for KITA to be a different experience on-disc versus on-stage.

“We experimented with layers and due to the nature of how 80 percent of these songs were written (during lockdown, separated from one another, and through digital communication) we wanted to embody the electronic flavour that was a great tool for connection for many during lockdown… We hope our music connects us to people, and we hope people feel connected to one another.”