Exclusive Interview with Erica Anne Hutchison

Name:Erica Anne Hutchison
Alias: violinistkiki, Kika, Balls 2 the Wall Atomic Blonde
Age: 35
Hometown: Pittsburg,  KS

Miss Hutchison has been a classically trained violinist since the age of 11 under the direction of Dr Carol Hoyt, a renowned Pedagogy professor and Orchestra teacher. She first started on the Upright Double Bass, then switched to the Violin as the Bass was too large for her young stature. She often had to stand on chairs to perform before Dr. Hoyt suggested the violin instead. Reverting from the Bass to the Violin wasn’t difficult,  despite the fact she had to learn a new Cleft and reverse everything she had previously learned. But it sparked a love if music. After learning the violin, she quickly learned Viola and Cello.

Kika,  then just plainly known as Erica,  continued on through her Middle and Highschool in Orchestra, participating in several District and State Competitions garnering several title 1 placements in these competitions.

It was during her sophomore year at Pittsburg Highschool where she befriended members of the highschool band and Drama club at Haunted House production where she developed the proverbial acting bug. This changed her life dramatically.

In 1996 she spent an entire summer teaching herself to play the flute. From there on she successfully taught herself how to play over thirty different instruments. She was placing as 1 in District and State Competitions as well as performing in Marching, Symphonic,  and Jazz Band. She is the only person to ever accomplish being in Orchestra, Jazz Band,  Symphonic Band, as well as Marching Band in the schools history. As a transfer student to Northeast Highschool in 1998, she was a percussionist and also taught her fellow percussionists several cadences played during local marching Festivals.

Her claim to fame is being able to play anything with a Reed, string,  and Percussion.

After a 13 year hiatus where she dabbled in art and business, and taking care of her family,  she trying to make her way back to her musical roots. This time as a solo vocalist and instrumentalist.

For years people told her that she couldn’t sing, despite having perfect pitch. Well,  they were wrong. Very wrong. Her voice and styles have progressed from the likes of Lady Gaga, to Sarah McLachlin,  to Cyndi Lauper. Although her favorite is Lady Gaga renditions. She identifies with the singers strong message of antibullying and equal rights. She’s not afraid to put her paws up anymore and fight for equality.

She has only just began her career,  even while dealing with a serious illness and disabilities. She is taking it day by day and hopes to make an impact on this world and the people suffering from long term illnesses. When asked about her illnesses,  she simply replies,  “I was born this way”.

Exclusive Interview:

Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?

Kika: Exposed Vocals contacted me on Twitter,  and the rest is history!

 

 Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

Kika: I grew up in rural Southeast Kansas, mainly Pittsburg and Mulberry areas.
I’ve always wanted to be a musician,  my father,  uncles,  and grandfather all played guitars and sang. My grandmother also sang. It was hard not to catch the bug.  All four of my grandparents also were racecar drivers, that’s one bug I’m glad I didn’t catch.

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

I have so many nicknames. Violinist Kika, Kika and KiKi are all derived from the same place. The violin was my first love, and to this day, I still play beautiful purple violin.

The Atomic Blonde has everything to do with the lovely shade of white and blonde I keep my hair. It’s a definite trademark and very radioactive looking.

Kika and KiKi came from my nephew when he was two, who I’ve helped raise since my sister passed in 2002. Kika and KiKi simply stands for Kittykat!

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

Kika:  I do think music sharing should be absolutely legal after a certain dollar amount is exceeded in profit. We need to make money to be able to afford life and create. But too much money can taint the creativity and the artist. Of course,  too little prevents us from creating at all.
I do give my music away. At this stage I feel it’s important to do so to get my music,  my voice,  my image, heard and seen. Hopefully one day I’ll make some bank!

 Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?

Kika: Right now, I should be looking for the tips! The only thing I can say is to pool your heart into it,  ignore negativity,  and press for any engagement you can. Get yourself out there online and in public!  You will be heard!  And don’t give up.

Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?

Kika: We all make mistakes, we are not flawless. In fact I’ve never heard a live performance where it was technically perfect. It’s an impossibility. From the guy busking on the street corner to performing on stage at Carnegie Hall.

The only way you can handle it,  is to take a deep breath, realize we are all flawed and keep going. Flaws are cathartic in that way. Plus it makes the times were you have where you were close to perfection that much sweeter.

Sometimes a flaw in a performance can lead you in a new creative direction in adapting vocally or instrumentally.

Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?

Kika: I haven’t hit touring status yet. I’m only starting out. But in my past I’ve been pulled on stage by quite a few famous acts to sing a few songs. Those are my favorite memories.

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

Kika: I gather inspiration from things I see every day.  My own emotions, emotions of others, hardships, and times of decadence.
My process,  I don’t know if I would consider it a process. But I sit down with my favorite pen and paper and just let everything pour out.

 Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

Kika: I have been using Soundcloud and YouTube to try to get a few tunes out. Formerly I used Myspace.

 Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?

Kika: oh boy… My guilty pleasures encompass all genres of music. But I have to admit I still listen to 2LiveCrew and GroupX. Mostly because of funny memories.

 Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

Kika: That money would go straight to the bank. I would buy a professional studio and just get myself to work.

Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?

Kika: I work with Cool Edit Pro, some people scoff,  but it really is a great program. At this point I have to upgrade somehow,  my computer went kaput three days ago!  Talk about bad luck.

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

Kika: so far it’s been uploading music and retweeting and reposting as much as humanly possible. Thank you social media!!

Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?

Kika : Lady Gaga….she can do it all,  and she’s a huge inspiration to me. Her music really speaks to me. Marry the Night is a life saving song and an anthem for me. She’s soincredibly talented vocally, creatively, visually, spiritually,  and the woman can knock it out of the park on the Ivories. She transcends genres with such ease and isn’t concerned with labels. She’s human. She’s eclectic. And I hear from her costars she’s just a lovely woman. If I were to ever perform with anyone,  it would definitely be  her.

Also,  if you’ve heard my mix of her singing Speechless acapella, with my vocals cut in,  you can hear we are entirely too similar vocal wise. I have so much to learn from her.

 Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

Kika: I’m always thinking,  always writing,  creating,  singing. Hopefully a new project will be put together soon. But for now it’s just me and a microphone in my kitchen. (laughs)

 Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

Kika: All of my day jobs have been in business. I’ve ran entire call centers,  worked in payroll,  legal departments, banking. I really did quite enjoy it,  too.

 Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?

Kika : Cyndi Lauper “She’s So Unusual” was my first. My mother was always buying me records and tapes. (yeah I’m feeling old now)  But I think the first I bought with my own money were Bush’s first two albums.

 Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

Kika: The Last five years I’ve had a lot of free time due to illnesses. It’s a real struggle to be so sick but I’m trying to make it work. All I have left is my voice and I am going to use it.

 Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?

Kika: I hope a full album,  but you can definitely expect to hear more tracks from me on Soundcloud!