Loop: This Year’s Been Hell

Kirty

Single
Release Date: 2020
Canada

For Toronto-based singer-songwriter Kirty, making records is the art of making time capsules of your own life. Also a member of acclaimed indie-rock group Fast Romantics, Kirty’s been at it since she was a kid, growing up on a hobby farm outside of Orillia, Ontario. A middle child in a large musical family, from a young age she was taught the country, folk, and rock n‘ roll standards, sparking in her those natural, timeless kind of songwriting instincts that can only be cultivated from the pop songsmiths of the 20th century. [Read more on Spotify]

“My album was written in the summer, for the summer” This was how you described your sophomore album a few years ago. How would you describe your upcoming one? 

The first two songs I’ve released off of my upcoming album definitely embody (in terms of seasons), a ‘winter is coming’ energy. They’re dark, reflective, and expose some of my harshest thoughts and feelings about the world. Of course, the entire album isn’t made up of slow, dark, and doomy songs. Some of the same themes and reflections are present, but I’d like to think that the record as a whole would take you through each season/feeling — it’s a year’s worth of thoughts and feelings.

• 

• 

• 

It’s been a while since your second Kirty LP [2016] but you’ve kept yourself busy with Fast Romantics and made two albums ever since. I know you have also been getting huge help from Matt for your solo, how do you keep that balance between two acts?

Surprisingly, balancing Fast Romantics and my solo project isn’t a shit show. Matt and I function like a well-oiled machine — we play in each other’s bands, we write on each other’s songs, we share a studio, both bands are under the same label, and we share aligned visions on what we want from each project. We work pretty harmoniously together and have very complementary creative processes. It just works. Because of that, and because we’re always brutally honest and open with each other, we’re able to plan and prioritize. 

I realize your latest single God Help Us just came out a few days ago but I’d love to go with This Year’s Been Hell for our loop-songs series. What is the story behind it and what is the significance of the song for you?

This year’s Been Hell is about putting your life on hold, to care for, and to tend to the people around you. It’s about loving and letting go. It wasn’t written during the pandemic but definitely resonates with feelings of prioritizing your life and focusing on the things that matter, all the while feeling isolated and dealing with a mixed bag of emotions about the circumstances. 

• 

• 

• 

We deeply envy the Toronto independent music scene. Will you tell us about how it feels to be a part of it? Also, we would love to get some of your emerging favorites. 

I love being part of the music scene here in Toronto – I have so many amazing friends that are making great music in this city so there are always shows to see, opportunities for fun collaborations, amazing studios to check out, etc. I feel very lucky. Some T.O artists I love: Tuns, Sameer Cash, Haviah Mighty, Tokyo Police Club, Julie Arsenault, Adria Kain, and soooo many more!

Hence the concept of our series, what’s a song you listen to on repeat mode before we finish? 

---

Get social w/Kirty

• Link
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by • KIRTY • (@kirtymusic)