Two-time Grammy-nominated artist K.Flay returned in 2019 with her third full-length album, ‘Solutions’, that features standout tracks “Bad Vibes”, “Sister” and “Good News”. The follow-up to her breakthrough, ‘Every Where Is Some Where’ features a variety of analog synths along with live bass and guitar, bobbing and weaving between pop, rock, hip-hop, and electronic moods. Taking a positive approach to the lyrical content, K.Flay (aka Kristine Flaherty) took the current socio-political climate and its effect on daily life and envisioned a smile as a symbol of true rebellion. She explained: “When I got home from tour, I was in a dark place,” she admits. “Eventually, I made a decision to focus on the things that actually make me happy: walking around my neighborhood, drawing in notebooks with markers, talking to my mom on the phone. I thought, ‘What did I do as a kid to be happy?’ As a child, you don’t have access to alcohol, drugs, sex, caffeine. I looked back, when I had fun just by making music. I remembered the first time I wrote a song, burned a CD, and played it in my car. It’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to a religious experience. I reconnected with that spirit and stopped taking shit so seriously.” The album’s title is a reflection of this more positive approach towards daily issues. “The title ‘Solutions’ came to me really early in the process,” K.Flay stated. “The solution to almost every problem is usually really simple. For me, it’s so basic: staying connected to the people I love, taking care of myself the way I’d want my friends to take care of themselves, and doing things I know are going to make me happy – not what social media or strangers or society tells me. So many of my past records were about problems. Right now I’m in a place where I’m looking for some light. Balance is important. Life doesn’t have to be chaotic in order to be meaningful.”
B-Sides caught up with K.Flay during Austin City Limits 2019 to talk about performing at the festival, her new micro-cast, becoming a new aunt and more. Check out the interview:
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