Kye Sones

 “I’ve got an A in ‘Awesomeness’ on the triangle!”

Kye Sones, the 30-year-old chimney sweep from London, was a shock elimination in week five of this year’s X Factor competition.

But we’re not here to talk about The X Factor, we’re pretty sure he’s been asked every question possible about the show, so we decided to delve a bit deeper and get to know more about Kye the musician. And, bizarrely, Kye the triangle player….

Hi Kye, how are you?

Yeh good thanks.

Busy day?

No not really. We did a gig last night in Worcester so we’re just on our way to Aberdeen now, just waiting to go to the airport and fly up there.

Ok, we’re going to try to avoid talking about The X Factor as much as possible if that’s ok with you? You’re probably fed up of talking about it!

Ha yeh, no worries there!

What would you say your musical influences are personally?

I think everything that happened in the 90s was really influential to me. So like Michael Jackson, Oasis, the whole Brit Pop thing was massive; and just pop music in general really. I think in the 90s, there were still themes but at the same time on the radio everything was just mashed together. You’d have Michael Jackson, then Nirvana and then you’d have like a dance track… it was like an ipod shuffle really!

Before the show that we’re not going to mention(!) you were in a band called Diagram of the Heart, is that something you might be thinking of returning to or is that door closed now?

No, I think that was just a thing that happened and it went full circle. It was fun being in a band but I definitely preferred it being on the show, being on my own. There can be too many cooks I think sometimes when you’re in a band. It’s all down to you really when you’re on your own and I definitely preferred it.

So what kind of music do you expect you’re going to be writing and performing?

Before the show I was writing a record and it’s pop songs, I’ve always loved pop songs. Then production wise I’ve always loved Massive Attack and the Emeli Sande record for me is wicked, I’d like to do the male version of that.

What do you use as your inspiration when you’re writing songs?

I’m always writing songs, I just take it from real life. Like if I’m sitting on a train and I overhear someone and think “oh that’s good”, or I see something or I read a lot of books, read a lot of papers, you just take it from anywhere really. But I think the more real it is, the more autobiographical it is, it’s better really because then people relate to it easier.

Other than music are there any other careers you would have liked to pursue? Any hidden talents?!

I love art. I do art work just as a hobby really. It’s street art; it’s just a nice break from when you’re not doing song writing, a nice outlet.

You’re very creative then?!

I guess so… or trying!

Do you have many plans for the future

Yeh! Up until Christmas I’m really booked up just gigging and stuff. But then next year it’s about getting back in the studio and making this record. Then the main thing is getting back out there, getting on the road because before the show, that’s what I was doing the most. That’s where I felt most comfortable, performing live in front of an audience. That’s what’s been really good since leaving the show, just doing that. As soon as I’ve got the record done that’s the main priority – getting out in front of people.

What kind of venues do you enjoy playing most? The small intimate ones or the huge ones?

Both really, it’s always down to the people. If they’re up for it, it can be ten people but if they’re all up for it, then it’s great and then vice versa, it could be twenty thousand people but if they’re not up for it then it’s like “oh, ok”. It all depends, I like doing all of them. So far on this one we’ve been doing about a thousand, fifteen hundred capacity and they’ve all been really up for it so it’s been really fun.

I saw your tweet earlier about Christmas trees (@kyesones1: Just seen a Christmas tree in someone’s window. Is it too soon?) and I definitely think it’s too early! But what are your plans for Christmas?

For the last six months I’ve not really seen my family or my friends so at Christmas I’m just looking forward to hanging out with them and catching up on everything because you sort of live in a bubble and you miss out on everything that’s going on. So just catching up with family and friends really. And sleeping! I haven’t done much of that in that last six months either!

Do you have any message for the people wondering what you’re up to now?

It’s  just really important that people get on my facebook page and twitter and stuff because that’s where I’m going to be posting updates about what I’m doing, posting songs and stuff like that so that’s really important.

(See end of article for links to Kye’s facebook and twitter pages)

Can you give us any more details about the record? Any song titles or hints about what it’s going to be like?

There’s one called “No Surrender” which I wrote when I was doing auditions for the show and that’s going to be on there. I’ve always been a fighter and I’ve got quite a few songs like that. That’s why I wanted to do that Jason Mraz song “I Won’t Give Up”, that’s always been a bit of a motto. Everyone seems to enjoy that when I do it live so hopefully that will end up going on there. But I’m not going to do any covers really. I might stick that on there though,  It’s an amazing song.

How long have you been doing music for?

For as long as I can remember really. I started writing songs when I was about 15, just filling up pads of paper and writing down notes and inspiration. I’ve just always done that. That’s another reason I went on the show, because I was just writing so many songs and there’s no point in having them if they’re just going to end up in your bedroom so I wanted a platform. Now I’ve got that and I know who I am, it’s all about getting the record out there.

Do you have any professional music qualifications?

I don’t really have any qualifications! I’m really badly dyslexic so school was always a bit of a struggle but instrument wise I just always played by ear. I struggled to read music so I just played from ear on my piano and guitar.

Are there any other random instruments you can play?!

The spoons? I’m pretty hot on the spoons!

I learnt the recorder at school. I’m amazing on the recorder. I can do Twinkle Twinkle Little star.  

That’s amazing…. The triangle! I’m pretty awesome on the triangle.

I think I could probably do the triangle but it might be a bit too much pressure. Everyone’s waiting for that one moment and I’d probably mess it up.

Everyone thinks it’s so easy but it’s not! It’s one of those things, it’s underestimated the triangle. It’s a lot of pressure.

You know, I’m definitely including this in the article.

Definitely. Do it.

 I think that’s going to have to be the main focus of the interview to be honest. It might even be the headline – Kye likes the triangle!

Yeh! I’ve got an A in Awesomeness  on the triangle!

It will be the most bizarre interview ever written.

I’m going to have a whole section at a gig where I just play the triangle.

Will you dedicate it to me?

I will. Of course I will.

Well we’re hoping to come to some of your gigs to get a live review so I’ll have to try to make sure it’s me that’s there!

That would be wicked!

Maybe I could come and play the triangle for you?

Yeh, or you could come and do a recorder solo.

That’s a fantastic idea! I always wanted to be a musician so there’s my chance!

It would be like primary school all over again!

Oooh school was awful!

Yeh, I hated school. I liked primary school though. I just didn’t like normal school.  Proper school!

Haha, “proper school” where you actually had to work!

Yeh. Where finger painting is no longer acceptable.

Finger painting should be brought back into the GCSE curriculum.

I think so. Along with playing the triangle. And the recorder.

There we go, we’ve got an album here! The recorder and the triangle. Then the album cover can be a finger painting!

Yes that’s perfect!

Right… getting back on track… what are your plans for the rest of the day?

We’re checking out of the hotel in a minute then we’re flying up to Aberdeen and then tomorrow we’re back. Are we back tomorrow? I can’t remember. Yeh, I think we’re back tomorrow. Then we’re back up again. So just all over the place really. But it’s really fun. I’m really enjoying it.

Do you even know what day of the week it is anymore?!

It’s Tuesday? I think? Is it Tuesday?

Yes it is, well done!

See! I’ve not lost touch with reality just yet!

No crazy demands for back stage?

No no no, none of that. None of that going on. I’m quite easy going so it’s fine!

Well it’s been lovely to speak to you and I’m really looking forward to hearing your album in the not too distant future!

Oh thank you, thanks a lot. Let me know when you’ll be at a gig and I’ll prepare for your recorder solo!

Thanks! Bye!

We’ll keep you updated with news from Kye as we hear it and in the meantime you can follow Kye on:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Kyesones1

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/pages/KYE-Sones/237361742982533

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/kyeSonesMusic

Interview by Amy Mallett