Maria Tanner spends 5 Minutes with ..... Kylie Herman
At times I envy people who revel in delight telling me about the ways they spend their 9 to 5. All too often I have seen enthusiasm and excitement light their eyes as they dive into the various ways they mark out a living, while I’m left racking my brain with something remotely close to match them. Fret no more I tell myself, I too can join the club of interesting dinner side stories; I just met the person who gave definition to the meaning ‘chill.’ Surely sitting beachside, with the waves lapping at my feet while I talk with local musician Kylie Herman about the drop of her debut album ‘Inangaro’ in 2010 and the reasons that drove her to produce a passion she holds close to her heart ought to earn me kudos at the dinner table.
Herald: So Kylie, tell me about your debut album Inangaro?
Kylie Herman: I’ve always had a passion for writing and singing, so I thought I should do something with that talent instead of keeping it closed up in books or the singing just for the shower. I wanted to do something completely different and take a step out of my comfort zone, so decided to work towards doing an album.
H: How do you best describe the sound or style that is Kylie Herman?
KH: Well my first album, Inangaro, is based on insecurities; basically I’m just drawing on what I know. I wanted to keep it traditional so I kept the use of ukes in, that’s my favorite part I love the uke sound, but at the same time I wanted to add a modern flavor to it.
H: You clearly have a passion for singing and writing, what’s with the long time coming?
KH: Well I guess I had a lot of other responsibilities!! Its more or less about me putting what I wanted aside and when I finally had that bit more freedom I realized that there was so much more that I wanted to do and that im going to do, and im still working towards. Better late than never!!
H: I know you like to write, but how do the lyrics to your songs come about?
KH: It really depends on my mood or the atmosphere I’m in. But kinda out of blue a tune will form up in my head and once I’ve grasped on that tune, how I’m feeling at that moment usually determines what I’ll write about an then from there the lyrics just somehow piece together. But here’s the weird part about it, I don’t even know how to play an instrument.
H: When growing up were you involved a lot in music?
KH: Well I was born in New Zealand, but raised in Atiutaki so it was more about work, raking the rubbish, cutting firewood for the bakery or working in the store, there really wasn’t a lot of time to pursue those sorts of things. It wasn’t until I hit my teens that it really developed and discovering that I really enjoyed singing.
H: Where do you draw musical influence from then?
KH: Oh geez there’s quite a few but I love Alicia Keys, Eddie Lovette, I’ve kinda got an old school thing going on, but what I really love is their soul and their lyrics. It was relevant then and it’s relevant now and when I write that’s what I try to convey.
H: Do you get nervous sometimes?
KH: Yeah sometimes!
H: Kylie are you one of those people who secretly have nerves of steel?
KH: No!! I’m pretty much one of those people who psych themselves out, I tell myself “Na man I’m gona do it. This is my gig.” My first big gig back here in Raro, the mire atu, I was the opening act made the pressure that much harder and I cracked it, I got really nervous. But I just saw it as something that I had to overcome, and you know the second time that I performed it I was soo much better. But when I did the launch in NZ, I was ready for it, I had been waiting for it and working so hard to get it done I just couldn’t wait to get out there.
H: What is it that you enjoy about singing or music?
KH: Connecting with people through my music. The way I see it is if someone wanted to know who I really was then the best place to start would be with my songs. When it’s right I feel like I’m in another world and that nothing’s going to stop me, it just all flows. Even I get lost in my own music, and I love that feeling.

-Maria Tanner

Herald Issue 554 09 March
- Norm exposes Trio of Doom
- Briefs from PM’s media conference Tuesday
- Tourism Industry ponders $5 million draft strategy
- Norman George resigns from Cook Islands Party
- Letter of Resignation from CIP
- Norman selfish says Prime Minister