Kylie Fox should be no stranger to frequent fliers of Tinnitist. Over the past six months or so, the delightfully unique singer-songwriter has shared the videos for her songs Cool Feet, Avocado and Glowstars in these pages, along with her colourful new album Green. Today, she matches wits with my goofball questions. Let’s see whether Fox is still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the end — or if she’s a little green around the gills.
Introduce yourself: Name, age (feel free to lie), home base, other details you’d like to share (height, weight, identifying marks, astrology sign, your choice).
Hey I’m Kylie. I’m named after a boat. (My great grandfather was the captain of a Newfoundland steam vessel called the S.S. Kyle. The S.S. in my name is silent.) I’m from Saint John, New Brunswick, which is a gritty little paradise with ocean, community, and great architecture. I love tuna, running, Moose Light, and making homemade birthday cards. I’m a Pisces.
What is your musical origin story?
My mom put me into theatre school when I was six, and getting addicted to applause at such a young age meant I was never going to have a conventional job. I went to theatre school after high school and fell into an amazing group of peers who were pushing each other to write songs. I wrote a campus smash hit called the Tinder Song, and have had to shake the ‘Tinder Girl’ name ever since, but that motivation to mass-produce music was how I developed a good concept for how I wanted to write songs. This, combined with watching my Dad lead every kitchen-party jam I attended growing up, shaped my ambition towards this career.
What do we need to know about your latest project?
Every song on Green is a story. The album engages with tales of tree planting, touring, supply teaching, and stories that contemplate what it means to grow up, discussing pregnancy, marriage, and goodbyes. The album is called Green, I guess because I’m having or observing these experiences but not feeling anymore “grown up,” or feeling what I expected adults to feel like. I’m wondering if adulthood is a hoax.
What truly sets you apart from other artists?
Hmm, maybe that I funded a portion of my latest project by doing a bottle drive?
What will I learn or how will my life improve by listening to your music?
I think a lot of Canadians will recognize themselves at some point throughout the record. Environment plays a central role in my writing, and I cover ground from my hometown to Northern B.C.; Manitoba to the small towns surrounding bigger cities. I hope the album inspires listeners to pick up a case of Moosehead beer and then take a trip to Saint John.
Tell us about the first song you wrote and / or the first gig you played and what you got paid.
I was six when I wrote a song about how old Jesus is and I performed it at a rehearsal for the Girl Guide talent show. My leaders suggested I sing I’m A Believer by Smash Mouth instead. I probably got a cookie.
What is the best / worst / strangest / most memorable performance you’ve given?
I did a songwriters circle in Summerside, P.E.I. A fly got into my shirt and I tried to be discrete about it during the other songwriters’ performances. When it was my turn to sing a song, I whispered into the microphone for the audience to close their eyes, and they were very obedient. While they were waiting for me to tell them to imagine something, or tell them a story, I was desperately trying to get the fly out of my shirt. I eventually had to tell them the truth.
https://youtu.be/cfwJ3t0QFVE
What is the best / worst / strangest / most memorable performance you’ve seen another artist
give?
I saw Lydia Mainville perform at Paddlefest in 2017. She sang the most beautiful original song about the ocean which ended with her making her cello sound unmistakably like seagulls. Everyone was awestruck.
What do you want to be doing in 10 years?
A lot of what I’m doing now, just better. I want to write great music, learn new things about my instruments, eat good food, exercise a lot, read good books, create and maintain healthy relationships, and hopefully create some cool little kids.
What living or dead artists would you collaborate with if you could?
Gordon Lightfoot.
What artist or style of music do you love that would surprise people?
I love Post Malone. I can also get behind EDM.
What are your favourite songs / albums / artists right now?
Joni Michell will always be my number one. She’s home. But lately I’ve been listening to Bill Withers and WAP.
How about some other favourites: Authors, movies, painters, you name it.
I love musicals! Les Mis, Rent, Hair, Godspell, Company, I love most all of them.
Who would you be starstruck to meet?
Joni. I’d probably start speaking in tongues.
What’s your favorite joke?
That climate change isn’t real.
What do you drive and why?
I drive the Lexus I inherited from my grandfather. I took it on a tour I called The Grampy’s Lexus Tour and it was amazing. My car is so great I got a Lexus logo tramp stamp.
What superpower do you want and how would you use it?
To have sriracha dispense from my index finger. I could spice up any dish and sting the eyes of predators.
What skills — useful or useless — do you have outside of music?
Making stop-motion animation films is a new found skill! I’m also good at reading Robert Munsch books to kids.
What do you collect?
Locks of my friend’s hair. I’m joking. Lately I haven’t been collecting anything but I used to litter my room with faeries when I was a kid.
If I had a potluck, what would you bring?
I make a very good kale/chick pea salad.
What current trend or popular thing do you not understand at all?
I don’t understand how oat milk got so popular so quickly. Also I don’t understand people’s addiction to watching death row and true crime stories on the Netty.
Tell us about your current and/or former pets.
My parents got a little lap dog while I was living with them, they named him Casey. I didn’t like that name so I call him Micheal, and it’s good to have a little brother.
If you could have any other job besides music, what would it be and why?
I don’t know.
What’s the best advice and/or worst advice you were ever given?
To finish my degree. I dropped out of three universities.
Watch her videos above, listen to Green below, and keep up with Kylie Fox on her website, Twitter and Facebook.
