Pop-infused, classical-inspired and empowerment-driven singer-songwriter, Kiera Dann, is known for her emotion-evoking and vulnerable ballads. Her songs and online presence are a safe space for listeners and viewers. By sharing her tales of navigating love, healing, and the female experience, she helps her audience feel seen, heard and understood.
Interview conducted by VoiceBox's Lauren Louisha
Hey Kiera, so great to have you with us! We loved having you involved in our #WhyWeStruggle #WhatHelps mental health awareness campaign, and we’re obsessed with your new track, “Everything Always.” For anyone new to your music, how would you describe your sound?
Thanks for having me! I always describe my music as pop ballads mixed with an orchestra. There’s a bit of Adele, a bit of Laufey, so kind of that mix of modern pop with classical technique. Just know there’s always going to be a piano accompaniment, a string section, and some absolutely gut-wrenching lyrics.
In our initial conversation, you mentioned blending your love of classical music with pop in your songwriting. They’re such different worlds. How do you find that balance?
It’s actually a lot easier than it sounds! A lot of the core music fundamentals that create pop are based on classical music, so it's just combining modern production sounds with an orchestra. And the genre I write in naturally brings the two together, to kinda emphasise the message of pop writing, with the emotional storytelling that comes from classical. The only place where this becomes a bit more challenging is in vocal styles. I love a good belt, but sometimes I wanna add an operatic flair just cause, and combining the two in a song and making it sound good can be quite tricky.
You released your first single under a label at 17, but chose to go independent afterwards. What brought on that change, and how has it shaped your journey since?
It was only a one-song deal, so I knew I wasn’t going to have the backing behind me after my debut. I’m very grateful that I got a helping hand for my debut, though, because it gave me a kind of guide into the industry and the process of releasing music that I didn’t know before. I do enjoy the freedom of being independent, though, like I’ve been able to jump around distributors to see what works best for me, and I have complete creative freedom, which has allowed me to lean into the pop and classical mix a lot more.
Is there a genre you haven’t explored yet that you’re curious about?
Yes! Well, I’ve kind of already explored it, but synth pop. It's really common in mainstream pop today, and it’s always so catchy. I’ve written and produced a few synth pop tracks that have never seen the light of day because I wasn’t sure if I could mix genres in such a harsh way, but my next single that I’m working on is actually very synth based but you can still hear it's me through the vocal arrangement, so I’m excited to explore it more.
Your new single “Everything Always” is out now. Tell us everything! What’s the story behind it?
It’s actually about a guy that I had a very long-winded ‘thing’ with in my first year of university, but in terms of an audience’s perspective, I say that it's about situationships, or a “forbidden love”. But with the guy, neither of us ever really knew what was happening between us, and there was never any way to label it; there were just feelings involved and a lot of confusion. I remember, though, I actually wrote ‘Everything, Always’ in a weird format that I don't usually write in. I usually sit at the piano and write melody with lyrics, but with this song, I actually wrote the chorus first as a poem, by taking a word associated with him and using each letter within the word as the first letter of each line. It was too obvious a word to use and not have everyone associate the song with him, so I hid it within the writing. You easily find the word, though, because I didn’t start each line in its predicted place. And I went on to make little references to him throughout the song, like the line “we played a wicked game” in the second verse is actually a reference to Chris Isaak’s song ‘Wicked Game’, as we had performed it together. There are tons of references in the bridge, but little unique ones that only I truly understand; I do that a lot in my music.
Your bio mentions that you create a ‘safe space’ for your listeners, what does that mean to you? And how do you implement that within your music?
It means anyone is safe and okay to feel whatever they need to. A place with no judgement, where all emotions can be honoured and seen. Of course, this relates to typical taboo emotions like sadness and grief, which are topics I frequently write about in my songs. I use my music to express emotions that I may not usually do so publicly, so I can only hope that my audience can find the same sort of solace in listening to them.
You’ve created an online community that encourages healing and self-understanding. How has creating that space impacted your own life?
It’s done more for me than I could ever express. I think it was the final step in my own healing journey, as it led me to reflect deeper on my beliefs and mindsets as I strive to make a space for others. It’s given me a lot of hope and perspective, too. No one is truly on their own during their recovery, no matter how isolating it may feel. And the space brings me a lot of pride - I used to say if I could help even just one person when they were healing so they didn’t have to do it alone, everything I went through would’ve been worth it, so if past me could see the space I’ve now created, I know it would bring her a lot of peace.
In our initial chat, you gave us a sneak peek of your next release, which focuses on female empowerment in the music industry. Was there a specific moment or experience that inspired the track?
Oh, so so many. Since moving to Brighton to pursue music, I’ve become more and more exposed to the music scene, and the majority of interactions have had some underlying level of misogyny, some more subtle and some outright unbelievable. The divide in experiences really became apparent when it came to getting local gigs as men headline most of the shows and female led acts are rare to find. A lot of people in the Brighton scene don’t take pop seriously, let alone a woman in pop, so I found I was never a first choice for promoters or for my peers, which led to me writing my new track.
What does empowerment mean to you as a female artist in today’s music industry?
I think it means standing confident in your own choices and not being afraid to speak your mind. Women are taught to make themselves small and quiet their entire lives and this only extends into music, as we are expected to remain predictable by performing for the male gaze and through creating music that only focuses on profits. They don’t believe a woman can make it anywhere by being herself and creating in the way she wants to create, so any woman that is standing their ground and making something that speaks to their soul is naturally empowering themselves. Everyone has an opinion, too, especially men on topics that have nothing to do with them, so learning to tune out the unnecessary voices is another act of rebellion and helps women further claim their power.
How do you think the music industry can better support women both on stage and behind the scenes?
I think creating spaces where women can create and find solace within each other is crucial. A lot of misogyny within the industry is so integrated that it passes us by, but as a female musician, it can become heavy very quickly, and providing spaces where women can bond and recover from those behaviours is so healing. On stage, loud support is the best thing one can do, and to fight acts of misogyny when they appear. If you see someone talking down on a woman's looks or ability, call them out for it, and let them know where you stand.
Your TikTok has been blowing up! We love how you use it to connect with your audience through your different series and stories. Looking back, is there anything you’d do differently if you were starting that journey today?
Honestly, I think I would relax a bit. I was, and still am, so driven to get to a certain follower count or reach a particular milestone that I, at times, let it take over my life and take the fun away from creating. Yes, a million followers would be nice, but if I have to put on an act and destroy my health to get there, then I’m walking away from that reality. I would allow myself to take my time and let fate run its course, because if there’s one thing about TikTok that is predictable, it’s how unpredictable it can be. Letting it be is something I’m still learning to do, but it's already a much nicer way to create.
When you share something raw and personal in your music, do you ever worry about how it’ll be received?
Honestly, no. I’ve always known that while my songs are written about very personal experiences, the topics are common and broad, so I know an audience is likely to understand and see the message of the piece. I become a bit worried when it comes to more controversial topics like female empowerment or embracing my sexuality, as they cause more division, but at the end of the day, I know it is an act of empowerment to share art that causes such a split, and is almost the point of art itself.
Thank you for joining us today, Kiera. It's been such a joy having you! Before you go, what advice would you give to artists who want to show up authentically online but worry about how they’ll be perceived?
Thank you for having me! Honestly, you have to make peace with the fact that it's something out of your control. It’s like when walking down the street, you have no idea what people are thinking of you, and you probably don’t give it a second thought. It’s the same with posting online; it only feels more daunting because people can directly interact with you. And you’ll find the more you post authentically, the more you will attract your crowd. The old “just be yourself” cliché is painfully true. You cannot live your life by the judgement of others, otherwise you’ll only ever be acting, not living.
Support Young Creators Like This One!
VoiceBox is a platform built to help young creators thrive. We believe that sharing thoughtful, high-quality content deserves pay even if your audience isn’t 100,000 strong.
But here's the thing: while you enjoy free content, our young contributors from all over the world are fairly compensated for their work. To keep this up, we need your help.
Will you join our community of supporters?
Your donation, no matter the size, makes a real difference. It allows us to:
- Compensate young creators for their work
- Maintain a safe, ad-free environment
- Continue providing high-quality, free content, including research reports and insights into youth issues
- Highlight youth voices and unique perspectives from cultures around the world
Your generosity fuels our mission! By supporting VoiceBox, you are directly supporting young people and showing that you value what they have to say.
