kirakira is a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter from Attleborough, whose sound is a captivating swirl of ethereal indie folk. Ahead of her August gigs, we chat about early influences, nostalgia dreams, the local scene and a potential venture into electronica.

So how long have you been making music?

kirakira: I started writing in my early teens, but they weren’t good songs. I’d say the first ones where I was like ‘oh these are quite decent’ were in sixth form. And then I started recording songs when I went to Access College in Norwich. It was a slow process. It was like three years of seeing what I could make, before finally recording it. 

And what were you listening to around that time – was there anyone that influenced you?

kirakira: Beabadoobee, that’s someone who I always cite as an early influence. And Phoebe Bridgers. I was really into grunge at the time but it wasn’t reflected in the music. There was a lot of like, Alice in Chains and early Radiohead. Maybe that subconsciously went into my writing, but not sonically.

Do you feel like your surroundings influenced you too?

kirakira: A lot of my lyrics have little Norfolk titbits in them, like the A11, or the NDR. It’s always about cars or buses haha. I think I must’ve written about the 13 bus once in a song as well. But yeah I feel really influenced. Norfolk is really scenic and it doesn’t feel super fast-paced here, so I can reflect that in the writing through it being quite thoughtful or ambient. I don’t think I could’ve done the same anywhere else.

You’ve released a new single recently, the dreamer. Is that a standalone one or is there more to come?

kirakira: It’s completely standalone. Hopefully there’ll be more soon, I just need to start working on an EP. But yeah that one was an experiment for university, because I do electronic music. I did the production side and then I just stepped out into my garden and was like, I need to write lyrics for this piece because I need to submit it tomorrow. So it came together quite quickly. As with anything in university!

I saw you said it was a ‘spell to cast away bad nostalgia dreams.’ Are those something you’ve been having?

kirakira: I had yeah around that time! That’s what the lyrics were about. I kept having dreams about people that I’m no longer friends with or past relationships and I was like, is this a sign I should be reaching out to people? It was scary. And then it would infiltrate my day because I’d be looking out the window on a bus and be like, oh that reminds me of that person. It was bittersweet because they’re nice memories, but it’s like bygone now.

And did the song work? Did it cast them away?

kirakira: It did actually! I don’t have them anymore. So yeah, there’s the method.

You’ve played as part of other bands too, including Arthur Black and Brown Horse, and you DJ as well. Do you feel like these different projects allow you to explore different sides of your music, and of yourself?

kirakira: Definitely. Arthur Black was really formative because it was the band I joined in Access, so we were all 18, in our first bands together. Making music with all my best friends was just so lovely. And then when Brown Horse reached out to me that was like a dream come true because they’re probably my favourite Norwich band, they’re awesome. And I’d just started getting into country music, so to be playing in a band of my new favourite genre was really cool. And then DJing is just lots of fun. I did a set at Last Pub Standing the other week and all my friends came and it was lovely, just having a dance with them. And that lets me play the music that I don’t make as well. I would love to be able to make hyperpop and trip-hop but it’s something I’ve never tried to do. So if I can put it into my set, I’m happy.

Is there anything you’d like to experiment with more in your music?

kirakira: Definitely like glitch-pop and other digital sounds. That’s what I’m studying for and it’d be nice to be able to implement both together, like the acoustic folk stuff and more digital stuff. 

And is there anyone you’d want to collaborate with?

kirakira: Just my friends at the moment! I’ve got a friend called Tommy who doesn’t put his music out at all, but he really should because it’s some of the best electronic music I’ve ever heard, so maybe him. And I’ve been talking about starting a duo with my friend Jude who plays in PleasureInc., so hopefully we’ll do something together soon.

You’ve got a few gigs coming up in August, including one at the new Forncett Festival. Are you looking forward to that?

kirakira: Yeah! They reached out to me the other week and it looks like a really beautiful festival. So that should be fun. They really focus on folk music which is exciting because a lot of the new music I’m writing is more folk and Americana adjacent. I haven’t really been boxed in with those sorts of artists before, so this feels like the first proper time. As well as with the Lily Seabird one that’s also coming up in August. 

And how do you find playing live?

kirakira: I get really nervous. But it can be really nice! If you look into an audience and see that they’re connecting with it and understand what you’re singing, that’s always really nice. Sometimes you’ll get a crowd where it’s just like a completely dead stare. They might love it, they might hate it, you don’t know. And then you feel like, let’s just get off the stage haha.

Have you had a favourite gig so far?

kirakira: Oh the Dead Wax one in May, supporting The Mink. It was our first time playing Dead Wax and I didn’t expect how good it could be for live music. The sound engineer Chris was just amazing. I have a really hollow-bodied guitar and normally it gets really bad feedback, but I didn’t have any of that and I was like, there’s something in the air! It was a really lovely atmosphere and a lovely line-up of people there.

And is that your favourite venue?

kirakira: No, Arts Centre. Love the Arts Centre. Playing in a church is so nice because of the way it reverberates, I just love playing in a church. That’s why I’m so excited for the Lily Seabird gig. She’s awesome, the venue’s awesome, I think it’s gonna be really good.

We’ve talked about a few already, but are there any other local artists we should be listening to?

kirakira: Milly Anna, she’s amazing. I went to college with her and she makes really great bedroom pop / folk pop, it’s so beautiful. Lydia Cass is the same sort of genre, and another person I went to college with haha. She’s making really beautiful indie pop at the moment. Then there’s e.m.arson, she’s like noise rock and electronica, and Yer Blooze is doing folk and blending it with electronica now as well. They’re all just really cool people. It’s a great music scene.

Final question – what’s your go-to karaoke song?

kirakira: Oh, I don’t know! Once upon a time it was Paradise City by Guns ‘n’ Roses. Me and my friend would always do that song in high school, but it goes on for so long. I think nowadays maybe a Victorious song, the Nickelodeon show, because those are just really iconic songs and not too serious. I’ve heard from a lot of singers that they don’t like doing karaoke because it feels like you don’t know how to be unserious about it, so then you feel embarrassed and that’s completely my thing. But this year is the year, I’m gonna do some karaoke and I’m not gonna feel bad about it!

You can catch kirakira at Forncett Festival on 9 August, Dead Wax on 13 August and Norwich Arts Centre on 28 August.