Kiera Dillon Releases Debut Album

Interview By Lauren Elizabeth Campbell, Editor-in-Chief

Twenty-two-year-old Kiera Dillon, from the suburbs of Philadelphia, has been performing since the age of three. New Year’s Day, the singer, songwriter, and producer released her debut album 'Perspective.' She explains her work, creative process, inspirations, and gives advice to artists wanting to release their first record:

How would you describe 'Perspective?'

I think of 'Perspective' as a personal time capsule and representation of growth. The tracks were largely born out of nostalgia and self reflection. I was really aiming to show the universal acceptance and accessibility in emotion no matter how it is experienced or perceived. Even though its a relatively short album, theres little bit of something for everyone, whether you want to stare at the ceiling and cry, or scream at the top of your lungs with your friends.

Who are your musical inspirations?

Where to begin? My main songwriting inspirations will forever be Taylor Swift, Sara Bareilles, and Billy Joel. He has always been a huge one for me. I’ve listened to his music for as long as I can remember. I love how each of his albums exist in such a defined era. Taylor Swift is like that too. In terms of production, I’m consistently inspired by Finneas, Jeremy Zucker, Lennon Stella, and JP Saxe, but, the list goes on and on.

What is the best musical advice you’ve ever been given?

I was lucky enough to sit in on a virtual Masterclass with JP Saxe a while back, and he said “Vulnerability is just honesty. And honesty is power." Theres been a ton of advice that has stuck with me over the years, or course, but that definitely influenced how I thought about this album and the creative process. I think thats really important for creatives to remember, because sharing your art can be a very scary thing at times.

What did you learn while making this album?

Producing the album during a pandemic made for a very unique experience. I think one of my largest takeaways, was just learning to be patient with myself and my art. I tend to get far ahead of myself. I’m consistently searching for ways to grow and improve, and a lot of the time that means I have trouble being proud of what I make, but quarantine forced me to take a step back and view things in a different light. I think its extremely cool that I can document my progress as a musician, producer, and person in an album like this.

What is your creative process like?

To be honest, it happens differently every time, but I almost always start with the basics and write acoustically first. Once the song is mostly written, I’ll arrange it in a DAW and then mess around with production choices for a while until I find something I like. I always try to let the emotion of the song dictate the production choices. I’ll rarely use a sound or effect that doesn’t have some thematic meaning. I also usually have a reference track or two to draw inspiration from.

What songs are you currently listening to?

Lennon Stella’s album 'Three. Two. One.' has been on loop since it came out. Of course, 'folklore' and 'evermore' by Queen Taylor are at the top of my list too.

What is your advice to someone about to start in the process of making their first album?

Don’t underestimate the importance of feedback, especially if you ’re self-producing. Having other sets of ears on a project before its finished is so important and very helpful. Also, make sure it stays fun. Its easy to get caught up in technicalities and get overwhelmed, but you just have to keep reminding yourself of your passions and have fun with it!