While he’s already performed on the American Song Contest stage, our editor Connor was able to grab Maine’s very own King Kyote for an interview. Together we talked about what makes Maine unique, where he’d love to play a concert, and more. Check it out below!
Hello King Kyote – welcome to ESC United, we’re thrilled to be able to interview you and help our readers get to know you better! Why don’t you introduce yourself?
Thanks for having me. Hi everyone, I’m King Kyote and I’m a recording artist from Maine.
And you’ve been cast as Maine’s official representative for the American Song Contest this year. How does it feel to represent your home state on such a large TV show?
I was really humbled and stoked to find out I would be representing Maine, my home state.
You may not know this, but a large amount of our reader base comes from outside of the United States, so for those who don’t know much about Maine what are some of the best things about your state?
Maine is a pretty big state. It has a rugged coastline with a ton of islands, cliffs and beaches as well as vast forests with mountains that stretch all the way to Canada. The people here are kind and passionate and mirror Maine’s ruggedness.
How did you first discover your passion for singing and performing? At what point did that passion transition into a career for you?
From an early age I learned how to play guitar, mostly from cook outs and parties my parents would throw because they had a lot of musical friends and my day played as well… from there I taught myself how to sing and write songs. I started to focus on my music as a career after my college days.
If someone were to ask you to describe your music, what words, phrases, or references would you offer to them?
I’d have to say my music is a melting pot of roots rock n roll, Americana, singer songwriter and blues.
What is something our readers might be surprised to learn about you? Like something that isn’t posted on your social media or on the internet?
Something that no one really knows about me unless you actually know me is i can get really competitive when it comes to playing sports or any kind of game….even cards or foozball.
Here’s a bit of a fun question – if money and logistics weren’t a factor and you could choose anywhere in the world to host a one-night only concert, where would you be performing and why?
I’ve always thought performing a show on top of Mt. Katahdin in Maine would be pretty wild.
Speaking of performances, let’s talk about the American Song Contest. How did you first learn about the contest and what motivated you to submit a song to the online portal?
Once I learned a bit about the show and that it would be original music being performed my interested perked up. It seemed like an excellent opportunity. What a way to put a song out.
Can you tell us a bit more about the songwriting process for your song “Get Out Alive”? Was this the only song you considered submitting for ASC?
Get Out Alive sat on the shelf for a couple years and Im happy it did. I was able to go back into the studio and rework some instruments and I’m happy with the way it turned out. The big thing was finding a new drum kit and we ended going with an old Rogers kit that had good juju and tone.
In thinking about the last year and your participation with ASC, what have you learned about yourself as an artist because of this opportunity?
Ive learned that as long as I stay hungry I can achieve my goals as a song writer and performer.
For our readers who want to connect with you ahead of or after the contest, where can they find you and your music?
Follow @king_kyote on instagram, @kingkyote on TikTok, King Kyote on Facebook and King Kyote on Youtube.
Alright, one last question for you – is there a final message you’d like to share with our readers?
Music is love. Play it loud.
Well King Kyote, I want to thank you again for your time today and we wish you the best of luck in the American Song Contest moving forward!
Remember #YOU can tune in on Monday April 4th to see if King Kyote will advance to the semi-finals. #YOU can also jump into the ASC discussions on social media @ESCUnited, on our discord, or on our forum page!
