Rapista Artist Spotlight featuring Karencitta

Overview

Rapista: Hi Karencitta, thank you for taking your time for this email interview. We’re glad to have you as our Rapista Artist Spotlight, it’s a segment here at Rapista where we feature artists who we think should have the spotlight.

Karencitta: Thank you for choosing me to be on your Artist Spotlight! I’m excited!

Email Interview

Rapista: Can you introduce yourself to us?

Karencitta: Hi. My name is Karencitta. I’m 20 years old, from Cebu City and music keeps me sane.

Rapista: When did you start rapping?

Karencitta: It all started when I bought my first B&W Composition Notebook at one 99 Cents Store when I was 13 years old. Looking hindsight, it was a little girls journal with words that rhymed. When my family first came to Los Angeles as immigrants, we kept moving from motel-to-motel because they didn’t have a stable job. We slept in our car one winter time and I got sick. To medicate myself, I remember drinking Apple juice only. I decided to write how I felt during those times and just rapped to my taps. That’s why I humbly advise kids to learn the skill of loving your struggle; don’t hate the pain. Picture: archery. God is the bow; we’re the arrow. The longer our drawback, the more powerful our shot is. My point is, God is good, it’s like He breaks us in order for Him to bring creativity out of us.

Rapista: If you’re a fan of Karencitta, how would you describe her music?

Karencitta: I usually just leave it to the spectator. Every fan will have a different interpretation. I believe that artists don’t’ have to explain anything too. Accountants/Lawyers explain things. Artists however, illuminate, inspire and juxtapose. Then let the audience make their own conclusion or… interpretation. From my point of view, I think Karencitta’s music is druggy though, laid-back and chill. Sometimes, naughty. Sometimes, realistic. Her music is constantly evolving.

Rapista: As an artist, who is Karencitta?

Karencitta: When Karencitta is on stage, she’s aggressive, fearless, strong and decisive; she’s vocally an honest artist trying to find her niche by studying all the greats and taking individual pieces of inspiration from them. But at the end of the day, she’s a full-pledged Cebuana/’bisayang dako’ and her favourite hobby is to be alone.

Rapista: When I first heard your song “All On Me”, I thought it was Chill Rap with an ambient feel, it was relaxing and laidback. How do you define your music?

Karencitta: Thank you. It’s vascular; initially, my music is an autobiography. My lyrics are about something I’ve lived through.

Rapista: I’ve read somewhere I think at Faudible.com that you have another a.k.a. which as “K.Sea”, can you tell us about “K.Sea” and how it differs from Karencitta or it’s just the same identity of you as an artist?

Karencitta: Thank you! I have a split personality. I feel K.Sea is retiring and quiet; she’s chill and carelessly longs to sing beside the ocean. Meanwhile, Karencitta is more conscious and pro-active; she’s a fearless marathon runner.

Rapista: Who are the artists that you look up into?

Karencitta: When it comes to the anatomy of the art, I look up to Michael Jackson --- I respect him and his work ethic.

I admire Beyoncé for her energy plus she’s sexy and intelligent at the same time. What blows me away from her is how athletic she is. On stage, she’s running + singing + twerking + dancing + rapping. She is the best performer of our era.

I admire Kendrick Lamar for his creativity, lyricism, work ethic and steelo. He knows how to ride waves and move the crowd live.

I admire Bob Marley for the impact he made through his songs and what he stands for; he believed that he could cure racism by injecting music into people’s lives. When he was scheduled to perform at a peace rally, he got shot at his house 2 days later. But what did he do? --- he walked on to that stage and sang his soul for all of us.

Rapista: Who are your major influences in music?

Karencitta: Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Amy Winehouse, Kendrick Lamar and Bob Marley. I’m constantly influenced by my day-to-day encounters. I just like to sit back and observe the world go by and my thoughts connect.

Rapista: You’ve collaborated with other artists already in the past and just recently with Kris Delano in the song “Nobody Else”. If you would be given a chance to collaborate with any artists (local and/or foreign), who is it and why?

Karencitta: Thank you! Kris has a good and soft heart. If given a chance to collaborate with any artist, I would say Michael Jackson off the bat because I value impact; maybe one day in another life. Needless to say, I think any artist I hear that moves me emotionally. I’d like to hang out with them for a day just to get to know him/her on a personal level and then start making music from there --- that’s how I operate. The caliber is different when you build a solid relationship with someone before painting.

Rapista: As a performer, what was your most memorable performance/event?

Karencitta: The ABRA2013 Grand Concert was monumental. It’s beautiful to witness the Hip-Hop culture grow in the Philippines. We’re going through a renaissance and I was blessed by the heavens to share the stage with the greats --- like Loonie, Abra and Daddy Sweeze (Mike Swift). It was definitely a magical feeling to close the concert. That time, I also knew there weren’t any female artists granted to close the ABRA2013 Grand Concert. I felt almost unworthy but you know how your dreams come true and you feel nervous on the spot? I, instead, made the decision to not be nervous. I simply made a decision and produced “stick-to-itiveness”. I got that term from Thomas Edison.

Rapista: Among all of your songs, what is your favourite and why is it so special?

Karencitta: “Time Away” means a lot to me. Initially, it was a freestyle for my brother, Bam-bam. I felt so liberated and free after recording that I literally booked a vacation trip for myself to get away. Like, after talking-the-talk (or in my case, singing), it was time to walk the talk. I never do freestyles; it’s not my forte but it seemed like I was holding back so much emotion that when the beat played in my headphones, I started mumbling and the Heavens gave me a pat on the shoulder.

Rapista: What inspires you to create music?

Karencitta: As an artist, I feel obliged to shower the world with art. I think the medium between my art and my God is the most beautiful thing. He chose me to harmonize the world with my music. Music is also my first love and when you love something, you have to protect it. However, what keeps me going is the love I have for my country. I don’t pay attention to charts. What matters to me is my roots, building off from that and closing the gap. Living in service is the purest form of inspiration and my goal is to enhance the way we look at Original Pinoy Music. Simple. Especially Rap/R&B/Pop. OPM today is a beauty! It’s getting better and it will only continue to do so. Our country has a very bright future.

Rapista: You’ve released your first LP “So Help Me God”, can you tell us something about it?

Karencitta: If you want to get to know my past or what I’ve went through from the day I was born until 18 years of age; I think “So Help Me God” is the way to go. It has so much purity to it; I didn’t hire any composer to write for me. Everything came from my heart. And I think I made the right decision of releasing this project first as a sign of introduction to the world.

Rapista: Do you have any upcoming album?

Karencitta: Yep, it’s in-development.

Rapista: What can we expect from Karencitta in the future?

Karencitta: The world can wait.

Rapista: Any message for your fans or shout outs?

Karencitta: To my friends, family and fans, thank you for your patience and support. I see the good in all of you. Most of all, thank you. Rapista!

End.

Please check out Karencitta’s new song titled “Oblivion” at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr41089LdZw

For more information about Karencitta, kindly visit her website: karencitta.com or follow her at:

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