Click Five singer’s fight against human trafficking
Singer, musician, songwriter and producer -- that is what lead vocalist Kyle Patrick from American power pop band The Click Five is and more at just 24.
The artiste has also become one of MTV EXIT's celebrity ambassadors, and he has tied his work there with the production of a solo album.
Speaking to Yahoo! Singapore over the phone on Wednesday morning, the talented multi-instrumentalist shed more light on his latest project, which not only showcases his individual talent but also supports a cause he is passionate about.
Patrick said a portion of the funds raised from the solo album and a 3D music video will go to support shelters in Cambodia that help victims of human trafficking.
"This is definitely a cause that our band and I want to continue helping out with," he said, noting that they have played in Angkor Wat as part of the programme with MTV EXIT to raise awareness about the issue.
For the album, he is working with Pledgemusic, an online platform that provides fans and artists the opportunity to work together to make new records and raise money for charity. For the project to take off, he has to raise 100 percent of the target fund and he has only days left to do so.
Despite the new solo album, which he described as a "side project", he has no plans to break off with The Click Five. The band has even made it a priority to come back to Singapore to perform as they hear from fans in the city-state "every single day".
Hours before the interview, he tweeted about experiencing aftershocks from an earthquake in Virginia that "made it all the way up to New York" where he was, but he seemed fine and the only fallout he felt was faulty phonelines.
Tell us more about this solo music album you've been working on.
I'm working with Pledgemusic to raise funds to make this album.... One of the main elements that drew me to them was that you can actually involve the charity. That's where MTV EXIT comes in. So, basically, I've got about eight days left (from Wednesday) to raise the money and it's an all or nothing kinda deal. So at the end of these eight days, I'll be, hopefully, at 100 percent of my goal and I'll be able to start on the album.
You mentioned you are doing this also for charity, for MTV EXIT. How did you become one of their celebrity ambassadors?
MTV EXIT reached out to us, I think about three years ago, to play a concert for them. The first one I did, I think was in Cambodia. I believe we played at Angkor Wat in Cambodia. And they reached out to us just because, basically, the main thing that we can help out with is awareness….
We can basically use our music and awareness of our band to raise awareness of this issue that's going on. So we got involved by just having a fan base in Asia and MTV EXIT reaching out to us to do a concert, and we're still gonna be doing more concerts with them. We've probably done six to seven concerts with them and are gonna continue to do so, so it's not something we did once. This is definitely a cause that our band and I want to continue helping out with.
Meanwhile, how can fans contribute?
What they do is make a pledge to my campaign and that means they'll go to my website and they can make a pledge…. I think the most crucial point that people know is that a portion of that money is going to helping make my album but a portion of it also is going to help shelters in Cambodia with MTV EXIT's help. That could be anything from the money that these people's gonna pledge with the helping these victims of human trafficking getting food, clothing, supplies that they need on a daily basis, or even just keeping the shelter running and basically just paying the bills of the shelter. Anybody who makes the pledge is doing a really good thing and it's a project that I'm super passionate about musically and very excited about. So I'd love it if everybody who's reading this would help our project for sure.
And if you had to name one thing to convince people why they should get involved what would that be?
I think one of the coolest things about it is that I'm posting videos the whole time of behind-the-scenes and actual creation of the album. So anyone that pledges actually gets access to all these videos.
You know, a lot of time, albums will come with making-album type videos or behind-the-scenes, but this is actually live. This is actually when it's happening. I'll be in the studio and I'll put up a video as in in the studio of me actually singing the song and people will watch that while it's happening. So I think it's this interactive, new way of getting an album together and raising the money to make an album... that I find to be the coolest....
Why did you choose to release your album digitally?
I think it's because today's music industry is very much changing and it's kind of all over the place but not necessarily in a bad way. I just think that there're a lot of different things that people are doing these days to make an album and I think this is going to be a new model for how the music industry works, especially for independent musicians.
Basically, what the deal is, you're raising the money but these people're not just donating — your friends and your fans aren't just donating, they're actually getting the album, they're pre-ordering the album. So they get the full album as soon as it's done. And there's also tons of other things that you could pledge for.
How does your current music direction compare to that of the past?
I would say that there's gonna be similarities just because The Click Five is a huge part of my life for the past four or five years, so I would say that there're a lot of elements to it that I've learnt from The Click Five and that I've learnt from my band mates, who are all just extremely talented and amazing people…. And ultimately, it's my voice that's on The Click Five as well and this will be my voice on my solo project. It's not that I'm trying to recreate what The Click Five did but it's also not that I'm trying to run away from what The Click Five did. I just think that ultimately, at the end of the day, I want to make a great record and I want it to be me….
Just, generally, I've always been attracted to pop music so it's a pop project for sure. I would say I'm probably gonna try to step outside the box more. On that ground, just try to experiment with different instruments and different arrangements for songs… something that will play on the radio and something that will get large audiences involved. That's always been a big thing for my music 'cause I like having insane parties to stuff that I'm doing, something that you can play in an arena and it will be fun for everyone, fun and/or moving.
Does that mean you're intending to break away from The Click Five?
I think that's a good question and I think that's been one of the main concerns from some fans of The Click Five, and I'd say definitely not. Like I said earlier, The Click Five has been a huge part of my life for the past four years and I love the band and I love everybody in the band and I love performing with the band and everything that we've done to date has been one of the best of my life everytime. So I have no intention of leaving the band or anything of that nature. I think the best explanation for this is that this is just another creative expression for me. And I'm always very active and always trying to create something new so I'd say that this project is just another way for me to do that. So, definitely The Click Five is still together, going on strong, and it's gonna be touring probably at the end of the year.
Where do you get your inspiration to write songs from?
I think it's everyday life, you know. I actually don't have really have a method for songwriting and I prefer not to have one. A lot of people will say that they write lyrics first or melody first, have kind of a method that works for them best. I personally don't, I think it just kind of happens the way it happens everytime and pretty much a lot of the time, it happens differently, which I like.
Being a singer, I'm definitely a melody and lyrics person and I think those are the things that I attract to the most. So, I think, lyrically, it's just everyday life. It's things that move me, that I might be able to translate into something that's widely accessible lyrics, that a lot of people will understand the way I'm feeling. Whether it be good or sad… anything like that, I can translate those feelings into something that a large audience will understand. So overall, I think my inspiration is translating to a lot of people, trying to figure out a way that I can move a lot of people.
Are we expecting any love songs in your new album?
Oh my, I think it's kind of hard not to (laughs). I probably will be writing stuff like that. Actually my first song for my solo is not a love song. It's more of a big picture kinda song. I feel like I've been writing a lot more lyrically like that, just big picture, almost like worldly lyrics. That new song is called 'Go for Gold', that's been one of my favourite songs that I've been working on and it's probably gonna be my first single for my solo album when it's finished. And that song is basically something that would work with the 2012 Olympics. It's a perfect fit, and it's lyrically more just uplifting and going for gold, not holding back, taking a lead when there's a lead to be taken. So that's what that song is about.
That being said, I don't know what's gonna happen to me in my love life from now until the next album or so. I would have to say that there's definitely gonna be some sort of relationship aspect in some of the songs. That's gonna happen, for sure.
Can we expect you back in Singapore anytime soon?
We do plan on coming back to the region, that's something that we think about everyday, especially Singapore. Singapore has been a home for our band in Asia for a real long time. I hear from fans in Singapore every single day, and a lot on Facebook and Twitter…. We hear everyone and we want to see you again so badly and that is something that we're working on very hard right now and we do plan on getting back over there too, so it's a major priority for us.
-- With additional reporting by Elena Torrijos
