L.A. based singer/songwriter and vocal producer KARRA (born Kara Jillian Madden) has made some serious waves as a woman not only in the music industry, but more specifically in the world of production and sound design which through the years, is known to be predominantly a male-ran industry. In May of 2016, KARRA appeared on independent electronic music label Monstercat for the first time as the featured vocalist on Unlike Pluto’s single, ‘Searching For You’. She says, “I’ve been releasing music for the last 8 years, mainly featuring on popular dance tracks!” As she built her resume and turned heads in the world of EDM, she went on to work with well-known producers such as KSHMR, Armin Van Buuren, Seven Lions, Sam Feldt, Alan Walker, Timbaland and more. KARRA is a BOSS and is now known for having Splice’s (music creation and collaboration platform) best selling vocal sample packs, where producers from across the globe have downloaded and used her samples millions of times. KARRA has collaborated with Splice and launched KARRA Presents which is a new vocal label to highlight upcoming vocalists. In 2020, KARRA released her debut solo project ‘No Evil’ via KSHMR’s label, Dharma, which she says “has a strong influence of pop & hip-hop sounds”. “My passion for the art of creating music led me to create content showing my audience my process, especially within vocal production. Since these videos continue to reach a wider audience with many people eager to create music of their own, I created iamkarra.com where I sell tools for musicians looking to elevate their sound, and learn from me!” Her website is particularly unique as it offers full length music industry master classes as well as digital downloads. She has also started her own independent label called Lazer Jungle Studios and has since released multiple solo originals including ‘Work’ and ‘Obstacle’.
On May 20th, KARRA released her newest, more intimate single titled ‘Emotional‘. She says, “I wrote “Emotional” many years ago to be used in a collaborative tutorial between Reid Stefan and Grammy Winning engineer, Andrew Scheps. After the success of this video, Reid used the song in a few more YouTube tutorials, and the requests for the release continued. Some of the best advice I’ve been given was to “listen to the fans, they know best”, so I decided to finish the song.” Although known for her high energy tracks, this song gives fans a deeper insight into who she is personally. She says, ‘The meaning behind the song is basically an ode to being a Cancer, aka an emotional, empathic person. I found myself being ashamed of the fact that I felt everything so intensely, and there were times that I thought there was something wrong with me because of it. This song is a result of that vulnerable space. I’m happy to say that many years later, I see my emotions & empathic abilities as my superpower.”
When asked how this single differs from her past releases the singer explains, “This one has an alternative spin to it, whereas my other songs are very pop. It also was written from a very sad and chaotic place, so the vocal performance and lyrics reflect the anxiety I was feeling at the time. My other songs come from a place of power, whereas this song comes from a place of vulnerability. I think it’s important as an artist to show all sides to you, so that you can connect with the world on a much deeper level. It wouldn’t be an honest representation of myself or my art if I only showed one side of me.”
Considering the powerful meaning behind the song, a visual release was essential to truly capture those emotions. Seeing as KARRA is an absolute pro, she teamed up with LyricVids once again for this time, a fully animated music video. When asked why she went this route, the songwriter explains, “I’m a very intuitive, visual person, so when I closed my eyes and listened to the song all I saw was an animated depiction of my real life. I also felt like it would reach a different audience of viewers that prefer animations. I always want to experiment with the visuals, and try new things to see what hits the hardest.” The music video reads as a psychedelic journey of self-love. Fans see a fully animated KARRA at home doing what she does best, recording and producing music and being that QUEEN that we know and love. This video has beautiful ethereal elements including neon glowing butterflies, shooting stars and astrology. Working with the artist on this, our illustrators were able to incorporate some of KARRA’s real life into the video, such as her beloved cats (shoutout to Kitty, Bubs, Missy & Mishi). Turning them into cartoon animations was so much fun! Our creative team even went the extra mile, ensuring that each cat was represented with their respective traits.
The music video showcases a hypnotizing blue and purple color palette, which is often used to represent the dream world. The tones are cool and promote a peaceful and relaxing energy, similar to that of the song. Of all the scenes, I think the WOW factor is captured when we see the singer recording her song in her home studio, the attention to detail here is just astounding. Wait, scratch that. When the tarot card showcasing the artist as “The High Priestess” is placed on the table next to “The Sun” card featuring one of her feline friends and the cat gets up from its card and walks over to her card – that is definitely a jaw dropper. Honestly, this whole video is a whirlwind of impressive animation and stunning visuals – it’s impossible to play favorites! So instead, we asked KARRA what her favorite part of the music video was and she said, “I love everything about the video, but I think my favorite aspect is how accurately it depicts my real life. During that time of growth and self discovery, I got in touch with my spirituality. That’s why the video features things like tarot cards, crystals, and of course my cats. I just want honesty to shine through my art, and the animators did an amazing job with including all the little quirks and rituals that I live out in real life.”
Up next for this music industry mogul she says, “I have a jam packed year of single releases this year. My number one focus is to continue to build the momentum by releasing as much content and music as possible. You truly never know when your time will come, so all I can do is stay consistent, get creative, and most importantly have fun!” You can follow KARRA across all music streaming and social media platforms @iamkarramusic or check out her website at www.iamkarra.com
Watch the animated music video for “Emotional” on KARRA’s Official YouTube Channel Here: