Regarding the songwriting process for the new CD, KIN, she said, “It was very unusual, since I had decided to move from London to Venice Beach, California. I was going to take a hiatus, and have some time with life, rather than the madness of making and releasing records and touring. I was driving in Los Angeles quite a lot, and listening to Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell and Tom Petty, and seeing these incredible sunsets and the music that was made there, and it completely got into my bloodstream. I started up with these big pop choruses, and my mind and body were screaming ‘no,’ since I wanted some time off. At first, I didn’t want to go there, and this material kept on coming, so I thought it would be really foolish and disrespectful to the craft to not listen to the inspiration and go with it, and I’m so glad I did.”
While it was difficult for her to pick a favorite song, at the moment, it is “It Took Me So Long to Get Here, But Here I Am.” “For me, that’s the mission statement of the record,” she said.
She collaborated with fellow musician James Bay on “Two Way.” “It was one of the most fun collaborations that I’ve ever done,” she said. “I had read that he is a fan of mine, which is quite flattering, since he is a brilliant musician. He was coming to Los Angeles, and I had this great song, and we hung out for a couple of hours, and played the song and finished it off. James completely nailed it and just did a phenomenal performance.”
On September 19, the songstress will be performing at Irving Plaza in the heart of New York City. “I am so excited to come back to New York. It feels like a home crowd sometimes. They have given me support from day one. It is a very open and expressive crowd, and I am so grateful for that,” she said.
Tunstall is best known for her smash hit singles “Black Horse and a Cherry Tree,” as well as “Suddenly I See.” She listed singer and multi-instrumentalist Beck and Devendra Banhart as her dream male duet choices.
Each day, Tunstall is motivated by joy. “I’m a joy seeker, and it can be anything from a tiny bird to a sell-out show, where everybody is going wild,” she said.
Check out KT Tunstall’s new music on iTunes.
To learn more about singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, her new CD and tour dates, check out her official website.