Flying under the radar in West Michigan, the 21-year-old singer already has racked up hits on the pop charts and worked with Grammy-winning producers. (Video, podcast)
From Holland to Hollywood? Kanisha K has successfully tapped the talents of top industry producers. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
For a singer who’s shared space on pop charts with stars Pharrell Williams, Daughtry, Lorde, Katy Perry and One Direction, Kanisha K has kept a stunningly low profile in West Michigan.
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Kanisha K sings the National Anthem at Fifth Third Ballpark on June 6. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Indeed, the 2010 graduate of West Ottawa High School concedes many of her former classmates have absolutely no clue she’s pursuing a singing career while traveling to recording studios in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago to work with prominent, award-winning producers.
“People laugh about it, even my friends,” says the 21-year-old Holland singer, better known to her high school chums as Leslie Kasten, once a budding basketball star. “Nobody from high school knew that I went on to sing. There’s a lot of people locally that have no idea that I even sing. They don’t believe me. I just say, ‘Google me.’ ”
Those that do learn quickly that this fast-emerging pop/R&B artist already has racked up an “uplifting breakout hit” nominated for a Hollywood Music in Media Award, will release her next single, “Bring Me Home,” next month and is “living the dream of every small-town girl with uptown talent.”
Audiences in West Michigan will soon experience a healthy dose of Kanisha K’s talent as she begins to sing publicly in the region for the first time since a high school performance that was captured on video a few years ago. That video caught the attention of Grand Rapids-area producer Robyn Robins, a former member of Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band, who promptly contacted the singer and ended up producing her self-titled debut album.
A GREAT SUPPORT TEAM, STARTING WITH HER PARENTS
“Opportunities like this are really great,” says Kanisha, who’s attracted a bevy of online fans from countries across the globe. “I really feel I have a good team behind me.”
Kanisha K on Local Spins Live. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
That team starts with her parents, Kathy and Rick Kasten, who own Lakeshore Glass and Metals in Zeeland and have wholeheartedly supported their daughter’s plunge into the entertainment business – from driving to Chicago for voice lessons to starting a record label, Daddy Rocks LLC.
“My dad really handles everything,” says Kanisha, who once tagged along with her father to rock concerts ranging from The Who to Aerosmith. “I have a manager, I have a PR team, I have somebody that does all my media … but at the end of the day, my dad’s always there and he’s always on top of everything.
“He actually started a record label for me to do this because we decided we weren’t going to go after a record deal and we were going to do it independently. To have that kind of support is crazy.”
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Robins – who’s worked with artists such as Sinead O’Connor and Rodrigo Y Gabriela – thought Kanisha “had something goin’ on” from the first time he heard her voice and spent time in the studio “finding the right direction for her. Her family gave such amazing support.”
CHARTING HITS WITH ANOTHER SINGLE ON THE WAY
That support has helped Kanisha negotiate a whirlwind of activity over the past year, including garnering radio airplay for the singles, “My Another Day,” which peaked at No. 5 on the Friday Morning Quarterback AC Chart earlier this year, and the holiday tune, “I Found Love (Just in Time for Christmas).” Her video for the song, “One for Me,” has logged more than 185,000 views on YouTube.
Kanisha K (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
She’s also found herself recording sessions in Los Angeles’ historic Capitol Studios with an “all-star band” and veteran backing vocalist David Lasley, working with Grammy-winning producer Jason Miles (Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, George Benson) in New York on the song, “Stupid Boyfriend,” and with Chicago bandleader and musician Larry King on her new single, “Bring Me Home,” which earned a final mix from Grammy winner Craig Bauer (Kanye West).
It’s an impressive start, with Kanisha earning airplay on pop stations and Sirius radio. And there’s nothing quite like hearing your song on the radio. “I about died. My first reaction was, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so cool,’ ” she recalls. “Hearing it on the radio for the first time, I cried. It was just a rush of emotions.”
The singer is liable to hear herself ever more frequently in the future as she continues to write songs and produce singles one at a time while honing her skills as a performer.
On Wednesday, she showed off those vocal talents on Local Spins Live, performing the song, “My All,” with her brother Nic accompanying her on acoustic guitar. Listen to a podcast of the Newstalk 1340 AM (WJRW) radio show here and watch a video of her performance below. (Her music is available through CDBaby.com, iTunes and Facebook, with links online here.)
POLISHING HER STAGE SKILLS AT OPEN-MIC NIGHTS
For as polished as Kanisha might sound on her slick studio recordings, the singer is only now venturing out to perform those songs live. To refine her stage singing, she and her brother have been attending weekly open-mic sessions at Holland’s Park Theatre in preparation her first full-band concert at the theater at 8 p.m. June 20. (Tickets are $7 in advance, $10 at the door.)
Kanisha K’s brother, Nic. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
“To work with him is so nice because he’s my brother and he’s very much security for me,” Kanisha says of Nic. “The fact I … can lean on him is just amazing.”
“I’m just happy that I get to be part of it and just play my guitar with her,” Nic responds. “I enjoy all of it. I didn’t have any expectations. I just wanted her to be happy and succeed.”
She’ll also sing the National Anthem at the West Michigan Whitecaps baseball game at Fifth Third Ballpark on June 6 and play another full-band show at The B.O.B. in Grand Rapids on July 10, part of a series that benefits the Will Play for Food Foundation. On Aug. 7, she’ll play a headlining show at the Lake County Fair in Crown Point, Ind. Eventually, she hopes to connect on tour with a national artist.
While her studio experiences have taught her to be “very precise” and develop good singing habits, “on stage I’m still learning how to let loose … and just give a good performance. That’s one thing I’m really working on.”
Kanisha K’s debut album.
She credits West Ottawa choir teacher Pam Pierson and Grand Rapids singer-songwriter Karisa Wilson for inspiring her as a singer, and cites the music of Etta James and Alicia Keys as major influences.
“I like to say if Alicia Keys and Kelly Clarkson had a child it would be me. That’s how I like to describe myself because I don’t really know what genre I would fall into,” says Kanisha, who learned to play piano, saxophone and guitar as a youngster.
Now, she concentrates on the vocals that her team hopes could eventually put her alongside stars such as Keys and Clarkson.
“I can’t believe how many opportunities I’ve been given,” says Kanisha, “especially coming from a small town.”
Email John Sinkevics at jsinkevics@gmail.com.
Copyright 2014, Spins on Music
