Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with King Kyote
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My parents would have parties and hangs with their friends. People would bring their instruments and jam. I have very early memories guitars, singing and dancing.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
This all began as an infant or toddler probably. I believe creating music was always in me but I got really hooked shortly after learning how to play the guitar .
What’s the story behind your current music project?
My new album and new songs are a collection of all kinds of stories. Either from a literal part of my life or a feeling I got and vibed on.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Rock N Roll.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
The best songs come from living life, not from anything else.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
Guitar, pen and paper.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
My personal experiences are the number one driver of my music because that’s the most real thing I can write about. Like I said before, the best material comes from living life.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
That’s completely up to the listener. I write songs for myself first and when they are set free into the world they are no longer just mine….The music then belongs to the people at least in the sense of how it makes people feel. Never in my life have I said this one is supposed to make you feel this way. My job is to share my music. I’m not in the business of telling people how to feel. However, my one hope is that my music will always bring everyone from all walks of life together. I think unification is the most powerful reaction to music.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Music, writing, performing…the career in music, it’s all a garden and you have to nurture it.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Red Rocks or the Gorge for sure. or Sea Hear Now in NJ they combine music and surfing and anything like that is “the dream”.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Past: Hendrix without a doubt. Present: The War On Drugs.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
www.kingkyote.com @king_kyote on instagram and I have my music on all stream platforms.
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
New songs and headline touring in theater sized venues and medium to large festivals….one step at a time.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
In a world of Ai and fake shit, I believe wholeheartedly in real people playing real instruments in a sweaty rock n roll club.
If you want here you can add a representative Youtube video to insert below the interview 🙂
Link
KING KYOTE – “THE WILD” (Official Music Video)
King Kyote Background:
From the pines of Portland, ME – The King Kyote vibe could be best described as country (Zach Bryan and Chris Stapleton) meets the power of The Black Keys and Zac Brown Band – all delivered on the cultural backdrop of the gritty northeast surf culture which King Kyote draws inspiration from and can best be enjoyed on the open road or at a late night bonfire.
King Kyote Fast Facts:
- Based out of Portland, ME and represented Maine on NBC’s American Songwriter Contest which led to a one-off single deal for his song “Get Out Alive” through Atlantic Records in 2022.
- “I like the way he holds his own, his vocal tone and his penmanship”- Snoop Dogg
- Signed with Slumbo Labs (RCA) in July 2024 and over the last year, King Kyote’s Spotify growth has exploded:
- Listenership: 1,021% Increase
- Streams: 356% Increase
- Saves: 539% Increase
- Playlists: 412% Increase
- Followers: 56% increase
- He has supported Molly Tuttle & The Golden Highway, Trevor Hall, Taj Mahal and Houndmouth and played at Northeast regional festivals such as Levitate, Flannel Jam and more
- King Kyote has built his touring footprint up in the Northeast in 2024, delivering 125+ tickets in his home market of Portland, ME and 90+ tickets in the following new markets (Portsmouth, NH, Berkshires, MA, New Haven, CT)
- With the roll-out of weekly covers across YouTube and TikTok we have doubled his followers on both platforms over the last three months, with a significant drive around his cover of of Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgrave’s “I Remember Everything” which has exceeded 38k views and his Music Video for The Wild garnering 75k views.
Performance Video:
- HERE is a Performance Video of “Heathens”
King Kyote’s Links:
- Spotify Here (22.5k monthly listeners)
- YouTube Here (950 subscribers)
- IG Here (5.5k followers)
- Facebook Here (2k followers)
- TikTok Here (1.5k followers)
King Kyote Bio:
Harken to a night of whiskey drinking in a cabin among the pines, King Kyote echoes the yells of Rock & Roll’s fore-bearers while having a deeply rooted harmony with the Blues, Roots-Rock & Indie-Americana genres. A force to be reckoned with on stage, Kyote’s fiery live shows prove that pure raw talent combined with real, honest songwriting is still the future of today’s music.
Hailing from the Maine coast, King Kyote’s sound and inspiration comes from how he views and interprets the world around him. He expresses himself through a unique lens—like a photograph, putting pen to paper captures life’s most delicate moments. The ability to draw creative power from the waves he rides and mountains he climbs gives Kyote a distinct perspective on the intertwines of the vagabond troubadour and the artist.
Over the last five years, King Kyote has firmly established himself as a standout artist, garnering attention as one of the prominent figures to keep an eye on in the northeast. Kyote represented his home state of Maine on NBC’s American Song Contest with his song “Get Out Alive” which was released on Atlantic Records in March of 2022. King Kyote has shared stages with legendary artists, including Taj Mahal, Molly Tuttle & The Golden Highway, Houndmouth, and Robert Randolph & The Family Band.
“I like the way he holds his own, his vocal tone and his penmanship”- Snoop Dogg
King Kyote is gearing up for an extraordinary 2026, embarking on extensive nationwide touring following an exponential ticket demand in the northeast and midwest following the release of his debut self-titled album in September 2025.
