Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Kit Vipers

Introduction of the project

I’m Kit Vipers, an indie singer-songwriter based in Barcelona.

I was born and grew up in Ukraine, that’s still my strongest connection. My dad was born in Vienna, my mom is from Tula, Russia. I went through a British school system and grew up on a lot of American and British music. Now I mostly write in English.

These days I’m in Barcelona, recording music and trying to learn Spanish.

I’ve always been between places a bit. Not fully from one place, but connected to many. That just became normal for me.

Most songs start very simply, just me with a piano or guitar. I follow something that feels real, and only later I understand what it was about.

What is your earliest memory connected to music?

When I was a kid, I thought music could actually change things.

When my parents were falling out of love, I remember thinking that if they listened to Can You Feel the Love Tonight by Elton John, something might shift. Like they would remember how they felt about each other.

I don’t think that way anymore, but that belief in music stayed.

How did your passion for creating music begin?

It started as a way to deal with things I couldn’t really explain.

I wasn’t trying to make something for others. It was more about understanding what I was feeling.

I just kept coming back to it.

What’s the story behind your current music project?

For a long time music was something I was doing alongside other things.

I was running a tech company in Kyiv when the war started. I stayed there for two years. Air raid sirens, blackouts, everything that comes with it.

At some point it became very clear that “later” doesn’t really exist in the way you think it does.

I asked myself what I would regret not doing. The answer was obvious.

So I stepped away from the safe path and focused on music.

The songs I’m releasing now came out of that time. I didn’t plan them as a project. I was just trying to make sense of things.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?

It usually starts quiet and then grows.

A lot of songs begin with just voice and piano or guitar, and then build into something heavier with drums and guitars.

Think like Rock meets Pop, Country and a bit of Metal. 

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?

That I don’t need to understand the song when I start it.

Now I just follow it and figure it out later.

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?

Piano and guitar.

If a song works there, it works.

Then I use Logic Pro to build it out.

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

I really like Sebastian Schub and King Yanzs – these guys are wild.

How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

They shape everything.

Growing up between cultures, and later going through a period where everything around you can change very quickly, it affects how you see people and relationships.

That naturally ends up in the songs.

What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

I’m not trying to give a message.

If someone listens and feels like they’re not alone in something, that’s enough. 

What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?

That people connect to something real, not something perfect.

What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?

I have a dream of having a concert at the Arena di Verona. It’s got 15 K seats. I saw Mark Knopfler performance there – one of the reasons I’m doing music.

If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

John Lennon

I like how direct his songs are. Simple, but they stay with you.

Where can our listeners follow and support your music?

You can find me as Kit Vipers on Spotify, Instagram, and YouTube
Website: kitvipers.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/kitvipers

Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?

I want to keep doing this for as long as humanly possible. I want to reach as many souls as possible and build a lasting connection. 

Whats’s coming next are: a full album and live shows …

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

That I’m not pretending to have it figured out.

YouTube video

I love making music videos.