Name: Khadeeja Carter aka Khadeeja Grace
Nationality: American
Occupation: Producer, singer, songwriter
Current release: Khadeeja Grace's new single “Shed” featuring SaraProblem, is out via Grace Galaxy.
Recommendations: Music: Giant Steps by John Coltrane; Book: Boundaries, When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life

If you enjoyed this Khadeeja Grace interview and would like to stay up to date on her music, visit her on Instagram, Facebook, twitter, and Soundcloud.



Do you think that some of your earliest musical experiences planted a seed for your interest in production and technology?

Absolutely! My father had a small studio in the basement and I saw the technology he used to produce certain textures in sound which is of course outdated.

Later I discovered that I needed to do the same thing considering that I never mastered any instruments except voice. Technology helped me create the sound I produce.

What were your very first active steps with music technology and how would you rate the gains made through experience - can one train/learn being an artist/producer?

My first step was investing in a small Casio keyboard and teaching myself how to create and record individual tracks within it.

I noticed the patience I had for learning how to stack vocals and keyboard arrangement so I decided to apply the same pressure with learning how to do this in a DAW.

Were/are you interested in the history of production and recording? If so, which events, albums, artists, or insights stand out for you?

I was not really interested in the history of production and recording; I only used it to execute my mission as an artist and to express myself musically. However, there were certain producers who I became motivated by to learn more sophisticated ways of production.

One of them was J Dilla who was a cross between the old and the new. He had the ability to make his productions sound vintage (analogue) by using samples from records while adding digital sound to his tracks. He also played drums on many of his productions but would also program a beat and I admired is lack of limitations.

One of my fav tracks that display this type of work is Slum Village’s “Untitled (Instrumental Mix)” from Fantastic, Vol. 2.10:



In this track he samples Stereolab’s “Refractions in the Plastic Pulse” at 4:07:



Making music, in the beginning, is often playful and about discovery. How do you retain a sense of playfulness as things become more professionalised and how do you still draw surprises from equipment you may be very familiar with?

I step away from music when I feel obligated to create and it keeps it untainted. When I want to try a new thing, I simply use a new virtual instrument to add something fresh.

When I want to switch up, I listen to music that I want to be influenced by and challenge myself to discover ways to create that texture in sound.

For your own creativity, what is the balance and relative importance between what you learned from teachers, tutorials and other producers on the one hand – and what you discovered, understood, and achieved yourself? What are examples for both of these?

I think it’s important to understand how to merge both worlds; what you learn from professionals and how to translate it to a practice that will work for you.

A good example of this is ear training and laying down vocals. I learned how to formally EQ vocals but I also use my ear to make the vocals sound exactly how I need to and not always sticking to all of the rules I learned while using some of them … this is something I had to experience on my own.

How and for what reasons has your music set-up evolved over the years and what are currently some of the most important pieces of gear and software for you?

My music evolved because I spent so many years learning how to get a sound out of my head without being so quick to go public.

I gave myself time to grow as an artist and producer. I didn’t share my sound until I was confident about the way I wanted it to be heard and spent many years using Pro Tools to lay out vocals and Propellerhead Reason for my virtual instruments.

The most important gear to me was my UAD Apollo Twin as a vocalist.

Have there been technologies which have profoundly influenced, changed or questioned the way you make music?

The Red Drum and Dr Oct Rex loop player in Reason. At one point I didn’t think it was possible to make a loop sound original until I played 2 or 3 at the same time to create an entirely different beat. I used virtual beat machines to build a beat one high hat, one kick drum and one other percussion at a time;

I still do this but learning how to use a couple of loops to create a new sound when played together opened up a new world of music for me.

One example of this is my song “Deep Down” where I used this method:



Yann Tiersen, in a surprising statement, told me: "I feel more sincere with electronic instruments [than acoustic ones]." Is that something you can relate to?

I feel more authentic with my virtual instruments because it’s what I use the most.

If I decide to play a piano part (Which I know how) I would feel the same as long as it’s all coming from a true place and it sounds the way I desired it to.

Late producer SOPHIE said: “You have the possibility with electronic music to generate any texture, and any sound. So why would any musician want to limit themselves?” What's your take on that and the relevance of limitations in your set-up and process?

I agree. I live by this same mindset because in my home studio I want the advantage of creating absolutely anything I hear in my soul.

I feel like all producers who are constantly testing boundaries in music should have an array of virtual instruments, plugins or whatever is possible to execute those ideas with no limitations.

From the earliest sketches to the finished piece, what does your current production workflow/process look like?

I start with what I hear in my head and never with a template. I record all of the parts into a DAW on my phone. Then I open Pro Tools, cut on the mic and do the same there.

Often, I’ll program the baseline and the beats first to lay the foundation of the track and I always use a click track so I can place samples in without issue. Then I’ll start singing the harmonies or vocals that freely come and do this back and forth between which sounds stick out in my head until the song is nearly finished. I usually build on a song in sections or what section came first.

I usually step away from the song and come back to see if I like it after a day or so and at that point I work on a song until it feels good to the point of me listening to it on repeat for enjoyment. After I approve of the recordings I’ll start mixing because I usually edit as I record. I mix as if I am a consumer and pass it along to those who have stronger ears for feedback that I can trust.

Rhythm, sound design, melody/harmony, something else – when do the different elements of a piece come into play for you?

It usually come to me like: harmony/melody, chord progression and rhythm at the same time. But the development is usually laying down the foundations first to have something to put the vocals and keys on top of.

In relation to sound, one often reads words like “material”, “sculpting”, and “design”. How does your own way of working with sound look like? Do you find using presets lazy?

I apply a non-traditional approach to working with sound; I design based on impulse and inner desire. I rarely use pre-sets because I make music off of impulse (which is often) in oppose to when I use adobe as a paid designer … I use presets there.

I don’t think it’s lazy to use presets if you feel comfortable with a particular workstation/setup.

What, to you, are the respective benefits of solo work and collaborations and do you often feel lonely in the studio? Can machines act as collaborators to you?

I never feel lonely in the studio because I’ve learned to enjoy my own workspace and privacy. However, machines are seen as servants in my environment.

To some, the advent of AI and 'intelligent' composing tools offers potential for machines to contribute to the creative process. What are your hopes, fears, expectations and possible concrete plans in this regard?
 
I have more concerns than positive thoughts on AI. On one hand it’s beneficial for those who use it to recreate their own sound and ideas.

My concern is the amount of theft that’s going to take place when someone wants to clone a voice or style for gain and saturate the market with unauthentic sounds. That’s my concern.

If you could make a wish for the future directly to a product developer at a Hard- or Software company – what are developments in tools/instruments you would like to see and hear?

I wish there was a virtual microphone that could CHOOSE the tone or type of mic that would be best for you just by you singing into it instead of you having to try all of these mics independently.

This may already be a thing but I never heard of such.