Victoria G Interviews Kyle Sevenoaks

Victoria G: What inspired you to become a composer?

Kyle Sevenoaks: For me, I've always been hooked by the way music within a scene can impact your mood and how you interpret a scene.

VG: How long have you been a composer for?

KS: I've been composing pieces of music and songs since the late 90s when I was introduced to metal music by my mum when she gave me a Machine Head tape she didn't like. After that I wanted to make the same angry noises I heard on that tape. Soon after got into more industrial bands and have always loved the sound of a good synth so it all evolved from there.

VG: What was the first instrument you learned how to play?

KS: The first instrument I learned how to play to any degree is the piano. I took piano lessons in high school so I could better get my compositional ideas across and write music. After that I took to the electric guitar (because of The Metal) and then discovered the unimaginable power of the bass, which is my main instrument these days.

VG: Who are your musical inspirations?

KS: If I had to nail down specific artists, I'd say definitely Nine Inch Nails, Machine Head, The Prodigy, James Horner (Wrath of Khan soundtrack oh my God so good), and surprisingly enough, Static-X.

VG: What are three qualities every composer should have?

KS: I think three good qualities any composer should have are patience, because sometimes you write some real crap and you just gotta get through it, creativity obviously, since trying to compose and make music without it makes for some really uninteresting stuff and tenacity to just keep going when you feel like the entire world is against you.

VG: What can you share about your new single, "You Are Not Gods"?

KS: It's based on my experience of Cyberpunk 2077 and how I relate the universe to real world events and the joys of modern life. Having been subjected to a whole ton of corporate dipshittery in the past, I felt a lot of the themes of anti-corporate rebellion struck a chord with me, so to speak.

VG: How would you describe yourself in three words?

KS: I would describe myself in three words as: punctual, decisive and unbribable.

VG: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

KS: In ten years I hope to be at or near the peak of my career as a film director, having won awards for my short film (releasing soon) I'm already developing my second film which starts shooting in the Fall.

VG: What advice do you have for aspiring composers?

KS: I have two real pieces of advice for composers at the start of their journey: One: don't be afraid to suck. Seriously, it's all part of the learning curve and you'll write and create some absolute awful stuff. Not everything can be gold, and not all of it will be. Two: Do not give up! If you have a burning passion for what you do, nothing will be able to stop you from doing it. No excuses, just do the composing.

VG: What's next for you?

KS: As mentioned I'm gearing up to shoot my second film, a horror based on a Scandinavian folklore monster as well as releasing another single with a video that feature a shot all as one take, which I'm pretty proud of.