Keir, a songwriter and musician who conveys his feelings via songs, is blazing through the industry with his new track "Lemonade." As a young musician, Keir spent time advocating for mental health and autism, and he continues to weave themes concerning mental health into his lyrics. With a new single named "Voices In The Night" recently released, he continues to share his poetic masterpieces with the world. To find out more about Keir and his work, keep reading!

Where are you based?
I live in Bristol, but I often find myself between here and Berlin living my double life.

What inspired you to take up music? How has it transformed your life?
Well I basically was so obsessed with music it could never be anything else. I was lucky I could sing, and lucky, I had musical siblings to play with growing up. I remember really young I was so obsessed with the idea of making a song, I couldn’t believe you could take a guitar and make something exist. It was like magic.

Your music is full of meaningful lyrics and messages. How would you describe your musical style?
Well I wouldn’t, hahah, I normally just say I love Bowie, Prince, Aretha Franklin, Amy, Miles Davis, and Patti Smith. So, I hope to be somehow in their worlds.

What is your secret to coming up with song lyrics?
I don’t think about it too much, its like a collage, you cut out an eye from here and some lips from over here and glue them together, then I just move it all about until it makes sense, or no sense to me. Then the lyrics are like a tapestry which keeps changing every time you listen.

What was the most recent challenge you faced while working on your music? How have you been able to overcome it?
I was recently working on a song which I couldn’t play the baseline for so after hours of trying every possible melody I went for a walk, came back and sang the baseline Michael Jackson style, that was it done.

Your song Lemonade is beautiful. Can you tell us the story behind this song?
Well this one is definitely a collage lyric style. There is darkness in there and bubbling excitement, you are faced with a decision, to walk further into the ocean or stay on the shore, I like to think most people have too much curiosity so we all wade further into the water. I love the theatre it makes of a simple experience with a person.

We also love your song Time (is a healer). Can you tell us a bit about this song?
Again I don’t know the meanings too well, because I don’t really think about things like that, for me its thoughts and feelings, and sometimes meanings can ruin the feeling. But I know I listen to this one loudly around Bristol and I keep replaying it, I like to think it could be that for someone else too, a friend you can play loudly when you can’t speak to anyone. I love the hope, drive, and uplifting feeling.

Your songs bring out messages of awareness. Why is it critical to address these topics in your music?
Hmm for me its not critical, for me music is otherworldly , a place to escape , a place without dramas of the real world.

What message do you hope to send to your listeners?
None at all, the music is a message enough. If I could say it in words there would be no need for the songs.

You used to work at Dimensions working with people who have autism and severe learning difficulties. Can you tell us a bit about your work with them?
Well it was the best time ever, it taught me great kindness and I still often think about it. I think it even works its way into the songs because it’s still there in my mind. There were many people we supported who for example would have life threatening seizures throughout the day, but in spite of this they were the funniest, happiest people I have ever met. That’s what it teaches you, that your own troubles are never worth getting too caught up in, it teaches you to be calm and philosophical when you feel things are bad.

Since mental health is an important part of your music. How did your work at Dimensions impact/influence your music?
It gave me stories and an interest in darkness and hope. And those are two big themes for me, two sides of the same coin. The mind can feel bigger than the universe sometimes and that interests me so much — the power of thinking and how it can change a life, the mind and why it works the way it does.

What piece of advice would you give to anyone suffering from mental health?
Play sports, read, have kind people around you, do whatever you feel you need to, but know if you aren’t happy then you will need to change something when you feel you are ready.

Do you have any exciting new projects you would like to share?
Well I am working on something right now, but its too early to say anything sorry!

It has been a crazy past few years, how have you been staying positive?
I play tennis every day and make songs anytime I can. I like reading books and watching gangster movies, I just do things I like.

What is your motto in life?
Serve and Volley.

To learn more about Keir, please follow him via the links below:
Instagram: keirsalad
Tik Tok: @keirsalad
Facebook: keirsalad
Twitter: keirsalad

Keir - Expressed Through Music