KiKi’s career has been a thrilling journey, from performing in Japan to co-writing and leading the cast of Forever Dusty: The Dusty Springfield Musical. Now focused on her music career, she continues to blend her rich theatrical roots with indie-pop. Her latest single, "WIN U OVER," displays this evolution. Beyond the music, KiKi’s commitment to philanthropy and advocacy is a cornerstone of her identity. Her support for LGBTQ+ initiatives through The Village and food security efforts with Project Angel Food reflects her belief that art and empathy are deeply interconnected, using her platform to uplift and inspire marginalized communities. To learn more about KiKi Holli and her upcoming projects, please read on.

Where are you based?
Thank you very much for this interview. I’m very excited to do this for Jejune Magazine. You all rock! Currently, I’m based in Los Angeles, specifically in Silverlake on the east side of LA.

What inspired you to pursue music?
Music has always been in me, and singing is something I’ve always done. I started taking singing lessons when I was eight and still study with professional coaches to this day. I played viola and saxophone for about five years, which taught me how to read music. I did show choir and musical theatre all through high school and earned a BFA with an emphasis in music and theatre in college. During that time, I also started playing guitar and piano.

After moving to Los Angeles, I was cast in plays, musicals, TV shows, and films, including having the lead in a movie musical comedy. I lived in Japan for a year singing there with a group of Americans. And also co-wrote and starred in an Off-Broadway musical.

I started focusing more on my music career and writing, co-writing, and releasing my own material which is where I am today.

Congratulations on your new single, "WIN U OVER." Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this song and what you hope listeners will take away from it?
Thank you very much! We’re thrilled with this single. I co-wrote it with twice Grammy-nominated producer Ethan Allen, who also produced and engineered the track.

We wanted to create a dance track that makes you get up and groove — something with deep hooks that get your body moving. Ethan created that sort of zoom sound that goes back and forth on the track, and we were off. We drew inspiration from listening to Giorgio Moroder-produced Donna Summer tracks. Their work together was truly genius.

The song is about meeting someone on the dance floor, dancing your ass off, and maybe going home with them. One of my favorite lyrics is, “Can’t stop feeling like pretending that we are in love…” I’ve had those moments on the dance floor — sweaty, falling for someone — and maybe, possibly, a couple of times, I went home with them. But, you know, a lady never spills the T honey. Haha!

How do you approach blending different musical styles, and what do you think it brings to your music?
I think our approach to blending musical styles comes very naturally during the writing process. Sometimes I bring fully formed songs or just a hook or chorus, and we work from there.

When songs come to me, I let them play out for 4–5 minutes to capture some ideas for lyrics or hooks in an initial recording. Ethan has loaded my voice memos into a Pro Tools session and started building out the track that way. That blew my mind. He’s got mad skills. Other times, we build tracks from scratch, which has been our more recent approach.

I believe songs are already out there in the universe fully formed, and it’s our job as artists to carefully pull them into this world. While genre-bending is common these days in a single-driven market, we try to keep our music recognizable as KiKi Holli. That said, I still love the idea of a cohesive album (like The Cure’s new album- SONGS OF A LOST WORLD!) with a theme or purpose, which is why the singles I’ve released will be part of an album coming out early next fall. This body of work is the best I’ve ever done, and I’m so incredibly proud of it.

Your songs resonate with themes of vulnerability and empowerment. Why do you feel it's important to address these themes in your music, and how do you hope it impacts your listeners?
Vulnerability and empowerment are qualities I deeply want to explore within myself and convey through my work. I’ve struggled with letting people get close to me, being open/vulnerable, and building self-esteem and confidence. Naturally, I write from a place where I hope listeners can connect with these emotions and explore them within themselves.

We also love “Find My Way Back Home.” Can you tell us a bit about the story behind this song?
Thank you so much! The song hasn’t been officially released yet. Very happy you had a chance to listen to it. Universally, it’s about finding peace and holding space for the possibility of peace, even in the darkest times.

I’ve been heartbroken over what’s happening in Israel and Gaza and the reverberations around the globe—the tragic loss of innocent lives, people being held captive, and the unimaginable events at the Nova music festival, which was meant to be a peaceful gathering. Watching this unfold from afar has been devastating.

My father, a decorated Vietnam veteran and peace advocate, encouraged me to write about it. One day, the melody and hook “Find My Way Back Home” came to me. I took it to Ethan, and we shaped it together, rewriting the lyrics. Ethan brought a more universal perspective, which is what makes the song so special—it resonates with many hearts.

Alongside music, we heard that you co-wrote and starred in Forever Dusty: The Dusty Springfield Musical. What inspired you to create this production, and how did you approach telling Dusty Springfield's story?
Thank you for noticing! Forever Dusty ran Off-Broadway at New World Stages for six months, eight shows a week, with me singing 22 songs per show. It was intense!

I began writing the musical while working at USC’s Screenwriting Division. After receiving a small grant to develop my ideas, I performed an early version on campus. From there, we produced the show in Los Angeles, eventually taking it to NYC and London.

Raising well over half a million dollars took five years of waiting tables in Hell’s Kitchen, 11 backer auditions, and a little serendipity — a woman who attended my Joe’s Pub show later helped me secure funding. Now, I’m working on adapting the musical into a film, which has always been my dream.

You mentioned that half of the proceeds from Forever Dusty went to The Village in Los Angeles. Can you tell us a bit about their work?
The Village operates The Renberg Theatre, where profits support the LGBTQ+ community. We did a co-production with them. They focus on helping homeless gay youth and seniors, offering housing and resources. For more details, you’d need to contact them directly, but they do amazing, vital work.

What does it mean to you to support LGBTQ+ organizations through your work?
Everything. The LGBTQ+ community has shaped who I am as a person and artist. My best friend, Kelly Mantle, and I have shared this journey for years. I’ll always support this community — it’s part of my heart and soul.

You’ve supported organizations like The Village and Project Angel Food. Can you tell us more about your work with them and why it’s important to you?
Giving back is deeply important to me. Clifford Bell, a dear friend who recently passed away, introduced me to Project Angel Food’s benefits, which I’ve participated in for years.

The Village focuses on helping homeless gay and transgender youth and seniors, while Project Angel Food delivers nutritious meals to those in need, initially starting during the AIDS crisis. Both organizations address crucial needs in the community.

How do your philanthropic efforts influence your music and mission as an artist?
Art and philanthropy are interconnected. Empathy and a deep connection to the human experience fuel my creativity.

How have you evolved as a musician, and what key moments have shaped your journey?
I’ve completely evolved and feel I’m creating my best work now. And I hope that when you ask me that in a few years, I will have the same answer. I want to be like The Cure or Dolly or Clint Eastwood and keep putting out great work well into my latter years.

Key moments include supportive parents who recognized my talent, amazing teachers, living in Japan, heartbreak, writing my musical, meeting my partner in life, and working with incredible producers like Ethan Allen, which is always a master class.

Are there any upcoming projects you’d like to share?
My album drops next fall, and I’m producing my first feature film, adapted from a graphic novel.

It’s been a crazy few years. How have you stayed positive?
Movement, meditation, prayer, singing, good friends, laughter, baking bread, homemade pizza, and old movies.

What’s your motto in life?
What will you do with your one wild and precious life? If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it. Live and let live. Always be yourself — unless you can be Batman (or Batwoman) — then always be Batman… or maybe Beyoncé. ;)

To learn more about KiKi Holli, please follow the links below:
kikiholli.com
Instagram: @kikihollirock
SPOTIFY: KiKi Holli
Facebook: @KiKiHolliMusic
Twitter: @kikihollimusic
TikTok: @kikiholli
Apple Music: KiKi Holli
YouTube: @kikihollimusic
Substack

KiKi Holli - Pulling Songs into the World