In conversation with Kid Spirit

“It sounds really cliché, but seeing how music could unite a room full of strangers made me want to learn more about writing and producing, and I guess that was the start of my song writing journey!”

- Kid Spirit

Image: Kid Spirit aka Sujit Naha. Photo by Rob Barrie

Kid Spirit is the alias of London based songwriter/producer Sujit Naha. Having signed record deals with Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group, he’s accumulated over 50,000,000 streams via a host of co-writes and ghost productions, in addition to his own artist project.

A multi-instrumentalist who possesses the unique ability to blur the lines between genres, Sujit uses his classically trained background to create melodies and sounds that are sure to be remembered. His most recent song called ‘Slip Away’ was released on Monstercat in 2022, made in collaboration with Dutch producer Arlow.

Was there a particular moment that inspired you to become a musician? 

My primary school music teacher realised that I had Perfect Pitch (otherwise known as Charlie Puth’s party trick) when I was 5 years old. Since then, I learnt how to play any instrument I could get my hands on, and I ended up specialising as a classically trained violinist. At school I was in every ensemble you could think of, but the thought of chasing a career in music never crossed my mind. 

I was 16 when I discovered Electronic Dance Music (EDM), and I became obsessed with it. My mate took me to see Zedd performing in Camden, and it turned out to be one of the best nights of my life! It sounds really cliché, but seeing how music could unite a room full of strangers made me want to learn more about writing and producing, and I guess that was the start of my song writing journey! 

How has the music that you’ve listened to throughout your life influenced the music that you make? 

I listened to such an eclectic mix of music growing up, and I think you can see that within the Kid Spirit catalogue. I’ve never liked conforming to one genre, and that’s a direct result of listening to anything and everything when I was younger. I’ve released deep house, dance pop, drum & bass… even a Christmas song!  

My parents have such different tastes in music. My mum would be listening to George Michael in the living room, whilst my dad would have Vivaldi’s Four Seasons playing in the kitchen! They always encouraged me to try everything as a kid, whether it was different cuisines, sports, books etc, and I’ve taken that mindset with me into this alias. I’ve got to give my brother a shout out too, he’s definitely had a big influence on my taste in music and has introduced me to loads of dope artists!

How would you introduce your music to someone who has never heard it?  

Good question! I’d say it’s melodic, upbeat, and laced with nostalgia. 

We love your song ‘Slip Away’. Can you tell us a bit about how the song came together, and in your mind, what is ‘Slip Away’ about? 

Thanks so much, I’m super glad you like it! I wanted to write a song about how a few words can completely change the course of a relationship. In the heat of the moment, things can be said which you can’t recover from, and as a result, you can feel the love slowly fade away. You still care about this person but deep down you know that what you had is gone.  

I was sitting on the demo for a few years, and to be honest I wasn’t sure whether the song was going to see the light of day. It sounded great stripped back with just the vocals, guitar and piano. I layered some additional production elements to flesh out the verses and give the song some texture, but the chorus was missing a little something. I then sent the idea to my Dutch friend Arlow, and a couple of days later he sent me what was to be the final version!   

How would you say you’ve grown as an artist since you first started?  

I think that I know myself better as a person compared to when I first started, which makes it easier to translate how I’m feeling into a song. 

How would you define your creative process?  

It changes from song to song. I’ve never been the type of person to just make an ‘up-tempo record that’ll make people dance’ for the sake of it. I usually like to write because I have something to say and because someone out there might relate to it. I tend to start with an emotion and try to turn that into a melody of some sort, or I look through a few lyrics that I’ve scribbled into my iPhone notes, and I go from there. I also rinse the iPhone voice memo app and have hundreds of snippets of me singing little motifs that I’ve thought of whilst not being in the studio. Half of them suck haha, but the odd one can kickstart the song writing process!

What would you say is the most challenging thing about what you do?  

Being an artist is rewarding in so many ways but it’s also incredibly exhausting, and I find that my mental health takes a battering at times. I’m quite a sensitive person; I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I find that channelling what I’m feeling into art can be cathartic but extremely taxing.  

I also developed an unhealthy habit of critically listening to every song that was doing well in the charts. At times it felt like I couldn’t listen to music as a casual listener. I’d always be analysing the melody, chord progression and structure of a song. It ruined my relationship with music for a while, but this passed once I signed my first record with Sony. Ever since, I’ve been able to appreciate music in all its glory, which at one point I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to do again. It’s a dangerous way of thinking to constantly compare yourself with other artists out there, and I’m grateful to have gotten out of that rut.  

What are your top 3 favourite albums of all time and why?  

The first one that comes to mind is definitely Everything Fades to Blue by Sleepy Fish. I don’t drink tea or coffee, but I can’t start my day without my daily dose of his music! It’s become part of my daily routine to play his catalogue whilst getting ready in the morning. Every album of his is incredible, but this is the one I keep coming back to more often than not.   

Next is probably Better Places by Pierce Fulton. Pierce is one of the reasons I fell in love with EDM. Sadly, he passed away in 2021, but his music will always be something I hold dear. The first song I put online as Kid Spirit was a remix of his song ‘Life in Letters’, and he was kind enough to listen and give me feedback on it. I was lucky to get to know Pierce; we used to chat about his latest songs, production techniques, new synthesizers etc, and even though we only spoke a few times, his words had a profound effect on me and helped me navigate the industry. Better Places is one of those albums which seamlessly blends elements from different genres, and I think it’s criminally underrated. 

There might be a slight case of recency bias here but I’m going to give the final spot to gg bb xx by LANY. I was thinking of giving it to Gossamer by Passion Pit as it was the soundtrack to my youth, but gg bb xx pulls at my heartstrings in ways that not many albums have. The lyrics are so personal, and I think that Paul Klein’s vocal delivery is something to behold.  

With social media platforms like TikTok contributing to songs going viral. Do you feel like platforms like these help musicians? 

Absolutely. TikTok has launched the careers of so many artists which is great in itself, but it’s also led to a much more saturated industry. Before social media, the aim of the game was to sign with a label and have them promote you and your music through their network. Nowadays, the power is shifting away from labels as TikTok and other social media platforms provide a massive audience to emerging talent, which is fantastic as more artists get to keep the rights to their music. 

When you look back at your career to date, what makes you feel proud? 

I’m fortunate to have worked with some fantastic artists over the years, and I’m proud of the relationships I’ve built through working in this space. I’ve also signed record deals with the same labels as a few of my idols, which feels like a dream come true. However, what truly makes me happy is knowing that my music has made a difference to peoples’ lives. Some of the messages I receive from listeners are so wholesome, and the fact that my music resonates with them gives me reason to keep doing what I’m doing.  

What is the best advice you have ever received? 

‘Be your biggest fan’.

What’s next for Kid Spirit? 

A lot more co-writes and ghost productions, but potentially a new Kid Spirit release in a couple of months! Keep your eyes and ears peeled!

Music: Spotify, Apple Music, Monstercat

Instagram: @kid.spirit