Interview
Mani Kioo
Mani is a Los Angeles native, born and raised. She studied music and art in Mississippi. Mississippi is known as the ‘birthplace of music’, and Mani had the privilege of being heavily influenced by the Blues, which she hadn’t been exposed to prior to college.
The Arts run in Mani’s family. Her mother was a violin player, her father produces music, her uncle was an English professor, her grandmother was a kind of local celebrity singer in Honduras, and both of Mani’s grandmothers sang and played piano.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I’ve always been artistically inclined, especially in music and crafting, and I love working with my hands. As a young girl, I’d use cardboard to build things like dollhouses, instead of playing with my actual dollhouse. My 7th grade art teacher helped push me along my journey into the visual arts world. She instilled in her students the belief that we could draw anything with enough patience and concentration. I ran like the wind with that belief, and realized I actually had talent in both drawing and crafting.
My journey into the music world definitely began with singing and writing. I’ve enjoyed writing stories and poetry since school-age, and I’ve been singing for as long as I could talk. But it wasn’t until I was 9 that I realized I could write my own lyrics. My biggest past-time was, and still is, performing in front of a mirror or a pretend audience. As I grew and explored, I developed a casual interest in dancing, producing, and playing drums. I was really excited when I discovered I could play the piano by ear.
I was a singer in a Soul band in college, where I gained my stage presence and confidence. Through this experience, it dawned on me that I feel most like my natural self while performing on a stage. I always had a taste for all the arts in general, with modeling being the latest addition to my journey. I have to try out everything. But along with animals, music has always been my number one passion.”
What inspires you most?
“My first source of inspiration is nature and its relationships. Second is all art forms, especially paintings, books, and TV/film. I especially enjoy horror movies like Darkness Falls, The Strangers, Funny Games, and drama-crime-mystery shows like Columbo and Criminal Minds.
I’m also inspired by connection and disconnection. In music specifically, it’s often the things people don’t want to talk about, but love to listen to songs about. If I find an irresistibly relatable topic, I will write about it or visualize it in another form. It’s the same as when I find an area where a lot of people debate on or feel disconnected with, even if it’s taboo. I feel like my job is to be a perspective warrior.
Some of the most inspiring words ever for me have been, ‘Art is subjective’. So I live by the words, ‘Life is perspective. Art is subjective.’”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“My themes typically revolve around mental/physical/emotional health, love, wealth, mystery, darkness, spirituality, mysticism, sensuality, and philosophies. My underlying message is ultimately unity.”
How would you describe your work?
“The two words that best describe my work are versatile and dynamic. My work can be wild, high energy, and insensitive. It can also be sweet, calm, and uplifting, or a complete mix of the two.”
Which artists influence you most?
“For visual art, Jordan Peele, Basquiat and Picasso.
In the music arena, I love the following musicians/producers: Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, Ella Fitzgerald, Jhene Aiko, Jill Scott, Keyshia Cole, SiR, Bas, Bryson Tiller, Missy Elliot, Ludacris, Tyler the Creator, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Ab-Soul, Big KRIT, CEO Trayle, and Willow, despite her young age.”
What is your creative process like?
“When it comes to songwriting, I would describe myself as a turtle-like perfectionist. Ideas come to me like lightning, but I tend to take my time translating them, regardless of whether I have the words or the composition first. At other times when I write, everything just comes right out.
For music production and beats, I usually already have part of the composition in my head with different instruments. Sometimes I create it using visual stimulation from the environment, simply transferring it onto paper, then onto the computer or instrument. This is a skill I’m still developing. Or I’ll use the music I hear to create visual art, like a drawing or painting. I believe that a good song or album paints a picture, tells a story, or plays you a movie. I keep that in mind when reviewing my work.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The artist’s greatest role is to convey emotion. They also entertain different parts of the self, provide connections, and help with the healing processes. I notice a lot of people gain a sense of belonging through music or other art forms that resonate with them.
Art you enjoy is like a small piece of you manifested into form. I feel that as long as we’re human, the artist’s role won’t change much, though over the past decade I have seen social media play a big part in shifting art very slightly into an even more humanitarian field of work. Artists see what the world needs, and help provide it in the ways they know best.”
Please tell us about any previous exhibition you found noteworthy and wish to share.
“My work of late has consisted of performances in the Soul & Parliament band and my amateur papier-mâché, Mike & Ike. I’ve been on a long hiatus, so all content will finish cooking and start boiling over soon, coming out fresh!”
Instagram (Arts & Entertainment): @manikioo
Instagram (Shop): @tomarformabrand/
Other: Soundcloud, TikTok, Facebook
