Perched on the precipice of the Canadian wilderness, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Naomi Kavka is inching closer to the release of her new album, Then and Now.
As a classically trained vocalist, guitar-player, and cellist, Kavka has fashioned a bold and original indie pop sound. She and her band, (Geoff McFarlane, Ian Olmstead, Jake Jenne, and Jordy Walker) have blended their backgrounds in jazz, classical music, folk, and rock to create a complex and truly authentic album. Then and Now consists of eight songs, ranging in musicality and commentary, whether intimate or political, to melancholic or snarky. It is set to drop June 14th.
And on April 11th, she released her latest single leading up to the album, “Landline.” As a queer woman and child of a refugee, Kavka draws from unique life experiences to write innate and enigmatic lyrics, as displayed in her latest single.
We got to chat with her to learn more about her Canadian roots, what inspired her new album, and much more.
What can you tell us about life in Smithers, British Columbia?
Smithers is an amazing place for me to live. When I arrived here, I felt like the community wrapped me in a big warm blanket and made me feel right at home. There are so many artists and musicians here, and so much support for the arts. It’s a very small town, nestled in the mountains of central BC. There’s wilderness all around, which I need in my life, but also lots of opportunities to be around art and creative people, which I also need. It strikes the perfect balance for me.
What are three things people should know about Naomi Kavka?
- My name is pronounced Nay-oh-me, but it doesn’t bother me if you pronounce it any other way!
- I am a huge dork and love podcasts and video games. If you like playing Mario Kart, then you have a decent shot at joining my band. If you know who Jamie Loftus is, we’re probably best friends.
- I’m a big advocate of mental health awareness and acceptance. I hope to be an ally to anyone who has felt left out, shunned, or alienated because of stigmas or misunderstandings about mental health.
You have your new single, “Landline,” fresh out on streaming services. What can you tell us about the musical and lyrical influences behind it?
This song took a while to develop. I wrote the verses as a little folk ballad when I was in college, and it had a different chorus which I scrapped eventually. Pretty sure I fully borrowed a lyric from a Bright Eyes song, as was the style at the time. I was living in Victoria, studying at the conservatory, and had a landline at my house instead of a cell phone, so the song was about walking to school, with an argument I didn’t finish with my partner still going through my head. I shelved that song for a long time, having gigged it a few times as a faster paced song, before finally finding a chorus for it and solidifying it as a more driven indie rock song. It was a fun process, but slow!
I see the single is from your upcoming album, Then and Now. What can you tell us about this collection of songs? Are there common themes or motifs throughout?
Then and Now is eight songs that were written between 2008 and 2023. I came back to a lot of old ideas for this album, finishing half formed questions that I didn’t have answers for when I was younger.
I went through a really tough period about five years ago: my Dad passed away, a serious relationship ended really suddenly and painfully, a lot of friendships that were important to me also ended. I attempted suicide, and then went through a really long period of healing, therapy, and finding myself again. During that time I got sober, and was able to find a focused way to communicate these really intense and big feelings through these songs.
Therapy has helped me recognize patterns in my life in relationships and my behaviour that I noticed were things I was singing about when I was much younger. It felt good to be able to revisit those feelings through these songs from a new perspective and find some peace with them, and to have them compliment the newer songs I have written.
What was the most rewarding and most challenging part of making this album?
Making this album has been literally a dream come true. I think the biggest highlight was getting connected with my amazing band, and getting to work with Jordy Walker. We drove up to Whitehorse, YT from Smithers twice to record with him, and it was all because Jordy is just the best and worth the trip. For reference, that drive in the winter was 16 hours one way. Once we all crammed into my Jetta for the voyage, and another time it was in the dead of winter. That didn’t feel like a challenge because it was so exciting to go do it, but looking back on it, it’s pretty wild that we did that.
What messages do you typically try to get across in your music?
With this album especially, I think my biggest message is having an insolent sense of hope despite hardships, and to be able to find a sense of awe in the face of the unknown.
How has your classical cello, guitar, and vocal training shaped you as a modern indie musician?
I started my life as a musician playing rock and roll, and didn’t get formal lessons until I’d already been playing for a few years. Learning cello in a classical setting was something that challenged me as a musician and a person in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. I was so behind everyone else my age, and had so much self doubt to grapple with, so it taught me to try and focus on my own progress without negatively comparing myself to others. It also offered a framework for understanding the structures and relationships of western music, which I always related back to pop music and the things I found most interesting in that style.
How has your sound developed throughout your musical journey?
I’m interested in music in so many forms and genres, and it’s allowed me to explore music pretty dynamically through my career. My first solo album is really alt country, and rootsy, and I loved that but it doesn’t speak to me in the same way anymore. I spent many years playing acoustic and folk music. That was often out of that format being the only accessible way to share my songs.
Traveling with a band takes so many resources, but traveling solo or as a duo is so simple. My first band was a duo that wrote epic poppy prog indie rock songs, but we usually just played as a duo so we got sort of lumped into being a folk band. I think in a big way, Then and Now is an album for my 20-year-old self. It gets back to my dreams of big sprawling sounds and epic guitar solos.
What does a dream gig look like for you these days?
It would have a green room with all my favourite candy, good sound, and a kind audience. And any gig can almost be a dream gig if you bring your own candy!
What might you have in store whether musically or otherwise post-album release?
I’m hitting the road in May with my dear friend Richard Garvey! We’re touring around Vancouver Island and the BC interior! Plus I’ll be at festivals all over BC this summer. I hope to tour farther out later this year, and see where the music takes us! Then and Now comes out June 14th, and my next single “Hate to Say it” is out May 16th!
