Kinga Angelys is...?
My artist name is Kinga Angelys and I am Canadian musician and songwriter based in Germany. I independently released my first song Parachute in 2019, an acoustic pop EP in 2020, and haven’t looked back ever since.
My music tends to be pretty upbeat with sentimental undertones and over the years I've been inspired by Dolly Parton, The Cranberries, Amy Winehouse, Jewel and Feist...
I also wrote a childrens song recently for PLAN INTERNATIONAL and the “Gemeinsam Stark den Start” project.
The goal of the song Kinder der Welt and project is to foster integration of migrant and refugee children in Germany in an empowering way while celebrating our similarities and differences. It was great to be musically involved in something I am very passionate about.
Can't do Christmas without you
Ob man es jetzt wahr haben will oder nicht, es ist wieder mal so weit. Alle Jahre wieder, sag ich nur. Und damit läuten wir bereits das Rennen Richtung Christmas Day ein. Der erste Song in diesem Jahr kommt von einer kanadischen Künstlerin welche mittlerweile in Deutschland zu Hause ist. Mit "Can't do Christmas without you" liefert Kinga Angelys einen Weihnachtssong ab, der sich mit all den Klassikern, wie ich finde, durchaus messen kann. Der Track kreiert diese harmonische Stimmung welche einfach dazu gehört.
Eine "Ich fahr jetzt nach Hause zu meinen Liebsten" Stimmung, man sieht sich beinahe schon im Auto sitzen und Richtung Heimat fahren. Hervorragend gemachter Song, und es würde mich nicht wundern wenn wir diesen ab jetzt jedes Jahr, mit all den Klassikern zusammen, hören werden.
Q&A
Who inspired you to make music in general?
My father has such a passion for music and was always playing music in the house and car as well as finding opportunities for my siblings and I to sing in school and church.
Though I enjoyed performing and singing covers, I got to a point where I realised I had stories to share too .
So I wanted to combine my love of writing with my love of music and take songwriting more seriously.-just didnt know where to start A couple of years ago I met an artist Meiko who was releasing her album “IN YOUR DREAMS”. Her message was never stop doing what makes you tick and encouraged me to release my own songs too.
I am so grateful to both my father for nurturing music in my childhood and to her that I had someone to look up to in my adult life to fearlessly bring my dreams to life.
I think many of us are creative as children but I needed some inspiration and support to continue that.
"Can't do Christmas without you" sounds great, how do you celebrate this time of the year?
Thank you:) I wrote it from the perspective of the pandemic when I and many others couldn’t get back home to loved ones for Christmas. In the end all we had were our Christmas memories to get us through. The way I celebrate Christmas now has changed since moving from Canada to Germany.
For one, I am obsessed with Christmas markets- The Christmas spirit is so alive and I always enjoy the Glühwein, Eierpunch, and Schmalzkuchen.
I also look forward to choosing a Christmas tree, decorating, lighting the advent candles on Sunday, and opening the chocolate calendars every day in December:) Best of all, playing Christmas music all December long:)
Do you bake by yourself?
I do bake with my children but I much prefer cooking since I can get creative and don’t have to follow directions as much.
My German husband is an amazing baker though…he is more precise and his creations always tastes delicious- especially his butterkuchen.
.. and is there a funny Christmas story we should know?
Here are a few you can choose the one you like best:) (we love all :) )
1.
There was a point when my siblings and I were students we decided to do Secret Santa with 15 dollar limit instead of getting every single person in our large family a gift. We all ended up with most random gifts like a head massager, compass with a flashlight, framed photo of a tiger, and my younger brother got an actual lump of coal from my other brother (my parents were not happy about that one:).
2.
As I mentioned a lot has changed since moving to Germany. My first Christmas market I discovered you get money back when you return your Gluhwein mugs so I ended up spending a few hours
there collecting the mugs people left behind and bringing them back- I collected quite some coins that evening:)
3.
Our first Christmas together I asked my husband what we will do with our tree. He told me that we will throw it out the window of course. When I asked why he said because if we drag it down 4 flights of stairs the needles will get all over the staircase and it will be too messy.
So we agreed this was the practical way and I waited on the bottom floor as he threw the Christmas tree through the window on the 4th floor. I then I put it on the side of the road with the other trees. Now this has become something exciting that I look forward to every year- our flying tree:)
Do you remember your first ever self written song?
Yes my family still teases me about them. I made up many songs as a child in the car rides going on holidays creating characters about people we saw and stories about the different
locations etc. My first song as an adult was a cute little love song I played on the guitar called Coffee and Cake :)
What was the first ever Pop/Rock/... song you listened to?
It must have been “The Sign” by Ace of Base or “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette.
What’s next for you?
I have a few more releases coming up next year including a pop rock song in February which is a bit different than my usual style but I am very excited about.
I am also writing new songs and ultimately I hope to make a difference somehow with my music- songs that can lift the spirits and hopefully bring comfort and inspire.
