When did you discover music?
Music was around me at a young age. I was a tomboy growing up, so I feel like music for me would happen while hanging out with all my male cousins. They were always rapping and doing freestyle sessions. Me being the young one and wanting to fit in, I got into it. They would put on a beat and we would freestyle. That’s where the rapping part of it came about.
The singing component happened in elementary school. I just found a picture of a birthday cake when I turned 10 with music notes. It’s helping me remember that singing passion and music passion for me so young that my mom put that on this cake. In elementary I ended up in choir classes, then middle school. Middle school was interesting; in 6th grade my World Music teacher allowed me to record a demo for the first time. That was my first recording studio experience. I had my first experience of recording and actually hearing myself and he told me years later, that he used that demo for the class as a demonstration every year. That’s so cute! It started from there.
Female Takeover is an event you produce. Could you tell me more about that?
Female Takeover, that’s my baby. It’s saying, “This is what someone can do for the community once you put your mind to it. This is how we can shine light on the female artists in the city.” When it comes to Milwaukee as a whole, I feel they are not paying attention to us and even less they aren’t paying attention to the female artists in the city. We don’t get the recognition we really deserve here. That’s where Female Takeover came about. Trying to create that awareness and shine a light on dope female talent to people in our city. It’s grown from artist-based to showcasing hair designers, fashion designers, a wide range of dope female artists because there are so many talented ladies in the city; and not only that, how do we come together? How can the older, more established female artists help the newer and upcoming female artists? It doesn’t have to be a competition, I feel like that’s how it was when I came out as a female artist in Milwaukee. I felt like people didn’t want us to coexist. That was my way of breaking that competition cycle. Let’s all come together to do this for the greater good, because we can create a greater impact together.
I’m glad I can be that big sister, because I didn’t have anybody showing me anything when I first started. I was out here fending for myself, trying to find a way. Like all of us. Don’t be that one to hold information, if you can help somebody it’s best to help. It lifts us all up.
This story is from our partner 88Nine Radio Milwaukee.
Find the full interview with Kaylee Crossfire on 88Nine’s website.
