Los Angeles-based “soulwriter” KIA, a Dutch/Indonesian singer, is making waves in the music scene with her compelling blend of Alternative R&B and soul. Her Retrospect EP serves as a powerful introduction to her evolving sound, followed by her latest neo-soul single, “Remote.” Her upcoming release, “Together” an R&B duet with Adam Wilson, recently took home Best R&B/Soul at the Hollywood Independent Music Awards.
Her music has been praised for its emotional depth and authenticity, with EARMILK noting her “honest and relatable lyrics,” V13 highlighting her “sensuously appealing and emotionally evocative” neo-soul sound, and Lefuturewave declaring that “KIA changes the game when it comes to R&B.” Recently, KIA gained notable recognition, winning both the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and The Howard Rosen Promotion Talent Search, the latter earning her a Times Square billboard promoting her latest single. Alongside these achievements, she contributed to an album now Grammy-nominated, cementing her place among the industry’s most promising talents.
Beyond solo projects, KIA has contributed her songwriting and vocals to various productions, with her music featured on major television shows including The Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise, and Real Housewives of Orange County. She has worked on soundtracks for Netflix’s animated movie Fearless, Kevin Hart’s The Man from Toronto, Netflix’s The Claus Family 3, Hulu’s The Devil Conspiracy, and the German film Help! I Shrunk My Friends. Her talents also extend to notable series and productions such as The Madam$, G’Day USA’s Honoring Liam Hemsworth and Helen Reddy, L-Acoustics L-ISA Technology, and Fortnite’s immersive audio catalogue.
KIA received her undergraduate degree in Vocal Performance with honors from ArtEZ Jazz & Pop Conservatory in Arnhem (The Netherlands). She pursued an academic semester in Songwriting at the Cornel School of Contemporary Music (Los Angeles). Some of her previous mentors include Izaline Calister, Michael Indart, Jessica Vautor, Carla Hasset, Abraham Laboriel, Paul de Castro, and Oscar Hernandez. In 2020, she earned her Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance with a specialization in Commercial Music from California State University, Los Angeles.
