Meet Kali J: Artist & Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kali J and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kali, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I think risk taking is a crucial part of growth and self-improvement and in my opinion, calculated risk helps to eliminate the “what if.” For example, when I reach the end of my life, I want to look back and know that I chased after my dreams, I gave it my best, and that I exhausted every option. Having to take on a little risk along the way just comes with the territory. I know too many people who didn’t pursue their passions in life because they were afraid what their friends and family would think, they were afraid failure, or they were simply afraid of the unknown. I just want to help embolden people to push past those uncomfortable parts. Don’t be afraid of risk. Be afraid of “what if.”

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
One thing that probably sets me apart as an artist/songwriter is that I try to blur the lines between my own personal artistry and writing music that works for advertising. It’s actually kind of funny how in trying to write for sync several years ago, I accidentally stumbled across a sound that has helped defined me as an artist and create the brand I am today. Of course at times, trying to walk the line between sync and what feels authentic to me as an artist can be tricky, but at the center of it all, I just want my music to leave both fans and brands feeling cool, confident and full of life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As someone who used to play acoustic cover gigs around the Atlanta area, I think some of my favorite spots are naturally centered around live music. When I have friends come to visit, I make sure to take them Eddy’s Attic (Decatur), Madlife Stage and Studios (Woodstock), and City Winery (Atlanta). Eddy’s Attic is of course known for its fantastic original music. This tiny venue helped launch artists such as Sugarland and John Mayor and would be the first place I’d take a friend if they wanted to hear some up-and-coming artists. Madlife Stage and Studios is one of the coolest venues I seen. Not only do they have a great restaurant and a massive, separate live music room, but they also have a state of the art recording studio attached to the venue. Madlife hosts some pretty incredible singer-songwriter nights, but they’ve also built quite a name for themselves with tribute bands. If my friends and I are ever in the mood for some classics like Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, etc, Madlife would be the first on my list. Lastly, I might be biased cause I used to play there (lol), but City Winery is a great place for music and pictures. Classy and aesthetic, City Winery has created a great atmosphere for its guests. With cover music on the ground floor and a live music venue below, it’s a fantastic place to check out some live music, drink wine, and hangout with friends. Always at the top of my list! Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yes! I’d like to give a shout out to my family and the folks at TAXI. My family has been so supportive on my music journey and in helping me find a career that I love. Literally since the age of 6, my parents have supported me whether it be with music lessons, instruments, or by simply believing in my vision (so thanks Mom and Dad, haha). As for Taxi, Taxi was the first music convention I ever went to (in the Fall of 2017) and it completely changed my life. Not only is the community of members so amazing and supportive, but I also found Taxi TV to be super helpful and informative. When I was first learning about world of sync, I stumbled across all of Taxi’s episodes on Youtube and I absolutely devoured them. I learned so much and met so many amazing collaborators that first year and it’s all thanks to TAXI.

Website: https://www.kalij.net/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kalijmusic/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kali-arnott-kali-j-5bb366124/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/musikality94

Other: TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMekuKfUV/