00:00When's the last time you've been to church, Kiki?
00:02OMG!
00:03Girl, it's actually, last time I went to church was a holiday.
00:07But you know, church is the body, it's the temple.
00:15Lynette Nicholas with Essence.
00:17So I love this album.
00:19It kind of shocked me.
00:20It's not your Disney album.
00:21It's kind of raw and grown and sexy, so.
00:24Little Disney, little show biz.
00:26Yeah.
00:27So what are you hoping that your fans will take away from this album?
00:30Because it's so different.
00:31It's a different side of you.
00:32Yeah, what I hope they take away from it.
00:34Well, that is fun.
00:36You know, I had a lot of fun making it.
00:38I wanted to make sure that there's so much joy in it.
00:40Especially because there are a lot of big themes and vulnerability.
00:43But also showcasing the way that I process through humor and levity and reflection.
00:49But ultimately, like art is my medium.
00:51And I'm not just the product, even though that's how I came in so young
00:56through this show biz lens.
00:58I have so much awareness around that.
01:00And much of that was discovered at this time in my life.
01:04Yeah.
01:05It's very timely, too.
01:06Now my, you know, my favorites were Off Script and T-Boo.
01:10Because they're really, really raw.
01:12And they are fun at the same time.
01:14And it also delves into how to navigate the motives of others.
01:17Because you say at one point, turns out he was my biggest fan.
01:20And at this stage in your life, at this stage of your maturity and career,
01:25how do you vet the people to let into your life?
01:27Oh, my goodness.
01:28I mean, I don't want to say unfortunately, but it truly is trial and error.
01:32Now, there are some things that I've learned along the way that can give a sign,
01:35that can let me know if somebody is capable of withstanding my world.
01:39You know, but at the end of the day, people, you only know when you know.
01:44Because a lot of people think, and I say this in Misunderstood, where it's like,
01:47you know, everybody loves the sun till it burns you.
01:51So I think that my lifestyle can be appealing.
01:54And it can seem like it's fine until people get exposed to it.
01:58And so I think one of the biggest thing I also have learned is to take my time
02:01with people seeing that side of my life, the entertainment side of my life.
02:06Yeah, people see the glory, but they don't know the price that you paid.
02:09Yeah.
02:10And Exposed, you say, now I'm just another baby mama.
02:15I let you get me pregnant.
02:17Who worked with you on this song and who wrote it?
02:20You know, delve into that a little bit because that's like out there in your face.
02:23And it's real.
02:25Yeah, Tayla.
02:26Tayla Parks, she executive produced the album.
02:28I wrote all the songs with her and with Cam.
02:31And unless it's you, she did on her own entirely.
02:34But she's been my best friend since I was nine.
02:36And we never really worked on music together.
02:38I mean, we did every now and then, but we never really did it the full way that we did it with this project.
02:42Yeah.
02:43And I think that was probably because, you know, me and her growing up in this industry, we endured so much.
02:48I think there were even parts of myself outside of the parts that you meet relationally in this album.
02:54But just parts of me that I've shoved away from growing up in the industry that are also unpacked through my relationship with her and through us doing this album.
03:03But yeah, I mean, when we talked about all that stuff, that was the stuff that I was like, this is how I felt.
03:08And we were like, let's put it into the music.
03:10And, you know, I wouldn't have done it with anyone else.
03:13Yeah, a lot of women are going to be able to relate to that.
03:15Now they say when you have a good thing, you keep it quiet.
03:18Do you have any regrets about publicly discussing and or just showing the world your relationship?
03:26Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say regret, but I definitely do feel like it was one of those things where I knew that my, you know, maybe I would feel differently, but I do feel like it was what I was just saying moments ago.
03:38I've always been kind of keeping my lives private.
03:41Yeah.
03:42And I think I did that for a reason, because it's a lot.
03:45You know, I know as an entertainer, this is what I signed up for.
03:48But the people in my life, they didn't sign up for that.
03:50Not necessarily my mom, my sisters, my brothers or whatever lover that I have, or not even my son.
03:54And so I often would go back and forth with that fragmentation.
03:59And so I don't know if it's a regret, but I definitely think I was right.
04:02But at the same time, if that is my life, at some point, people will have to understand that, too.
04:07And so I think the album also was, you know, this album in this period of my life is also about less fragmentation, more integration.
04:15It doesn't have to be all at once.
04:17You know, maybe it could have been handled better, but you are who you are.
04:22You know, I'm never going to not be me.
04:24Yeah, we could see that.
04:25You've shown up more as your authentic self, and we appreciate it.
04:28Now, another interesting song or fun song is Amnesia.
04:31And what I specifically noted was that you had, in the visual album, you had a whole younger generation of young girls.
04:37And the song was used to boost their self-esteem.
04:40From your base today, what would you say to your younger self?
04:44And what do you hope other people take from Amnesia?
04:48But the first part first, what would you say to your younger self?
04:51What I would say to my younger self would be that everything happens for a reason and never, ever, ever think it's over.
04:59And what I mean by never thinking it's over is for you, because a lot of times we think the door shuts or it doesn't turn out that all of a sudden that means it's over.
05:09But no, it just means you go another route and you move along.
05:12And so that's what I would say to myself.
05:14I mean, obviously, I feel that my younger self knew that because she's the one who's gotten me through and helped me get thus far.
05:20But that's what I would just say to her.
05:22And then to your other question, I mean, at the point that that happens in the album is after I speak about all this betrayal, all this heartbreak, all of this just complete letdown.
05:33And then I say I go to T-boo and it's kind of like I enter this this escapist world and this shady world.
05:40And then I say, wake up.
05:42And I and I go back to ultimately the foundation of what's most important to me, which is that the next generation, the younger people that are watching me.
05:49And how I can make make the things I do mean something.
05:55Yeah. Legacy.
05:56Now, I also appreciated Ripple.
05:58And one thing that I noted was that you paid homage to the people who cultivated you.
06:02Can you speak to the intent behind Ripples?
06:05And then I'm going to segue to my next question after that, because I love it almost like towards the end.
06:09They had on church clothes in the street with the different colors.
06:12Can you speak to the people who made you?
06:16That's right. I mean, exactly what you said.
06:17I mean, like, I just wanted to showcase, you know, I think it's so easy.
06:22Nobody's parents are perfect.
06:24And it's so easy to get caught up in what your parents should have did or who they could have been or what, you know.
06:29But the truth is, like, I am who I am because of my parents' sacrifices and they are who they are because of their parents' sacrifice.
06:35And so we could sit and we could harbor on why they didn't get it or criticize the wrongs they made or we can honor them for who they've been and how it made us who we are, how we can see differently because of them.
06:49And so I think I just wanted to pay homage to that and show respect to that because I think it's important.
06:54You know what I'm saying?
06:55To show respect to the people that made you and that paved the way for you.
06:59And the many, many ripples, the names that we'll never know that just kept living so we could have a life.
07:06Yeah, it's all connected.
07:07So when it's all said and done, I mean, you're an actress, singer, you're on the world stage.
07:12When it's all said and done, what do you want Leotis to know and think about what you did with your time here on Earth?
07:17Oh, my gosh.
07:18I want him to think, you know, that I tried to be of service with my gifts in the best way I knew how, whether that's making somebody laugh or making somebody cry in a movie or just, you know, giving a good conversation or lending ear that I just did my best.
07:31You know what I mean?
07:32I showed up.
07:33I think that's a big thing, too, right?
07:34It's so easy to resign from life.
07:35It's really ridiculous down here.
07:38You know what I mean?
07:40But if you can just find ways to stay engaged via your friends, your family, and a craft that you love, whatever it may be, you know, then I hope that he could take that, you know, just stay engaged.
07:52Because if you keep living, I'm telling you, my mom has always said this.
07:55My sister wrote a book called Keep Living.
07:58So much is uncovered if you can just stay tuned in.
08:02Yes, stay tuned in.
08:03So, what's your favorite form of expression?
08:06Singing, dancing, acting.
08:08What's your favorite form of expression?
08:10You know, comedian?
08:11I'm about to say, yeah, I think, I mean, I do love talking and getting into conversation and all of that kind of thing.
08:18I don't know if that's an expression in its entirety, but I do love that.
08:23Aside from that, out of all my careers, it's so funny.
08:27I mean, when it comes to acting, I love that because it's a safety blanket, right?
08:31You get to explore all these emotions of somebody else that's not you.
08:35But then with music, it's different because you get to explore all these emotions that are very much you in front of people.
08:41It's like so vulnerable, you know, and sometimes you want to feel that.
08:45So, I think it depends on the strides.
08:48But then, like, if we think about Just Kiki and how that visual album is explored, it's everything at once.
08:55And if I could be all that I am at once, I think I'd prefer that the most.
08:58Now, I want to ask you a question about I want to know. Did you write I want to know?
09:02No, Rico Love.
09:03Well, I want to know.
09:04But it's so real.
09:06Yeah, it is.
09:07It's very grown up.
09:08And I want to know.
09:09Would you want to know?
09:10Because I know I would not want to know.
09:11Girl, I know for sure I wanted to know.
09:13Oh, yes.
09:14That song, and it made me cringe.
09:18But that's when I knew that I had to do it because it was a real visceral feeling.
09:22I had to stop.
09:23Because I don't think I would want to know.
09:25I mean, you'd have to get me out of jail if you're doing something.
09:27Please don't tell me because I do not want to know.
09:29Right?
09:30I just want to go on because I don't think I can handle it.
09:32It's like that TikTok.
09:33Do you want to know?
09:34Do you really want to know?
09:35No.
09:36Girl, it's one of those things.
09:38I would.
09:39And that's why I love the song because it literally is that thing, that feeling of like,
09:44yeah, you just said it.
09:45Like the deepest, darkest, most vulnerable, cringy, weirdest aspects of what it feels like going through loss.
09:53And so that's when I knew for a second I was like, I can't. I can't.
09:56And then I was like, no, you know, I can.
09:59And it's like some of people's favorite songs on the album.
10:02I know.
10:03One last question.
10:05No.
10:06You know, you have so many people around you.
10:07You're busy.
10:08You have so many things coming out.
10:10How do you pour into yourself and how can others pour into to you?
10:13Because so many people think when they're around you that what they're doing is so important.
10:17But when it comes to you, the real Kiki, the person with a mind, body and spirit, how could others around you who may not know how to properly pour into your cup?
10:26Oh, my gosh.
10:27You know, it's so funny.
10:28It's going to sound so weird.
10:29But the best way to properly pour into my cup is to create space when you're around me.
10:36Because I think I'm a person is always feeling like that.
10:39I have to obviously it's it's a habitual thing as I started performing so young, but feeling like I have to create energy in space, you know, that I have to fill it.
10:50And obviously, I've created more boundaries with myself where I don't do that.
10:54But I think if people when people are around me, if they want to support me in my personal life or whatever you have it is, it's just create space for me to not have to say anything to not be performed to just be to exist at my baseline.
