Kyle, Jay and Shereen Cutkelvin are three Scottish siblings who formed their band, The Cutkelvins and became known after their participation in the British talent show, The X-Factor. Since then, they have grown their own audience which follows them in every business move they make, while their live appearances are always a subject of debate in Great Britain.
Before the release of their debut album, The Cutklevins gave an exclusive interview at SounDarts.gr, through which they try to introduce themselves to the Greek audience, too. Having their late father as a reference point, the man who introduced them to music and was an excellent musician as well, the three siblings reveal how difficult and fun it is to work with family members! With musical influences that span over soul, funk and R’n’B music of past decades and modern artists, the creation of their own music is expected to catch the eye of an even larger audience.
But how is their life so far? What taste did their participation in the famous talent show has left, as well as the departure of Shereen from the successful female band of Neon Jungle, in which she which she was a member before the Cutkelvins? Learn everything about the next-big-thing of the British music scene through the interview that follows!
Hello Jay, Shereen and Kyle and welcome to SounDarts.gr.
Whatsupp !
Who are the Cutkelvins ? How would you introduce your band to the Greek audience?
We are The Cutkelvins, a family group from Scotland. Music has always been part of our household and runs through our veins.
Why did you decide to join forces and how easy is it to collaborate with your siblings?
Our Dad was also in a family band so growing up we have had this for inspiration. When the right time came along it happened naturally and we just started practicing together.
The good thing about being family is that you don’t have to beat around the bush, whatever is on your mind without it being too much of an issue.
You became known by contesting in the talent show The X-Factor U.K. How do you feel about your participation in the show now? Do you believe that it has helped you so far?
It’s been a positive situation as people know who The Cutkelvins are. It gave us a good platform, working together and the opportunity to tour together.
We met some great people and all enjoyed our time on the show.
Shereen you were previously a member of the girl group Neon Jungle, who achieved four top twenty singles in the U. K. How would you describe this experience now?
Yes, me and the girls! This was a great eye opener into the music industry and how it really worked on the inside. I’ve taken what I’ve learnt in the past used what I’ve learnt in the present every day when when we learn.
When should we expect your debut album? Are there any details about it that you can share with us, like the possible release date?
We are working on lots of great stuff just now, but we have decided to release it in 2019. We can’t wait! We’re so excited about it all! Follow us on instagram for updates @thecutkelvins
Can you tell me a flaw and a virtue for one another?
Haha, here comes the arguments. Let’s start with the fun one – a flaw for each of us;
Jay is a hypocrite, he’ll tell you off for chewing gum loudly and he does it himself even louder. Like whaaat ?
Shereen her jaw makes a funny sound and she speaks 100mph, she’s the most annoying car passenger, ….. is that enough ?
Kyle he has the concentration span of a peanut, as you can imagine this can be frustrating.
How about your virtues?
Jay is a family guy very caring and thinks about others…but he is still annoying.
Shereen is kind hearted always does things from the goodness of her heart but can end up making the situation worse.
Kyle is where the party is at. No matter the day or time he is always up for a mad one (Which always seems good at the time, but never the next morning).
Since you are new in the music industry as a band, what do you think you learned about music, and about your relationship during that period?
We have learned a lot, insights in to the industry, into TV, filming. Also we learned how much a pain in the neck we can be to each other but also how we can get along as a team and work on the most important thing… our music and performance.
What are your musical influences and to what extent have they influenced your song-writing?
Our main influence is our dad. He’s been the inspiration and the man that gave us the gift to do what we love.
Some other influences are The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Etta James… I could go on! They definitely influence in the style that we write but we also listen to a lot of current music, so it’s a mixture of both.
Are there any other artists that you wish to collaborate with, in the future?
It would be great to collaborate with Ella Mai, Smokey Robinson, Chip Munk… there is lots and different genres.
What are your business plans for the near future?
Continue to make music. Launch our own brand and also make a family business with our family members.
Is there anything else that you would like to add and has not been mentioned so far?
We would like to thank everyone who has supported on our journey so far, and look forward to you hearing our new music in 2019. Without your support it wouldn’t be possible.
Finally, I left a question which we ask to all the artists interviewed by SounDarts.gr’s team. What is your motto in life?
Work Hard. Grind Harder
Interview: Theodore Kolliopoulos
