Check Out Kitten Kuroi’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kitten Kuroi.

Hi Kitten, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started out as a little girl who’d sing incessantly, any time, anywhere — even singing myself to sleep in the crib. I never actually thought a career in music was an option. I only saw it as a hobby or something you were inducted into by royal blood somehow. As a child, I used to sing loudly out of the bathroom window, hoping some fancy executive would somehow hear me –like all those stories of people being found on the subway in New York. I would write songs and record songs on my old Fisher-Price tape recorder like it was my job — not knowing it could actually be a job! My play brothers and I would be mini-musicals for our parents — in hopes we could all hang out longer. We’d act, sing, roll all over the floor, too! I had a stint directing the youth choir at 16. At 19, I was one of the lead soloists, the Alto section leader and in some cases, a vocal arranger for the choir at my University. Again, I had ZERO ideas that these were steps into my future career path.

And now, here I am — a world-touring Grammy-Award winning vocalist, lead soloist, background singer, vocal arranger, and an actress in one of LA’s hottest new musicals, “44” starring TJ Wilkins & Shanice!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely NOT been a smooth road. Besides the economy tanking just as my career was taking off, the pandemic shutting down my entire industry just after winning a Grammy, and the passing of several incredibly dear loved ones (from so many walks of life), I had a major uterine fibroid surgery in 2020.

My body had enough and I needed an immediate surgery for six large fibroids that added 10 pounds to my total weight. This surgery rendered me unable to perform and sing or even stand and walk on my own for weeks. I needed constant care-taking, rehabilitation for my legs and arms and speech therapy to help me get my voice back. The whole process took over half a year just to feel strong again!

I’d publicly spoken out about my experience and had faith, but in the back of my mind, I still felt a little terrified that I wouldn’t be able to get back to work once I’d healed – especially after hitting so many bumps in the road to recovery.

Prior to my surgery, I was in go-go-go work mode, completely draining myself dry being in service of others and holding in the secret that my body was failing me.

I am fortunate that even though the pandemic had temporarily halted my industry, it gave me a wide berth to focus on receiving love, patience, healing, and recovery, including who and what’s most important in my life and how to be flexible and adventurous with my career.

I’m thankful to say that today, I feel great and my voice, my physical instrument, is back and fantastic!

Since my surgery, I’ve performed with and done vocal arrangements for “A Bowie Celebration” (featuring David Bowie’s former bandmates, Def Leppard, Duran Duran, Gary Oldman, Gretchen Parlato and others), performed at Coachella with Niki Zefanya, sang with Paul Stanley of KISS, worked on records with Multi-award winning music producer Linda Perry, and was a pivotal actress in the stage musical, “44”.

With so many more adventures to come!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a Grammy-Award winning Vocalist, Vocal Arranger, Songwriter, Music Producer and Actress.

I will forever add the Grammy-Award winning part to my name because it’s beyond a dream come true. Music has always been so embedded in my DNA that I didn’t realize it could also be recognized outside of myself. To win such an esteemed award, working with Elvis Costello & The Imposters, is something I do not take for granted! I will never forget sharing some of my vocal ideas with Elvis and working them out in the studio on a shared microphone. Real work was put in and I am honored to have been a part of the process!

Presently, I’m working on my self-produced debut album, “American Refugee.” This album is a labor of love that I have been diligently working on these past two years, all while balancing work on other projects with many amazing artists. Not only did I write each song, but am co-producing it as well! This project will be 100% me and I think people will be pleasantly surprised with what they experience once it’s released!

The musical “44”, written and directed by Eli Bauman, was most definitely a success! We ran for only 8 nights at The Bourbon Room — November 8 – November 15, 2022 — but we had to turn over 100 people away during our last 2 nights! My cast mates are all stellar performers, playing the roles of Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Mitch McConnell, Hillary Clinton and more! Opening the show and woven throughout, I played the role of “The Voice of the People” as well as “Black Abraham Lincoln”. I felt so much freedom with these roles! Eli really trusted my instincts, and I was excited to have fun, experiment and bring both of these characters to life in my own unique way. I’m really looking forward to digging even deeper into my acting chops when it returns again!

What sets me apart from others is that I no longer fear taking chances on myself. And I no longer hold back. I am proud of who I am, and boldly share my beautiful, weird uniqueness with the world, putting it into every creative endeavor I do. I don’t just phone it in, I go all the way in!

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
What makes me happy is being alive to witness the beauty in this world. Everything is some sort of song to me.

Even when it seems like everything is quickly going down the drain, there’s ALWAYS something beautiful to behold, something that reminds me that there’s still hope. There’s still gentle mercy and doses of love scattered here and there and there’s ALWAYS some sort of music to encapsulate those moments.

Even when I’m sitting in complete silence, zoning out or meditating, I still hear the songs of the world buzzing around me. It makes me feel less alone and fills my little heart up with joy.

I am eager to explore more of this world… and hear more of its music!

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.kittenkuroi.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/kittenkuroi
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kittenkuroi
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kittenkuroi
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/kittenkuroi