The KTNA - 10 Questions
The KTNA wear their heart on their sleeve and channel an un-apologetically strong, northern spirit into their craft. Twin sisters born in Kenya, raised and now residing in Manchester, Hope and Millie Katana weave their candid lyrics around unique productions to create music which demands to be noticed.
At 24 they have already achieved more than most, beginning their singing career on CBBC show Clash before catching the attention of TV executives who were quick to cast them in the long running BBC drama, Waterloo Road. However, it was always songwriting that burned the brightest and after some setbacks The KTNA were formed. Their debut EP Life Under Siege, kick-started their musical project in March 2019, going on to receive support from the likes of Clash, The Fader, tmrw Mag, and BBC 1xtra. Brimming with raw honesty about past trauma whilst also looking optimistically ahead, the project resonated the greatest over the Covid-19 lockdown, as fans sought solace in the themes the EP explored.
The KTNA explained, “during this pandemic lots of people have lost their jobs, their freedoms, and sometimes their sanity. Life Under Siege has helped people through this pandemic by making people feel seen, heard, and understood. It has been an outlet for so many to cry too. Sometimes that’s all you need…”
The KTNA sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:
1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?
We have always been drawn to music as far back as we can remember, we have always sung and written songs. Our mum has the greatest taste in music and luckily, we inherited that from her.
2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?
Too many incredible artists to choose from but to pick a few, Frank Ocean, SAULT, Little Simz and Anderson Paak.
3. What are some of the problems you have faced making and releasing the music during the corona virus pandemic?
I think we can speak for all musicians when i say, the pandemic wasn’t an easy environment to be creative in. It's been difficult not being able to work in the room with our favourite musicians whilst finishing our EP and working remotely isn’t ideal. It's been a really tough time, staying motivated and optimistic was something that we had to work on, one day at a time.
4. How would you describe your sound?
This is one of the hardest questions i find to answer, our sound is basically a concoction of all the things that inspire us, from soul to hip hop and rock we just try and throw it all together and not worry about the genre or label, we feel more creatively free that way and without any restrictions.
5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?
We’ve been making music now for over ten years but we weren’t able to release anything for the first 6 years, so to be finally able to release music we were proud of, on our terms has truly been incredible. The release of our first EP ‘Life Under Siege’ was by far the proudest moment we’ve ever had in our lives, thank you to everyone who listened and supported us.
6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music
Oh of course!! haha. Our advice would be simply be yourself, there is nobody in the universe who has the same experience and perspective as you, so don’t bother trying to be someone else, lean into your uniqueness and what makes you, you. Also don’t be too disheartened. This industry is notoriously harsh and difficult to break into, you're going to hear a hell of a lot of no’s but you have to KEEP GOING!
7. Are there any artists on your radar at the moment that we should check out?
We have some incredible talent in Manchester that I would love for you guys to check out, all types of genres. Kin kai, Victoria Jane, PDTHESAINT, Aya Bleu, Two4Kay, OTB.
8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?
SAULT -5. that album BANGS!! Maverick Sabre - When I wake up. and Louis Baker - Love Levitates. We did the song ‘brighter day’ on that album with him and couldn’t be happier to have been a part of such a beautiful album.
9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?
We are creatives in every way so even when we're not making music we are usually doing something creative like making costumes, or writing the concept of our music videos. We also are very passionate about film so we spend a lot of time being inspired by movies and tv shows, in hopes one day we’ll make a masterpiece of our own, from behind the camera!
10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?
EASY! Good people, Endless amounts of cups of tea and laughter! That's the recipe for the perfect session!