Born in Denver, Colorado artist Jett Kwong was introduced to singing at just five years old. Since then, she has gone on to perform and teach around the globe, lighting up venues from Shanghai to Berlin. Jett found her home in Los Angeles, California, where she now captivates audiences with her voice and Chinese guzheng music.

Jett’s work is colored by themes such as family, her identity as a mixed heritage woman, and the complexities of colonial history. “Our identities are colored by the context in which we are in – the way we grow up, our appearance, and our basic interests and beliefs”. It is through this belief that she channels her desire to seek out the true roots of individuality.  Leading single ‘Away’ narrates the exploration of the mundanity and frustration we experience working towards our aspirations. An examination into the monotony of facilitating creative endeavors Jett sings, “Time is my only coin, I spend to earn my keep. Carving away at my dreams, just to make ends meet”. Co-written by LMNOP, ‘Away’ features haunting vocals, twinkling synths, and layered guzheng and strings building into a multi-faceted soundscape. With hints of her Chinese heritage, the single is a reminder to practice letting go of the pressures we all feel – both outwardly and inwardly imposed – to keep up with system.

Sonically influenced by a variety of sounds from different eras, Jett’s music is built from pieces of the past with an essence of the future. With the desire to spark conversations about identity, the singer/songwriter confides, “I am inspired to tell not only my and my family’s histories, but a broader story of culture – to be a conduit for those stories and to find more innovative ways to express them.”

Empowered by issues surrounding women’s rights, social and political reform and questions around justice, Jett hopes to contribute towards conversations for affecting change. Having performed at prestigious venues including the renown Carnegie Hall, Jett Kwong is ready for the next instalment of her journey with the release of ‘Away’.

Links
https://www.jettkwongkelly.com
https://www.facebook.com/jettkwong
https://www.instagram.com/jettkwongkelly
https://twitter.com/JettKwong