Dune Girl is the latest single from Australian singer-songwriter Leah Chynoweth-Tidy aka Kissing the Flint from her second album due out later this year. Waves of shimmering summer guitars cascade over warm, breezy vocals in an upbeat surf pop-rock groove reminding us why we love living, working and playing by the coast. Currently based in the UK Leah penned Dune Girl while still living in her home Sunshine State of Queensland in Australia in 2020. Dune Girl is an irresistible beach party anthem, an invitation to let your hair down, soak up some Vitamin D, ride the waves and boogie barefoot on the sand!
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hello, Kissing The Flint. What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
Skilled song writing and a distinctive, versatile voice are my super powers! I’ve always loved singing, words and writing, things I’ve been gifted with naturally but also worked hard to develop and improve on. Languages totally fascinate me and music is just another kind of language, so I could spend endless days immersed in it. I also feel that passion for our craft and the themes we write about make us great musicians too. If we’re not genuinely connected to what we’re writing about, our listeners won’t connect either. Kissing The Flint means ‘to create a spark’ in days of olde and flintlock pistols and creating sparks is what I aim to do each and every time I create, perform and record something new to connect with.
What is your dream project?
Co-writing a song or performing on stage with incredibly inspiring female artists like Kate Bush, Chrissie Hynde, Patti Smith, Pat Benatar, Stevie Nicks, Joan Armatrading, just to name a few. So many amazing female artists in history have paved the way and influenced my own music, so it would be very hard to choose to choose just one. But to meet and make music in the same room with any of these ladies would be a dream come true!
Your latest track is 'Dune Girl'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
I wrote the song while still living in my home Sunshine State of Queensland, Australia back in 2020. This feel-good vibe was inspired by growing up as a ‘dune girl’ myself on the golden grains of my favourite local beaches. I’ve always been a water baby with salt water in my blood.
Dune Girl also stemmed from a cult Australian surf movie that inspired me growing up in a male dominated culture – that film was ‘Puberty Blues’. Since the film release there’s been an undeniable shift in the modern age for female surfers. Women are now internationally considered on an even keel with the boys, something they were still fighting hard to achieve at the film’s original premiere. I wrote this joyful song as a modern-day anthem for surfer girls who live to surf. Dune Girls of 2022 are empowered, riding the waves alongside the guys as equals and totally in control of their destiny!
We went for something different for the music video, making it a team effort this time around. Channeling group surfing culture, beach lovers across the globe were invited via social media to jump, jive and jam to the track and contribute videos of themselves loving the sun and surf to feature as part of the official film clip. Positivity, hanging out with our tribe by the ocean and having fun is what this track is all about and it shines through in the video.
What makes you angry?
I try not to get angry (which is not always easy in life) but instead channel any responsive energy I feel building inside me into positive action, try to make a difference if I see injustice or prejudice happening in the world. Whenever I see racism, sexism, people judging or stepping on others to suit their own agendas or aims, without thought or care – that really bothers me. I believe in unconditional positive regard, which is approaching everyone we meet in life with an open heart and mind from the get-go and taking them at face value. I actually wrote a song about this for my debut EP in 2019 called ‘Unconditionality’. It’s about being proud of who you are, just as you are and also accepting others for who they are, without trying to change them either. Writing songs is the perfect outlet for what I experience, observe and empathise with in the world and this is where I channel a lot of energy and emotion about things in the world that really matter to me.
What is the most surprising fact you’ve learnt about yourself?
I’m actually a great songwriter and performer! So many people who are creative struggle with imposter syndrome, a little nagging voice in our heads trying to convince us that what we do is never going to be good enough. But when audiences actively engage with my music, when they approach me during a break or at the end of a gig to tell me how much they’re enjoying it, taking the time to let me know my songs have connected with them, that is the greatest joy and reward for me as an artist!
What do you dislike about your work?
Music really is the best job in the world! Dressing up in your favourite style, feeling empowered and lighting up a stage to connect with people and adding something positive to their day is such a buzz! But in reality, like anything else, of course it come with challenges, especially as an independent artist with a very small, or no crew around you to support. It can be tough and at times very demanding to do everything yourself on the road, having to load out your own heavy gear at 2am when you’re tired after a long day on the road and the stage, or trying to find somewhere to eat (and eat healthy) when you’re starving at some weird hour of the night after a gig and everything is closed. But one thing that keeps me going is the music – creating it, performing it. It’s totally worth the late nights, rumbling tummy and heavy lifting!
What is one message you would give to your fans?
Don’t worry about other people think, just believe in yourself and chase your dreams, because you really are a unique, worthy human and life is just too short to not take a chance. What’s the worst that can happen? A gamble may not pay off this time, but at least you tried, which is way better than never trying at all. Be brave, never give up and never lose sight of your true self or the reasons you’re on the path you’ve chosen.
Is the artistic life lonely? What do you do to counteract it?
The creative life is never lonely when you surround yourself with people who are your tribe. Seek out and spend time with people who genuinely like you as a person and aren’t out just to make a quick buck off you. Hang out with people who inspire you to be the very best version of yourself that you can be. Keep these very precious people close to you, because they really are your true family and will keep you focused, sane and real in this crazy world.
What do you think is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen or experienced?
I feel most alive and inspired in nature, being outdoors somewhere in the world – swimming, hiking or just sitting in quiet contemplation while the rest of the world revolves around me. This is reflected in a lot of my song writing! For instance, this summer I was swimming in a very calm Scottish sea when a seal popped up right behind me and we floated almost nose to nose for a few moments, totally amazing! Beautiful moments for me are also sitting quietly watching a sunrise or sunset in some of my favourite places in the world like the islands of Lindisfarne and Iona. I also lived completely off grid for 10 years raising food gardens and livestock. Watching new life begin, whether a seedling you’ve planted sprouting from the earth, or newborn baby chicks hatching, those kinds of WOW moments never get old. We all should remember to slow down in life, stop and smell the roses at least once in a while.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m currently in the process of recording two albums. The first one I started with my studio back in Australia before I relocated to the UK in 2020. The second I’ve just started working on with a new arranger-producer at a studio here in Scotland, exploring the new material that I found plenty of time and inspiration to write during the pandemic. It’s been a busy year for me in a new country, performing at lots of brand-new Festivals, events and venue. It’s fabulous to see live music getting back to full strength at long last after a few challenging years in the world for those who are dedicated to making a living from creativity.
Plenty of live gigs and tours are planned for the UK and Europe next year and hopefully a return visit also to my homeland of Australia for some gig dates there and a long overdue catch up with family and friends I haven’t seen since 2020! Exciting times ahead, make sure you watch this KTF space!