Kiana V’s Falling Out is an honest anthem about self-worth

Kiana V has recently revealed her latest recording output, titled Falling Out, signaling also the release of other tunes that comprise a forthcoming studio album.

In a virtual group chat, attended by media outlets including The STAR, Kiana talked about the nitty-gritty of Falling Out, from the inspiration for its main theme to the description of the song’s sonic aspect.

“I would say in terms of genre, it is still quite similar, it’s still in the R&B space,” said she, comparing Falling Out to previous releases. “Musically, with the instruments, we had a few more live instruments on this one and in terms of concepts, I don’t know, guys, if you listen to a lot of my music but I’ve found that I like exploring this problem of letting go of a bad cycle.”

The persona in the song, as one may put it, is in a dilemma whether to stay in a challenging relational and romantic situation or walk away from it.

“But I think that I’ve been more honest with this one. I’m speaking directly, like as the singer, I’m speaking directly to whoever, you know, I’m directing the lyrics to and I’m just being honest,” shared she. “Like, let’s look at the situation for what it is, let’s not try to sugarcoat it and just end it here before we make a bigger mess.”

Her voice is a representation of a particular kind of woman who needs some time for introspection.

Kiana said she was inspired by the women portrayed on ‘90s television, encompassing their difference to today’s women.

“If you’re treated poorly and we respect our own boundaries, and we’re out. We’re like, you know what, I don’t have time for this,” said Kiana about the common thread that connects Falling Out to the soon-to-be-released songs on the album. “I’m gonna go but the women in ‘90s movies and television, they’ve kinda stayed a little hopeless (romantic) and like the hopeless romantic side of it.”

“So, I’m quite intrigued by how they’re always so consumed by like this man and then the next man, and who is the next man and all of this. So, I think that’s really what is going to keep, like what connects all the other tracks on this album,” added she.

Since she’s married, this story that she has been pursuing “may shift over the next two years,” said the artist, and a new one will come into view that reflects bits and pieces of her life and those who surround her.

“That’s kind of really the vibe that I wanna go far,” said Kiana of the Falling Out chilling road trip feel during the press conference. “I wanted this to mirror that feeling of when you’re hanging out with all your friends and you’re just talking and you’re sharing stories because a lot of my friends are still single, and they’re dating and there was a point when we were all, you know, making tsika and making tsismis and they were talking about situations of theirs that mirrored something that I had gone through in the past, like almost exactly the same and I found that so interesting and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re all in different phases of our lives now, and it’s so crazy that we shared this story even if it’s with different people.’”

“So, that’s what really inspired me and that’s when it hit me that just this group of girls, we’ve all been through the same thing and I felt like I had to write a song about that moment, and with that realization.”

Aside from the fact that it should get the attention of a listener, a lead single sets the tone or feel of an album and this piece of information from her publicity team may somehow hint at what to anticipate from it.

They say that Falling Out is “rooted in personal experience and quiet confessions from those around her” and it “offers a raw and honest reflection on the cycles we often find ourselves in when self-worth is neglected. It’s a poignant introduction to what promises to be Kiana’s most introspective and evolved body of work yet.”

The creative life of singer-songwriters like Kiana is also enriched in doing collaborations with fellow artists.

For her, there’s a long list of artists she would love to work with in Manila. “No. 1, of course, would be Kyla. I grew up listening to her music and I used to copy all of her runs and I always make a joke that she’s like one of my vocal coaches just because of how much I listened to her,” said she.

“Moira, she’s a very good friend of mine and I love her songwriting and there’s also Denise Julia, whom I love her music, Jason Dhakal, Juan Karlos, there’s so many. Manila is like booming and that makes me so happy, but just to name a few,” concluded she.

(Please listen to Falling Out on Spotify, Apple Music, deezer and Amazon Music.)