In The Spotlight: Kimberly Lola

A spotlight to start off the week! I’m always interested to feature up and coming stars in the entertainment industry on The Spotlight. Visit our Features/Submissions page for more information!

Today we have singer Kimberly Lola! Kimberly began singing at the age of two, and performed at different talent shows throughout elementary school. “One in particular stands out to me because a classmate later said that she cried because she thought my singing was so beautiful,” the singer stated. “I already knew I wanted to be a singer when I grew up but hearing that really made me realize how powerful music is.” On her career day in third grade, she and her classmates were told to come to school dressed up in clothes that showed what they wanted to be when they grew up. Kimberly simply brought a microphone to school, knowing exactly what she wanted. “Aside from a brief lapse in judgment in 2nd grade when I thought I wanted to be an archaeologist,” she said. “I never wavered from the goal of being a singer.”


As a child, Kimberly was exposed to a variety of artists, mostly within R&B, through her family. “My dad listened to a lot of 50s and 60s R&B,” the singer stated. “My mom listened to a lot of old school R&B as well, artists such as Marvin Gaye and Anita Baker.” She also was exposed to country, rock and pop, as well as lot of 80s and 90s R&B music, including Brandy, Aaliyah, Dwele, Lauryn Hill and more, which she acknowledged has had an influence on her music. “While my sound is definitely more soulful than anything else, I often pull from different styles, unintentionally,” Kimberly admitted. Mariah Carey is a significant influence on her music, as the singer revealed that her music blew her away. “It’s because I trained myself after her that I am a soprano, today,” Kimberly stated. “Even though I was much too young to fully understand love and heartache, her music always evoked so much emotion that I always felt moved by it.”


Recently the singer released her EP, The Light, All instrumentals were created by producer Insightful (specific tracks mixed: "The Light," "So Empty," and "See Me Through"). The rest of the album was mixed and mastered by Willie Lee at 8412 Studios. “The inspiration behind this project was actually the music itself,” Kimberly said of the project. “[Insightful] asked me to do the project and it turned into something I really enjoyed making.” She hopes that the EP brings inspiration and evokes emotion with listeners. Currently, Kimberly is working on her next EP. She hasn’t given out too many details just yet, but it will have more of an R&B feel. I’m excited to hear it! In the meantime, check out her EP, The Light, below!

In terms of what separates her from other artists out now, Kimberly holds herself and her music to very specific standards and refuses to bend, which is very admirable. “I completely understand the desire and need to be what the people want but I draw a line that is very distinct,” the singer stated. “My music or any music I am a part of has to be of a certain standard, lyrically. You won’t hear me use sexist or degrading language in my music, for example, or hop on a song that does. If that means turning down a gig then so be it.”

In the future, Kimberly plans to be a respected international artist and work with some of the artists that have influenced her. “I really just want to get out there and make good music,” she said. “Overall, I want to be running a successful business doing what I love.” Definitely be on the lookout for this talented singer!



You can hear more from Kimberly on YouTube, SoundCloud, BandCamp, and ReverbNation. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.