Kari Faux, Musician

There is a point in life where we are who we are, coming from the moment that we live in; this
is Kari Faux’s perspective on life. Raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Faux recently released her debut album Lost En Los Angeles, which depicts life after Little Rock and the challenges of doubt beyond high school and feeling out of place in LA. Kari opens the album saying, “I’m not supposed to be here right now, but I am.” Her combination of jazz, 70s funk, and psychedelia, lingers for the moments to happen; and then to be remembered. This is music and this is how it should be. This is Faux and she is supposed to be here.

So your debut album “Lost En Los Angeles” is about you questioning yourself, like, “am I good enough?” or “do I really like myself?” So do you think you are good enough? Do you still feel out of place?

Yeah, I’m good enough. I feel more than good enough. I really don’t feel out of place anymore as time passed.

‘Rap Game Daria’ is your nickname from the 90s show Daria. You’ve said this is because of your pessimistic nature, in regards to success and the industry. When it comes to the music industry, as an artist, what bothers you the most?

Expectations.

Do you ever have tiny moments of still feeling lost in LA?

I got over that moment.

How did you meet Malik Flint (Black Party)? Most of the in- struments that are on the album are played by Malik. Do you think he is a huge part of your life now, and exploring yourself as a person? I think it is safe to say that you have a lot to do with him and you’ve probably received a lot of advice from him…

I’ve known Malik for a while now, we met through mutual friends back when I was a teenager. He’s definitely a huge part of my life and always has been. We have a mutual respect for each other, and we both get a lot from one other.

The sounds depicted in your album are a combination of jazz, 70s funk, and psychedelia. Is this what you had imagined as an album when you first arrived fresh in Los Ange- les? How did these sounds come out?

I always wanted to make this kind of music, so it’s something I envisioned a long time ago. We just never really had the resources and were put in an open space to create whatever we wanted.

Given you childhood in the south, your grandfather being a pastor of the biggest black churches in your hometown, and your culture of religion, do you think your character and music was affected by it? Or that it will always be with you, even though you had so far decided to move away from this religious grain? Your “doomed” attitude in your album must have come from somewhere?

We’re all going to die, and that’s not a bad thing. Religion has never hurt me, it’s just my own general perspective on life. I look at that part of life as a fact, so why hide from it? My own awareness is what brought me to that conclusion, but life brings the most lessons.

What sort of music were you listening to when growing up in Little Rock?

Outkast, UGK, Britney Spears, Soulja Boy, Gucci Mane, and Michael Jackson.