She’s back! The diva returns to the dancefloor making your feet move and groove
Interview by Nicky Trax
Kim a huge welcome to DMCWORLD. ‘Move Your Feet’ is your hot new single. Can you tell us how it all came together and how it feels to be working with DJ Pats and Samson Lewis on remix duties…
Hey Nicky, glad to be here on DMCWORLD! So I wanted to do an upbeat tune and Jason Orriss put me in touch with the fabulous duo, things worked out really well and I love what we have created.
What have you been up to since we last heard from you?
Well I’ve been being a mom and grand diva! I never stopped singing but I just didn’t have the big distributors and labels behind me to keep the hype going! I don’t call this a come back…’it’s a back at’.
Singing must be a huge part of your life, and what drives you to carry on recording & performing?
I love my gift and I feel so blessed and want to share it as much as I can and on every level.
You’re based in Atlanta and you grew up in Chicago, did your neighborhood, local clubs or DJs have an influence on you getting into music?
I grew up in Chicago and lots of the best came from the Chi! Great producers like Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley and Maurice Joshua and you had Frankie Knuckles in the clubs. Dingbats was a cool club back then!!
How did you get started as a singer?
I use to sing for my family as a child and then I started doing talent shows – winning of course! Lol. From there I started singing radio and TV jingles and that led to recording and then hooking up with Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley. Steve’s wife and I were best friends back in the 90’s and he knew I sang, but we never collaborated. Steve’s wife was giving one of her best friend’s a going away party and she asked me to sing, I sang ‘Inseparable’ by Natalie Cole and after that Steve asked me to work with him on some demos. There was how our musical relationship started.
Do you have any singing idols?
I love all the old great divas but also the new school rules as well!! I love Patti Labelle, Ann Nesby from the Sounds Of Blackness and Martha Wash – their soulful full voices express songs with power! I’m also a fan of Mariah Carey, Natalie Cole and Diana Ross…all songbirds with the quality sound of angels! I have been told I sound like Diana Ross which is a huge compliment as she’s my favourite forsure. From the new school it’s Jennifer Hudson. She’s a Chi town girl and much love and respect to her!
You’ve performed all over the world – where’s the best place and why?
Dubai and Japan. Dubai is so fruitful and wowza wowza money!! And Japan has great sushi! But I really love everywhere I’ve been and I never thought a little girl from the South side of Chicago could be as blessed as I am.
How do you think house music and music in general has changed since you started your career?
Wow!! That’s a great question. I’d like to say thank God for Maurice Joshua, Frankie knuckles, Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley, Eric Miller, Hula Mahone, David Morales…the list goes on and on. They never gave up and to this day old skool house music still rules. I’m one that loves vocals and I would love to see it get back to more vocals and songs!
Dance music defined the 90s – why do you think that was and what was it about the music that grabbed people?
It was everything…the happy feelings you got when you heard the lyrics, the killer basslines, the sizzling high hats – all those deep instrumental grooves. So heart warming and this music is still rocking crowds to this day.
Who has been your favourite artist or producer that you’ve worked with over the years?
CeCe Peniston. She sang my song ‘Keep On Walkin’ to a tee. I also love working with Paul Wilson, my mentor who gave me my start! Of course Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley and the whole crew!! I’m really enjoying working with all the new folks as well and I’m so excited to be a part of the Fatt Boy crew!
Are there any you would like to work with?
Shooooooooot!!!! Everybody!! I’m greedy!
And finally, can you tell us something we don’t know about Kym Sims
Let’s see…I am addicted to tanning! I fell off the stage in the UK the first time I performed there at The Limelight Club! Thank god there were no camera phones!! Lo. I love walking my dog barefoot in the park…weird! That do?
Kym Sims new single ‘Move Your Feet’ with Remixes from DJ Pats & Samson Lewis is out on Fatt Boy Records in July. Check out…
https://soundcloud.com/fattboyrecords/move-your-feet-samson-lewis/s-cvqBV
https://soundcloud.com/fattboyrecords/k-1/s-IoJTz
https://soundcloud.com/fattboyrecords/k/s-bYb0K
https://soundcloud.com/fattboyrecords/kym-sims-move-your-feet-dj/s-BWfXM
https://soundcloud.com/fattboyrecords
https://www.facebook.com/FattboyRecords
