PPP presents…
Karma Stewart – The Karma EP
Karma Stewart – The Karma EP
As Soulbounce announced last week, today marks the online release of new PPP starlet, Karma Stewart’s The Karma EP. For those who don’t know, Karma is an up-and-coming singer from Austin, Texas now living in L.A., whose best known (so far) as the voice of PPP’s latest single, “On A Cloud.”
After the success of “On A Cloud,” some people tried to pigeon hole Karma as a “throwback singer.” While Ms. Stewart definitely has some classic Motown grace and gospel-tinged strength behind her voice, with this EP she presents a few alternative sides to the story with a sound that she describes as “experimental with an edge of funky soul.” And according to her, even this is “just a taste of what I’ll be bringing to the table.”
Produced by group founders, Waajeed & Saadiq, and mostly written by Karma’s fellow cast member, Coultrain, The Karma EP is definitely a PPP family affair. The 4-track CD was originally sold at PPP shows all across Europe this fall – but now Karma & PPP have decided to give the EP away for free as a preview of both Karma’s upcoming album, and more immediately, PPP’s second album, Abundance.
You can preview all 4 songs below before downloading them all in one convenient .zip file at the bottom. And after the jump, stick around for my liner notes interview with Karma as well as three bonus tracks – including a live cover song, a collaboration with St. Louis rapper Wafeek, and a selection from the PPP “On A Cloud” Remix Contest from Tayreeb (note: I don’t know who won the contest so don’t ask – this is just one of the ones that I liked).
Karma Stewart “Look”
produced by Saadiq, lyrics by Coultrain
Karma Stewart “Waiting In The Wings”
produced by Waajeed, lyrics by Coultrain
Karma Stewart “Love Games”
produced by Waajeed, lyrics by Karma Stewart
Karma Stewart “Withdrawal”
produced by Waajeed & Saadiq, lyrics by Coultrain
additional backing vocals by Justin Pierre Bennett
DOWNLOAD: Karma Stewart – The Karma EP
SUPPORT: PPP’s single, “On A Cloud” featuring Karma Stewart, in stores now. Abundance CD/LP drops January 20th on Ubiquity Records.
AFTER THE JUMP: Liner notes Q&A plus bonus tracks from Karma Stewart
BONUS TRACKS
Karma Stewart “Smoking Cigarettes (live)”
originally performed by Tweet
PPP feat. Karma Stewart “On A Cloud (Tayreeb Remix)”
from the PPP “On A Cloud” Remix Contest
Wafeek “Romance Is Back” (feat. Karma Stewart, Estadje & Azeem)
from The Aristocrats Mixtape (Red Pecker, 2008)
INTERVIEW
So when was The Karma EP recorded?
It was recorded In August ‘08 right before I left to do the European tour with PPP in September and October. I wanted to make sure to have something extra for the fans overseas to listen to and enjoy!
What was the recording process like for this?
Recording The Karma EP (formerly titled Just like Faye) was a long process that needed to be done in a short span of time. But, I had all the motivation to complete it. Through my performance with PPP and this EP, this was going to be an introduction of me to the world. I wanted to give the people something different. There were a lot of emotions that were conveyed through the songs on this EP, which is exactly what i wanted to do in the midst of this music making process.
Can you give us a quick rundown of how all the songs came to be?
Coultrain had written “Withdrawal” and “Waiting In The Wings” prior to me starting to put in work for The Karma EP. When I heard those 2 songs I was like “Whoa!!” He’s such a prolific writer; I was more than honored to be the voice behind the genius of his lyrics, ya know?
Shortly after, Saadiq sent me a couple of tracks that he had produced and there was one in particular that stood out to me. I had told Saadiq that i wanted some straight up funky Vanity 6 meets Prince like track. And thats exactly what he did!! Lol…So I sent it to Coultrain and he reached into the depths of his funky soul and wrote the song “Look” which was inspired by the late Rick James. It’s actually one of my favorite songs on the EP.
Last but not least, I wrote the song “Love Games” which was produced by Waajeed (and is also one of my faves). This track is so sick I told Waajeed I had to have it!! Through listening to it, the first thing that popped into my head was “Sweet Dreams” by The Eurythmics. From that inspiration, “Love Games” was created and it was a done deal! I’m very happy with how it turned out.
Do you think this EP is a good introduction for people to get to know your sound and who you are as an artist?
Yeah, totally.. And this is just the beginning!! This just gives people an idea of my sound and what I can do. I have many musical influences from soul and funk to rock and because of that, it’s 2nd nature for me to incorporate all of the above. All in all, I just want people to hear me out and simply enjoy what they’re vibin’ out to.
What are you thoughts on the new PPP album, on which you are one of the prominent featured singers?
There’s a mix of various genres of music and all the songs cater to the senses. PPP’s Abundance album (which drops in January,might I add) incorporates all of the elements, from the production and lyrics to the voices and how the songs are conveyed. Abundance (like my EP) is an album with a different sound and everyone involved put a lot of hard work into it. And its definitely something to look forward to. It’s soooo Dope!!
What about your full-length solo debut, what can we expect from that?
That’s a good question. I’m writing a lot and coming up with a lot of different sounds and ideas. The next step is to just figure out which direction I want to take the album..I’ll keep ya posted…
Who will you be working with on it?
I’ll be doing majority of the writing on my album and Coultrain will be writing 4 songs as well. Maybe he’ll even bless us with his voice!! We’ll see. I’m working on having a few guest voices, writers, and lyricists featured, Its all in the works… Its definitely something to get excited about. So keep a look out!
Are you looking for a label deal for your album or are you doing it yourself?
Definitely shopping for a deal.. But until that time comes, I’ve got to be the one to make it happen, ya know? Me not having a deal at this point in time won’t stop me from making music and putting albums out. The rewards will come in due time..
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