This A-Profiler we bring you Kina Grannis, a singer/songwriter who has exploded in popularity thanks to the Internet. Grannis has become one of the three finalists in the Doritos "Crash the Superbowl" contest, received hundreds of thousands of views on her "Gotta Digg" video on YouTube, and has become the artist to watch in 2008. Find out more about Kina's start into music, when her next album will be released, and how her fascination with insects started.

Your site URL:
www.kinagrannis.com

What is your ethnicity?
Hapa!! Sorry, I get excited. I'm half Japanese. And if you're REALLY curious, the other half consists of varying amounts of English, Irish, French, Dutch, Welsh and Scottish.

You are a singer/songwriter who has been gaining a huge following thanks to the Internet (Doritos Crash the Super Bowl contest, Digg, YouTube, and even a mention on the Angry Asian Man site). Has the rapid rise in popularity surprised you? Would you say you are a geek gal?
Yes, the extent to which this all has spread in such a very short time is unreal to me. I did not expect this at all, but it is a very welcome surprise. The best part is hearing from all these real people that are connecting with what I do. It's awesome. As for geek girl... there's a little bit of geek in all of us, right??? Or maybe just the special ones... haha.

How did you get started in singing/songwriting? Were your parents an influence musically with you as a child? Have your parents been supportive of all of your musical endeavors?
I was writing songs when I was 5. Granted, they were about 20 seconds long, and covered topics ranging from my favorite stuffed animal to hummingbirds. But the point is, it has always been something I gravitate to. I think it's probably the most natural way for me to try to express myself. My parents have always been extremely supportive of my music. Whether it was allowing me to take private violin lessons as a child, putting up with my constant singing around the house, or gifting me my first guitar at 16, they were always helping out. Of course, academics have always been important too, so I'm sure they were happy with my decision to go to USC (where I graduated last May with a degree in Social Sciences) in case I ever needed a back up career. But they've always told me if I don't give music a legitimate try and put in everything I have, I will always wonder. This is something I don't want to wonder about someday.

Who are some of your musical influences? How would you classify your style of music?
James Taylor, K's Choice, Alanis, Feist, Iron & Wine, Sarah McLachlan, Sigur Ros, Imogen Heap... among a bajillion others. My style of music... oy. So bad at this question. How about.... Organic acoustic indie pop with heart ;)

What is your approach to writing songs? What inspired you to write the "Gotta Digg" song?
My approach to writing songs is: Sit down with guitar. Find chords that match my mood. Open mouth and let a song pour out of me. Generally they are done within a few hours of starting. I always feel like songs already exist somewhere, and it's my job to FIND them. The Digg song was different, however. It was a result of my sisters and I joking around about all the Digg trends. This song was much more thought out than my usual pour my heart out type song.

With 3 CDs already released, you've been a prolific writer. Do you have another CD planned for release soon? Where would you like to see yourself in the next year, 3 years, 5 years?
Oh yes. As soon as this contest is over (if not sooner) I will be in the studio!! I have so many new songs to record and share with the world, I am so anxious to get started on it!! As for the future, not quite sure where I want to be. So much can change in life. I know that music will still be in the picture. Hopefully the picture does not involve me being homeless. So long as I'm not homeless, I think I'll be all right.

Your sisters, Emi and Misa, have made special appearances with you on your YouTube videos. Are you all very close? Do either of them have any musical aspirations like you?
We are all SO close. I love my sisters to death. They are both very musically talented as well but have focused most of their creative energy into visual arts.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I've read that you are into food and nutrition, what is one of your favorite things to make and would you like to share the recipe?
Hmm...run, spend time with people, read, observe insects, play with my snakes, go to coffee shops, watch people, read recipes, ponder about the universe, eat sushi, all that good stuff... As for a recipe, I shall abstain lest anyone become very disappointed in my ability (or lack there of) to cook. :)

How and when did your interest/obsession with insects start?
When I was a kid my dad would always taking us on hikes. In addition to getting mini lectures on the local plant-life, we were always turning over rocks and looking for cool bugs. So from the get go insects/spiders/snakes/etc were something that were really fun and interesting to me, not something to be afraid of. The only time I got in trouble in elementary school was for holding a bee at recess. yikes!

What are the names of your snakes and what kind of snakes are they?
Currently I have two cornsnakes. The orange one is Hubert Cumberdale, the black one is Jeremy Fisher.

What advice do you have to other aspiring singer/musicians out there looking at showcasing their talents on the Internet?
You can never do too much. Get a myspace. Get recordings done. Start a youtube. Connect with your audience. Be on top of it 24/7. Have fun :)

Photo Credit: Todd Wolfson

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This issue of A-Profiler is brought to you by Nelson Wong.
Special thanks to Kina Grannis.

Photos used with permission.
Copyright retained by original copyright holder(s).