We’re Shaken, Not Stirred, As We Speak With Kendra Erika

Following on from her Bond-theme styled song, ‘Catch Me‘, we talked to Kendra Erika about her music, her inspirations, and all things James Bond.

What inspired you to create License to Thrill?

I’ve always wanted to infuse Bond into whatever I was doing musically. My dad showed me my first James Bond movie when I was 7 years old. From that moment on, I was captivated. The idea kept growing more and more pronounced in my head over the years as I was developing artistically, and I finally vocalized it, both verbally and musically, just a couple of years ago.  

You’ve been a Bond fan for years. What is it about that world that continues to inspire you?

It’s incredibly global. The universal appeal is unfounded in any other theme or project I’ve done or observed. There’s also elegance and timelessness, which is something that, I believe, the modern world today is longing for. 

Was there a particular Bond song or movie that influenced this project the most?

It’s a culmination of all the pieces from the 007 movies. From the intro songs to the ending credits, and everything else musically in between. There’s a winning cinematic recipe that makes the Bond music dramatic, floaty, and orchestral. 

You worked with Damon Sharpe on the track. What do you enjoy most about collaborating with him?

Since meeting him and working with him initially ten years ago, we have this uncanny ability to finish each other’s sentences, and also have this gel-like chemistry when we write and record. Efficiency is our language, and quality is our mission. 

The song is full of confidence and mystery. What message did you want listeners to take from it?

Confidence and mystery! Haha. I wanted them to feel immersed in a very Bond-like experience. Something that harkens back to the older Bond films, with a touch of evolving modernness. Drive, excitement, and a world filled with intrigue. 

Your music often feels like an escape into another world. Why is that important to you as an artist?

When you walk into a Victoria’s Secret store, you feel like you’re walking into a satin sheet bedroom world. When you walk into an Apple Store, you feel like you’re walking into a technological utopia. When you walk into a Bath and Body Works, your sense of smell is teased, and you want to eat the vanilla sugar in the shower gel. (But, don’t do it!) Jokes and analogies aside, creating and understanding the power of branding is very important. That is where you immerse people into that world, so they can remember the experience they had, not just the song they heard. People forget hotels, but they never forget resorts. 

After a decade of chart success and live performances, what keeps you excited about making new music?

Anything new is exciting. So, it’s merely the unturned corners, the uncharted paths, and also, creating new experiences for the listeners and viewers. Territory expansion at its finest. 

What do you hope fans take away from ‘License to Thrill’, and is there anything else you’d like to share before we wrap up?

I hope they enjoy the journey throughout the decades of Bond, and can share in my appreciation for the legacy, the influence, and the classic elements of the thrill of Bond. More to come! Stay shaken, not stirred. 

Check out the music video for ‘Catch Me’ below, and find out more about Kendra Erika and her music online on her official website, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.