Singer and songwriter Kendra Erika opens up about the long game behind her chart success—and why her bold new chapter feels like a return home.
With five Billboard Top 10 dance hits to her name, including a No. 1 debut for her modern reimagining of Laura Branigan’s Self Control, Erika could have easily stayed in the comfort of club charts and EDM dominance. Instead, she chose reinvention. Central to her journey was an early agreement with her parents: That she earn a four-year college degree outside music before fully pursuing a performance career. That decision, she says, grounded her in discipline, informed her strategy, and shaped her perspective—tools that later proved essential in navigating the music industry.
Erika speaks candidly about early challenges, including being born without the ability to hear pitch and undergoing years of vocal retraining under German opera coach Gisbert Hoyer. What began as a limitation became a foundation, shaping a vocalist known today for precision and emotional command.
The interview traces her artistic evolution from dance-floor anthems to her upcoming album, License to Thrill: The James Bond Songbook, a cinematic collection drawing on her love for jazz, the orchestra, and the classic American songbook. Inspired by childhood Bond screenings with her father, the project spans multiple Bond eras and reflects Erika’s belief that audiences are craving depth and human connection in an increasingly automated music landscape.
Erika reflects on mental discipline and long-term perseverance, and what works for her to quiet overthinking in favor of forward motion. Her philosophy is simple: preparation meets instinct when you stop hesitating and start moving.
Set for release February 13, followed by a one-night live showcase in Las Vegas, License to Thrill marks a defining arrival for an artist who has spent years building the tools for this moment. As Erika makes clear in conversation, this isn’t a reinvention—it’s the sound of an artist operating in full alignment with her heart.
Pre-Save Kendra Erika's License To Thrill Here: https://sym.ffm.to/license_to_thrill
KENDRA ERIKA’S WEBSITE - https://kendraerika.com/
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