Wild Fire is Kayla and Kelli Iutzwig, a dynamic pop country sister duo from Houston, Texas.
Interview conducted on November 20, 2020
By Dan Locke
Wild Fire is Kayla and Kelli Iutzwig, a female country duo and two sisters from Houston, Texas. Both girls became interested in music and the arts at a very young age. They began taking professional voice lessons at the age of six, and began playing various instruments including drums, piano, guitar and ukulele
What is your upbringing?
We were born and raised in Houston, Texas.
You started singing at a very young age. So, at the age of 6 you began to study with celebrated vocal coach Pamela Moore. This is the same Pamela Moore who was Sister Mary on Queensryche – Operation: Mindcrime LP?
Haha! No. That is not the same Pamela Moore. She gets that a lot though.
How did you start to write music?
We have been around music all of our lives. Our Dad plays guitar and is a songwriter as a hobbyist. So, exposure to music began in the home. At around ages 5 and 6, we began taking theater and dance classes. We were immediately drawn to the singing aspect of musical theater. Our love of music flourished as a result of that. We began writing our own songs, creating our own theater productions, and picked up guitar and piano.
Describe your music:
Our music falls under the pop country genre, but is very heavily pop and pop rock leaning.
How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?
Our parents bought us our first guitars as a gift. Kelli had a pink Daisy electric guitar and I (Kayla) had a Taylor Mini acoustic. We still have them to this day.
What is your guitar of choice now? Year, make and model?
Taylor C414ce (acoustic) and Fender Telecaster (electric).
What was your first performance at like?
Our first performance was at a sandwich shop called “Potbelly Sandwich Shop.” We were 11 and 12 at the time. This is after we quite dance and theater to pursue our own music and our duo. It felt great to finally get out there and perform on our own as a duo.
What makes a good songwriter?
A good songwriter is someone who is always attentive to the little things in life. You have to really pay attention to your surroundings and capture ideas as they flow through the universe. I think that is super important. When it is time to develop those ideas with other writers, it is critical to listen to everyone in the room and let the best lyrics and melodies win.
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association?
Not at this time. We plan to join Nashville Songwriters Association.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
Sisters. Yes, we did record it. It was pulled from distribution a long time ago. 🙂
How did you decide to start performing together?
Our vocal teacher paired us up.
How did the band get its name?
We sitting in a room one day and the idea just popped into my head (Kelli). Wild Fire is a great metaphor for our duo. It represents our passion for music, our drive, and our desire to get our music out to the world.
How was the Josie Music Awards?
We attend the Josie Music Awards almost every year. When we won Female Vocalist of the Year it was a great feeling. We were in a category with 59 other artists, so we did not expect to win. Kelli did not even have her shoes on when they called our name.
How was it to have your original song placed in NBC’s Very Cavallari reality TV Show?
It was super exciting! We always pitch our original songs to film/TV opportunities, music supervisors, and music libraries. When we found out it was after years of hard work submitting songs. Our efforts really paid off and we intend to continue down that path.
Do you think performing on shows like American Idol can help young singers?
Yes, it sure can. I think the biggest benefit is that it allows you to grow your audience rapidly.
Tell me about your release single “Cut U Off”?
The songwriting session started with the idea of a relationship that Kayla had. She arrived at a point in this relationship where she decided that it was too toxic to continue. For her own well-being, she knew she had to end it. The idea is that there are boundaries and limits we have to place in our lives. There is a line in the sand. You have to know when that line has been crossed. If we do not learn to do this, our emotional and mental health will be adversely impacted. The song was written by one of our favorite co-writers from Nashville, Annika Bennett.
What do you feel is your best YouTube video?
We both would have to say the music video for “Hold On To That.” It has been a fan favorite and is on its way to hitting a million views.
How do you stay healthy while performing?
We are very much health enthusiasts. We exercise daily and eat very healthy. This definitely helps us with our energy on stage.
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
We both think it’s great and is very supportive of it. It was inevitable that technology would evolve and change the music industry. We feel is a change for the better. Now artists can reach fans anywhere in the world and distribution costs are very affordable.
How can people forget about the origin hashtag # Sharp in a musical score?
If they have social media hashtags on their mind they might slip up when reading music? LOL! 🙂
Digital vs. vinyl?
Vinyl all the way!
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
Party in the USA. That song brings us back to our childhood and getting into all the Hanna Montana/Miley Cyrus music at such a young age.
In March you did a live stream from R and R Studio. The very next day your show at the Houston Rodeo was cancelled. What were you thinking at that time?
Actually, we canceled the R&R studio Live Stream due to COVID. The rodeo show was canceled a few days before we were to perform. We were really bummed out. That is our favorite show to perform at each year.
How do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
I think many labels and independent artists will be much more ready for livestreaming performances and will find better ways to monetize those audiences.
You were still in school during the lockdown. What was your quarantine life like?
It was really tough on Kelli, as she was not used to online school. I (Kayla) had been doing online school already for over a year so it was not an issue for me. For Kelli, her school had to make the transition and had technical issues along the way. It was also depressing for her because she is such an extrovert.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
We have been doing lots of creative things, such as songwriting, working on our craft, marketing our music and more.
How was it to be a part of NBC Universal’s Unlock Virtual Festival?
We had a great time and really enjoyed being a part of NBC Universal’s Unlock Festival. It was a pleasant surprise. They reached out to us and we were more than happy be included.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
Riding bikes has become a new hobby since quarantine. We go for very long rides and check out wild life. It’s very relaxing.
95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and using their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel?
That’s no surprise at all. Streaming has definitely taken over. Our favorite streaming channel is Snapchat’s Stay Tuned.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses. The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will include [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only. How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
Facebook has recently walked back to this statement. We will see how it all turns out. We have been doing livestreams for years with both our original music and cover songs. If they were to restrict it, we would have to move to another platform for these types of performances.
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merch to them at the show?
Staying active on social media is a great way for bands to stay connected with their fans. Also, building an email list is crucial. We have been building our email list for years. It’s a great way to keep your fans informed of new music, shows, livestreams, merchandise sales etc.
Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet?
Pay to play or “payola” is alive and well. Playlists are the new radio, and there are plenty of people charging to get on their playlists.
Do you think TikTok will go away?
No. We think it is here to stay. We personally love the platform. Kayla was scouted by them early on for her fitness channel and was brought into their Creative Learning Fund program where they develop creators. She currently has 277k followers on the platform. You can check out our Wild Fire channel and our personal channels here:
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
That would be super dope!
If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?
We both are very interested in fitness and real estate.
Anything you would like to say in closing.
We would like to thank Unrated Magazine for reaching out to us. We would also like to thank our fans for all of their love and support. We have lots of new music coming so stay tuned! Here are some links where you can find us:
Website| Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram |
LinkedIn | Kayla on Tik Tok | Kelli on Tik Tok | Wild Fire on Tik Tok: | Wild Fire Merch | Patreon | Spotify |iTunes
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