Making the journey from traditional Pentecostal church music to self-described “smut-pop,” Dawn Watley’s unconventional path has led to even more unconventional — and highly successful — music with Black Kids. The Florida band lays down joyous funk- and disco-infused grooves, topped by Cure- and Bravery-esque vocals and shaded with more synths than any given year in the ’80s could contain. Racy lyrics and dance-inspiring hooks have also helped propel the band to sold-out shows and international tours.
A pianist since age four, Dawn (far right) first discovered her compositional chops when a choir teacher handed her a tape of “Amazing Grace” and told her to come back the next day and play it on the piano. “I never realized I could play by ear before that,” she says. “But I played it for her with my own style. That’s when I realized that I could write music.”
Dawn brings her listening and writing skills when creating synth parts for the band. “Usually I’m the one playing strings and melodic lines,” she says. “[Fellow keyboardist and vocalist Ali Youngblood, second from left] comes up with certain noises and drum machine sounds. I try to create the undercurrents that tie things together.”
Having grown up on church music (the core of the band were fellow church-goers as well), Dawn had to adjust to her first gig as a pop keyboardist. “I always try to make something that’s dance-y,” she says of her parts. “This band has taught me to play more rhythmically.” A solid groove is indeed key for the Black Kids; though they may incorporate backing tracks in future concerts, Dawn says that currently, “everything we do is completely and utterly live.”
On stage, Ali plays a Korg MiniKorg and triggers beats from a E-mu Emulator SP-12 drum machine. Dawn jams from behind a Roland Juno-G, an axe she finds inspiring for its retro sounds. “I’m a big synth string fan,” she says. “They can crescendo and make a song both heavy and beautiful. I love that the Juno-G has the Jupiter-8 strings on it. I can use them to make everything sound bigger.”
Despite their growing success, things don’t always go smoothly on the road for Black Kids. “At a show in England, everyone started rushing us and pushed the keyboards off the stage,” says Dawn. “Someone had to hand Ali her MiniKorg back to her. I had to hold on to the Juno-G so it didn’t get trashed. But we never stop playing — things get unplugged, the theater catches on fire — no matter what happens!” Michael Gallant
For more on Black Kids,
visit www.blackkidsmusic.com.