7 Questions for Sonya Kitchell.(Curvatures)(Interview)

SONYA KITCHELL is an 18-year-old singer-songwriter from Northampton, Mass., (sonyakitchell.com). While she is accustomed to performing acoustic folk-rock, her voice also seems to channel an older energy from another space and time. CURVE recently caught up with Kitchell at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tenn., to discuss her early start in the music industry, Northampton as a lesbian mecca and trampolines.--JDA

How did you start so young?

Basically, I started voice lessons at 7 years old because I decided I wanted to become a singer. At 12, I bought myself a guitar and then learned how to play the piano because I figured I'd better learn to accompany myself. Writing and playing music is my passion. I have always given up everything and anything for it, almost. I have always pursued it.

I notice that your tour dates include a lot of international travel. Can we talk about that?

I just got back from two months in Europe and before that I was in India. The last place I was in was Barcelona. It was beautiful. I wish I had more time, but Paris was really one of my favorite places we went to.

I was hanging out with another musician here at Bonnaroo, and she's amazed that you have such maturity at 18. Can you give me some insight as to how it is that you are traveling internationally, being exposed to this lifestyle, at such a young age? Have your parents been involved?

Yeah, my parents are both artists. My father is a photographer and a fine artist, a painter, and my mom's an illustrator. Basically, from a very young age they were bringing me out to concerts and restaurants. I was hanging out with adults and treated as an equal--treated as a child, but as if I was intelligent.