Kianna Martinez's mom, Lucy Martinez, speaks with Arizona Foothills Magazine about her daughter's journey from being a Selena fan to a potential Country Star. Kianna Martinez is at the apex of her career hoping to catch a big break to record her EP in Tennessee and gain the support of Arizona by helping her to raise $10,000 through her kickstarter fundraising page.
Lucy Martinez, left, with daughter Kianna Martinez, right. Photo by Danny Martinez
How would you characterize Kianna's music and songs?
A lot of her songs are just about love and heartbreak and trying to find who you are. She writes songs about her experiences. She writes about boys when it doesn't work out. That’s the only positive thing that she gets from that. She’d probably kick me for that (Lucy laughs as she says this). Like Billy says, her songs are very well-written, very mature. They’re about love, looking for love and kind of what she’s going through: a 21-year-old girl trying to find her way.
If Kianna gets to travel to Nashville this summer, can you describe what she will be doing there?
She will be in the studio most of the time recording her songs. Being a Country Artist, it is important for her to record her EP in Nashville. She can then send the EP to record labels in hopes of getting signed. She will also be able to promote herself with her own music. She will sing at a couple of venues while she's there and hopefully someone will hear her and she will catch a break. That will be her debut of singing her own songs in Nashville.
What kind of person is Kianna? How would you describe Kianna to, let's say, a stranger that walks up to you and asks about her?
That she’s a sweetheart. A smart girl with a good head on her shoulders. A good, all-around talented person.
She’s a good person with a big dream. She’s just trying to catch a break. She gathers a crowd every time she sings. People stop and listen – I think she’s great and I know I’m her mom, but people say she’s amazing all the time. She’s a petite girl, but has a big voice which really surprises people the first time they hear her. She has stage charisma. She’s done a lot of things, and I think she's ready for the next step.
Approximately, what amount of funds does Kianna need to tour this summer to Tennessee?
She needs $10,000 to record in Nashville and stay for the recording session. Billy Smiley has a studio out in Nashville. My husband and I flew her out to Florida to the Millie Lewis Actors, Model Talent Convention. She placed 3rd in the overall singing competition. She got call backs from A&R Reps who told her to go home and to find herself and learn how to play an instrument and write her own music, one of them told her that she was going to be a star. We just don’t have the money to send her back, and this is her way of doing it on her own. We also have a wedding to plan for our other daughter in January. Everyone that donates to her account will be a part of making her dream come true. They can be part of kick-starting her career and follow her on her journey and will receive a personal gift from her.
What would you say to potential supporters and donors?
Thank you so much for supporting her from the bottom of my heart because without you, this isn’t possible. Come out to one of her shows and listen to her and get to know her. You'll love her. She’s just a good Arizona girl trying to make it.
If someone is interested in donating and supporting Kianna, who should they contact?
They can go to her website. The link to Kickstarter is there (and here). They would sign up with Amazon and donate what they can. The money doesn’t come out until May 1. But if she doesn’t meet her goal, they won't be charged and she doesn't get any money. I just think that if they came out to one of her shows they would believe in her and want to help her. People are always telling her that she has the total package, and I believe there are people out there that would want to help someone like her make it.
Photo by Danny Martinez
How did Kianna meet music producer Billy Smiley and how did their producer-singer relationship develop?
She left one of her business cards at Scottsdale Music Studios. Someone picked up the card and gave it to him and asked him to check her out. He contacted my husband and discussed working with her. They met, got along really well, and together they started writing songs and really finding who Kianna is as an artist.
How was Kianna’s childhood and future influenced by touring with the music theatre “Totality?”
I think she learned to work with other people and developed good teamwork skills. She enjoyed being around talented people that shared her same interest and she learned to be comfortable on stage.
Does Kianna still look up to Selena? How would you say Kianna reflects this influence in her musical career?
Kianna admires Selena. It's because of her that she wanted to become a singer. Kianna never really knew who Selena was when she was alive because she was so little. It wasn't until the movie came out that she became a fan. She was seven-years-old. She would watch the movie over and over again and memorized the whole soundtrack. She used to sing the songs all the time and she wanted to be a singer just like Selena. She was totally influenced by her. I have journals that her teachers put together where she was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, and she would say a singer. She really related to the little girl in the movie – she related to her a lot and wanted to be her.
Just like the movie Selena, Kianna saw a live band at a restaurant and wanted to sing, and the whole night she kept bugging me to sing. I said, "If I ask them and they say yes, you better not chicken out," and she said, "I won't." So, I asked the band and they said yeah, and gave her the microphone, and she sang “I Will Survive” acappella. She wasn’t afraid or nervous or scared. She just did it because that's what Selena did.
Who does Kianna look up to in the country-music sphere from your observations?
I think her favorite is– well she has two favorites: Miranda Lambert and Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland.
As her mom, what has your role been in Kianna's music career?
I am a one-hundred percent supporter. My husband and I are very supportive of what she does. We believe in her. My husband pushes her to keep moving forward and work hard. My role is to try to help find places for her to sing and getting her name out there.
My husband is more like the dad in the movie Selena. I'm more like the mom. We go to all of her shows. We help her with her outfits, song selections – pretty much everything. It's a team effort. She calls me her “Momager.”
How has she influenced you or changed your life?
Well, she’s the younger daughter of two and still lives at home, so she keeps us busy with her music. She has a big heart and is a good kid. She’s like our baby – she is our baby. She’s a great person. She’ll do anything for anyone. I have two daughters: a big baby and a little baby. She’s 21, but she’s still my little baby. Our family is very close.
Photo by Danny Martinez
Why are rodeos such a big part for Kianna's music career?
When she finished doing the music theatre, we took her to sing karaoke a lot and the Gilbert rodeo board members heard her and loved her. They wanted her to come out and sing at the Rodeo. She enjoys it because it’s part of the country world and that’s the kind of music she wants to sing. She’s just really comfortable and happy to be there because they are fun events and the people are really nice.
How does Kianna balance a college life with her music career and all other side gigs?
She’s a full-time student. She just has to work hard to do both. She also has a part-time job. She’s a really busy girl. She’s joining a band, too – that’s the next thing that she’s going to be adding to her list.
As her mom, how would you describe Kianna's life?
It's very busy, because she also tries to have a life with her friends. She’s always doing something. Her life is like a whirlwind. For a 21-year-old, it’s hard for her to have to give up her weekends, too; but that’s how hard she has to work if she’s going to make this happen.
What did AZ Foothills' "Future Face of Foothills" do for Kianna?
I think it gave her a sense of confidence that she can also compete with the models. She was really excited to have made it to the 3rd round. It also made her realize how much support she has by the people who were voting for her.
What do you think Kianna will be doing 10 years from now?
I hope that she’s a big star. A big country star living her life and doing what she loves. This is a really tough business to get into. I hope she will be married, too. I do want her to get married someday. But she has no interest in that right now.
To help send Kianna Martinez to Tennessee to record her EP, please visit her Kickstarter page here.
