Native American/Canadian musician Keanu Ienco is pleased to announce the release of his new single and video 'I Still Shine'. This is the first single from Keanu's debut album Celestial Desire, which is set for release on March 18th. A thrilling ride from start to finish, the instrumental rock track feels exciting and inspirational with full emotion shining through. Keanu found his passion for music when his mom bought him a guitar for his eighth birthday. At thirteen he started playing professionally and by the age of sixteen he'd already performed live with numerous groups in British Columbia, and had radio airplay of his own originals.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hey Keanu Ienco, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
Hey so I have always been interested in melodies and rhythms even from a young age. I remember back when I was about 5 years old I would get really invested in the sounds and music of video games on my Game Boy. I would often hum along to the tunes and sound effects of something like Super Mario World. My mother most likely took note of my interest in sound and music and bought me a guitar for my 8th birthday. She then enrolled me in lessons and around that time I discovered the band Queen and became obsessed with them. This all fueled my love for music and guitar and as the years went on music became my outlet for expressing myself.
How do you balance your time in the studio with other commitments such as a part-time job, family, admin?
So this can be a tricky thing for all musicians and artists. I often find that boundaries and goals need to be set for yourself. Even on my busiest days I tell myself before bed I need at least an hour or more of practice or I need to do at least a few takes on this track before I go out today. These daily goals help keep me on track when I get caught up in other necessary commitments such as work or family. I will also say that I record a lot of my music at my home and this has been a huge help especially during the pandemic as I can squeeze in recording sessions between everyday tasks like eating meals or doing laundry.
Your latest song is 'I Still Shine'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
Yeah so I started writing "I Still Shine'' in early 2020 and I set out with the goal of writing a high energy track with melodic guitar lines and a cool rhythm section groove that acts as an anthem for regaining one's self confidence and power. The guitars ended up being tracked at my home by myself, the bass was recorded by Laird Ross in Vancouver and Adam Robertson tracked the drums at Risque Disque Records with engineer Anthony Sharkey. The most unusual aspect of this for me was doing this project in a pandemic. Past projects I've had every musician in the studio at once recording the parts simultaneously but because of restrictions and safety this was more spread out. While it was different, I'm really happy with the outcome.
What is one message you would give to your fans?
I'd really like to thank everyone who has listened to "I Still Shine" and shown support towards me and my music. The feedback, connections and friendships made mean a lot and I can't wait to share more!
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
I've honestly never really considered a career outside of music as this has been my life ever since I was a child. However, outside of playing and writing music I do teach guitar and music theory. If I wasn't a composer or player I would probably focus more on music education and instilling a love for music in others through teaching.
How do you know when a work is finished?
Well sometimes you just have to let the composition guide you until it's done. And if you're at a point where any changes you make are just minute details then I'd say the work is complete. Sometimes us artists overthink these things too much and we have to take a step back and let the piece materialize in front of us and when you do that you'll know when it's finished.
Can you write what was your best performance in your career? How do you remember it?
This is a hard one as I've played some really awesome gigs with various groups over the years. The first one that comes to mind is actually my graduation recital from Vancouver Island University in 2019. This was my first performance where the set list consisted exclusively of my own compositions. That feeling of truly sharing my art in its purest form for the first time is unforgettable.
Do you have a mentor or coach?
I've had many fantastic teachers and mentors over the years but the biggest one for me is Jim Blair (who mixes under the pseudonym "Folded Lines"). Jim was actually the first guitar teacher I had when I was 8 years old. I took lessons and studied with him for 10 or more years. In that time Jim didn't just teach me how to play guitar, He taught me how to be a musician. He taught me how to take care of my instrument, how to set up gigs, how to send professional emails, how to prepare for the recording studio and so much more. When it came to recording "I Still Shine" and the upcoming album it's off of, Jim Blair joined me as a co-producer and his input on the project was extremely helpful and he really helped push this album to the next level.
Who is your favourite musician?
Another great but hard question to answer! If I have to pick one it's Brian May, the guitarist of Queen. Ever since I was a kid Brian's playing has totally blown me away and inspired me. He just has a style and tone that's unmatched. One big thing I take away from him is how melodic his playing is. He knows exactly when to shred and bring out the chops without losing his sense of melody and compositional skills. I've also had the privilege of meeting Brian a couple times and have to say he is extremely kind and friendly.
What are your plans for the future?
Well my next single "Indigo" comes out February 25th and features fellow Canadian musician and friend Elise Boulnger on vocals! Then on March 18th my album Celestial Desire will be released. From there I look forward to playing and (if restrictions lift) hopefully touring my music live in as many places as I can. And of course I have the foundation of my next recording project in the works, so there are many things on the horizon for me in the future!