Kasen James
1. Please provide us with a brief bio of yourself and your background.
Kasen James is an award-winning creative and songwriter, reigning from the SF Bay Area and now residing in Tempe, AZ. He is a wizard of words, with wordplay being his inner magic. As both a marketer and musician, he aspires to help brands perform better on the world's biggest stage: the internet.
2. What led you to become a talent/artist/influencer/performer?
Kasen has been a musician for 20+ years. When he was 13, he found his passion for music not in playing what others had already written, but in writing his own songs.
3. Tell us more about your studio/company/academy.
Kasen loves creating campaigns that sing, right down to an unforgettable jingle. He is a marketer by day, and aspires to bring new meaning to the definition of "brand voice".
4. What skills have you learned that will help you in your result and/or performance?
In his youth, Kasen was a classically-trained musician and stage actor. In his twenties, he began investing in his rebel creativity through attending industry-acclaimed songwriting retreats and improv comedy classes.
5. What is your own definition of an impressive performance/show/masterpiece?
Kasen considers his pun songs to be masterpieces, because each line builds and hits a little harder than the last. In general, he feels that any performance that is unique, authentic, passionate and a culmination of skill, likely makes for an impressive performance.
6. What is your creative or ideation process like?
When Kasen gets an idea for a pun song, it starts with the story and lyrical theme. For example, in his song "Follow the Yellow Brick Road", he wanted to tell this story of his leaving home to become a "wizard". All of the lyrics are a direct extraction or reference to The Wizard of Oz and Wicked. To Kasen, words are puzzle pieces, and he likes the challenges of coloring within a set of creative lines.
7. What has been the best performance of your career so far?
Kasen competed in the 2017 O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships in Austin, TX. He also competed in the Rooster T Feathers 2018 New Talent Comedy Competition, where he graced the same stage as performers from SNL, Netflix, The Late Show, and Comedy Central. Kasen has played his pun songs in Las Vegas, Nashville, and won Best Songwriting Performance in 2019 as a member of the West Coast Songwriters.
8. Congratulations! As the winner of LIT Talent Awards, what does it mean to you, or your team, to receive this honor?
LIT Talent Awards is the first songwriting award that Kasen has received. He is happy to have his lyrical talent recognized by a growing international platform.
9. How has winning an international awards help promote you and/or your masterpiece?
Kasen has reaffirmed confidence to continue pursuing any creative or songwriting opportunities that may come as a result.
10. What advise you will give to those who are in the same industry and/or are interested with your craft?
If anyone is interested in pursuing songwriting or comedy, Kasen advises to take care of your mind, body and soul. Do whatever it takes to keep your inner creative fire LIT, because what the world needs more than ever is people who can't be put out.
11. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Kasen would most like to collaborate with big brands on radio, video and influencer campaigns. He would also like to collaborate with Billboard indie and pop artists, to bring puns to mainstream music in the way that only he can.
