Kali Claire

How I Feel marks a deeply intimate and reflective chapter for Kali Claire, one shaped by solitude, emotional honesty, and self-awareness. Through soft, understated R&B textures and diaristic songwriting, the artist invites listeners into her inner world, a space where vulnerability, growth, and emotional flow exist without filters or explanations.

Created across different countries while solo travelling, the project unfolds like a personal journal in motion. Each track captures a specific emotional state, embracing both grounding moments and periods of uncertainty, and allowing softness to coexist with strength.

In this exclusive conversation with FemaleRNB, Kali Claire opens up about the making of How I Feel, the experiences that shaped its sound and themes, and the importance of listening to oneself, even when emotions feel messy, quiet, or unresolved.

For readers discovering you through FemaleRNB, who is Kali Claire?

Kali Claire is an R&B artist who makes music from real-life moments — the quiet ones, the confusing ones, and the ones that don’t always have clear answers. I’m someone who feels deeply, and my music is really just a reflection of that. I write about what I’m going through in real time, emotionally and mentally. 

Your new project How I Feel is out, congratulations. What did it feel like to finally share this project with the world?

It felt vulnerable but freeing. This project lived with me for a long time before anyone else heard it. I made it across different countries while solo travelling, and a lot of it came from moments where I was really alone and grounded in myself. Sharing it feels like opening a diary, but also like finally letting go of something I was holding onto.

The title How I Feel sounds very direct and personal. What inspired this name, and what does it represent for you at this moment in your journey?

The title came from a very simple truth — how I feel dictates how I move through life. If I feel amazing, I’m productive, connected, and present. If I don’t feel great, I isolate and go quiet. This project represents me accepting that emotional flow instead of fighting it. It’s about listening to myself and being honest about where I’m at.

As a whole, this project feels very intimate. How did you think about shaping the sound and overall atmosphere from start to finish?

I wanted the project to feel close — like you’re sitting in the room with me. I didn’t overthink perfection. I focused on emotion, space, and simplicity. Sonically, I wanted it to feel soft but honest. Every song reflects a different emotional state I experienced while travelling and finding myself… and sometimes losing myself too.

Can you tell us about the song How I Feel and the place it holds within this project for you?

How I Feel is the emotional center of the project. It’s the most honest version of me — no filters, no explanations. That song sets the tone for the entire EP. It’s about being aware of your emotions and letting them exist without judgement.

Can you tell us about Platonic and Withdrawal Symptoms, and how these two tracks connect within the album?

Platonic explores emotional closeness without labels — the confusion that can come with deep connections that don’t fit into traditional boxes. Withdrawal Symptomsis what comes after — the absence, the emotional comedown. Basically my two different attachment styles in mp3 format!

Across this body of work, there’s a strong sense of honesty and emotional openness. What themes or feelings were most important for you to explore here?

Loneliness, self-awareness, emotional cycles, and growth. I wanted to explore what it feels like to sit with yourself — especially when you’re away from everything familiar. This project is about emotional truth, even when it’s uncomfortable or messy.

If you had to choose one track to represent How I Feel as a whole, which one would it be and why?

How I Feel. It captures the core of the project — emotional awareness, vulnerability, and acceptance. It’s the most stripped-back version of who I am right now.

Which female R&B artists have influenced the way you approach emotion, storytelling, and sound in your music?

Artists like SZA, Summer Walker, and Snoh Aalegra have influenced me in terms of emotional honesty and storytelling. They create music that feels lived-in and real!

You’re building a personal R&B universe. Are there any female R&B artists, past or present, you’d love to collaborate with?

I’d love to collaborate with artists who value emotion and authenticity — someone like Elmine/ Odeal/ Naomi Sharon and so many more. I’m drawn to artists with FIRE lyrics.

What do you hope listeners take away or feel after spending time with this project?

I hope listeners feel understood. I want them to know it’s okay to feel deeply, to slow down, to disconnect when needed. If someone feels less alone after listening, then I’ve done what I set out to do.

Now that the project is out, what’s next for you? What does this next chapter look like?

This feels like the start of a new chapter. I’m continuing to create, perform, and build my world as an artist — but with more intention and confidence. How I Feel gave me clarity, and everything next will grow from that.