Q&A: Kacie Brown and The Vision Step into Their Power on “WDYWFM”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
INSIDE THE VISION’S SOULFUL NEW ERA — Kacie Brown has built her sound around the emotional range of R&B and neo-soul. As the frontwoman of Kacie Brown and The Vision, she pairs sultry, honeyed vocals with classic soul arrangements, moving between intimate melodies and powerful, soaring belts. Her music explores love, personal struggles and the search for hope within life’s chaos.
Now, Kacie Brown and The Vision introduce a new chapter with their latest EP, WDYWFM.
“WDYWFM is about attitude. It's about embracing yourself and confidence. That's what it means to me,” Brown tells Luna.
Brown’s vocal style has been described as a blend of Minnie Riperton and Jill Scott, reflecting her ability to move between softness and prowess. Her delicate delivery creates intimacy within a song, while her stronger vocal moments give her stories weight. Across WDYWFM, that contrast remains central to her approach.
The EP also highlights the musicianship of The Vision, composed of producer and pianist Miles Pretel, guitarists Chris Ihrig and Stephen Ryan, bassist Khalif Alston, and drummer William Penne. Their arrangements provide the foundation for Brown’s vocals, drawing from the instrumentation and feel of traditional soul while supporting the EP’s contemporary R&B sound.
For Brown, the EP's themes of confidence and self-expression connect directly to her personal approach to making music. Brown can approach a song with restraint before opening into a full vocal performance, reflecting the emotional shifts within her writing. Her music allows softness and strength to exist in the same space.
WDYWFM is about embracing yourself while continuing to navigate the experiences that come with growing and changing. Kacie Brown and The Vision build that idea into a neo-soul project that puts emotional depth and empowerment at the center.
LUNA: Thank you for talking to Luna. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar with you yet, what inspires your artistic style and sound?
KACIE: R&B and soul singers. I like neo-soul. Artists like Shaka Khan, Aretha Franklin as well as innovative artists inspire my sound.
LUNA: WDYWFM feels like a very intentional project. What initially inspired you and The Vision to create this EP?
KACIE: I think it was just a long time in the making. Since we started the band in 2023, I've always wanted to record and put out a larger piece of work, so that's been something I've been trying to push for three years. I think that's what created it. Our producer Miles writes really cool songs and inspired me to want to continue with the band.
LUNA: What does WDYWFM mean to you personally?
KACIE: It's about attitude. It's about embracing yourself and confidence. That's what it means to me.
LUNA: What were you listening to while writing and recording WDYWFM? Were there any artists, albums or songs that influenced your creative headspace?
KACIE: Kaiyote, really cool fusion, neo-soul, jazz band. Vocally, the lead singer from Hiatus Kaiyote inspired me a lot. Jill Scott always serves as a huge inspiration for me.
LUNA: Do you have a personal favorite song on WDYWFM — one that feels closest to your heart or most revealing of who Kacie Brown is right now?
KACIE: It’s a hard pick between “KC Fire Emoji” and “What Do You Want for Me.” We'll say “What Do You Want for Me.” I think it's our most recent song that we made for the project, and the sound and the ideas that the band had really is how I envision us to keep creating music. I love the fusion of R&B that we have with the live band sound.
LUNA: If you could introduce someone to WDYWFM through just one song, which track would you choose and why?
KACIE: “WDYWFM” because it serves as the core of the project.
LUNA: How do you hope listeners — especially your femme audience — can connect with or find power in this new era of music from you? What emotions or messages do you want to leave with them?
KACIE: It's okay to be vulnerable with your emotions and express yourself through that.
LUNA: How are you celebrating the EP release?
KACIE: I'm celebrating by being with my friends and the people I love and the band and just honoring the work we put in and spending time with people that truly support us and love us and want us to succeed.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like that you would like to share with Luna?
KACIE: I'm very nervous right now. I'm excited to have this project finally be out. I'm hoping people enjoy it. I hope it gets us more people that connect to our music and want to join The Vision.
