Kari Kimmel

Kari Kimmel
Kimmel on stage in 2014
Born
Kari Meredyth Kimmel

Boca Raton, Florida, U.S.
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • composer
  • producer
Years active2004–present
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • guitar
Websitekarikimmel.com

Kari Meredyth Kimmel is an American singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. She is best known for the theme track It's Not Just Make Believe for Ella Enchanted,[1] the theme track Black for The Walking Dead trailer, her Cruel Summer cover for Cobra Kai,[2] and the theme track Where You Belong for The Fosters.[3] Her music ranges across the genres of pop, rock and folk.[4]

Early life and education

Kimmel was born and raised in Boca Raton, Florida.[5] Shortly after graduating high school, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music.[6]

She has cited Carole King as her biggest musical inspiration. She has also stated that she draws inspiration from Bonnie Raitt, Elton John and Sheryl Crow.[5][3][7][8]

Career

Kimmel's career began when she was cast to sing the theme song It's Not Just Make Believe for the 2004 Disney live-action film Ella Enchanted.[9] She also appeared in the music video, which featured on Radio Disney. Kimmel then connected with Randy Spendlove, the president of motion picture music at Miramax at the time, with whom she went on to collaborate on over 20 film projects.[6]

Kimmel has written, arranged, produced, and performed music which has been licensed in over 650 studio films, network television series, trailers, video games, and commercials.[10] Notable productions include the films Blockers, World War Z, Southpaw, and The Duff, the television shows America's Funniest Home Videos, The Office, New Girl, Pretty Little Liars, The Lying Game and Grimm, in addition to the Walking Dead trailer.[11][12] Her music has also been used in advertisements for Google and Nissan, and the popular video game The Sims.[6][13] Her track Let's Light It Up was used by WWE wrestler AJ Lee as her entrance theme.[14][15]

Kimmel has composed 18 theme songs for multiple television series, including Where You Belong for family drama series The Fosters, and has performed tracks in the films Pitch Perfect, Pitch Perfect 2, Dreamgirls, Danny Collins, Descendants, Descendants 2, Teen Beach Movie, Teen Beach Movie 2, and Footloose.[16] Her music video for the track Low was used to promote the television series Private Practice and her music video for the track Trouble aired on Oxygen and KNBC.[17] She has also performed live on The Adam Corolla Show, The Danny Bonaduce Show, The Conway & Whitman Show, KNBC, and Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket and at multiple venues in Los Angeles, including Los Angeles Dodgers games, Los Angeles Lakers games, and the AIDS Walk benefit, hosted by Prince Edward and the Greek Theatre in 2010, where she closed the show.[18]

Kimmel has also written songs which have been recorded by notable artists including The Backstreet Boys, Kesha, Joe Jonas, Demi Lovato and Gloria Gaynor. She has also sung background vocals for Ringo Starr,[19] Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, Willie Nelson, and Pharrell.[11][10][7]

Kimmel has released five solo albums, titled A Life in the Day, Out of Focus, From the Vault, Go, and Black. Her sixth solo album Gold & Glitter was released on May 25, 2018.[11] The title track was featured in the 2018 comedy film Blockers.[20]

In 2015, Kimmel launched her own licensing company Glow Music Group, and now represents over 200 bands in addition to her own music.[6] In 2017, she led a writer's retreat for VocalizeU and ASCAP in Ojai, CA.[21]

Discography

Albums

Year Title Label Other Artist(s) Notes
2006 A Life in the Day Independent
2010 Out of Focus Independent
2011 From the Vault Independent
Go Independent
2015 Black Independent
2016 Poppyfields Independent
2018 Gold & Glitter Independent Title track Gold & Glitter featured in 2018 film Blockers

EPs

Year Title Label Other Artist(s) Notes
2008 Pink Balloon Tzviah
2011 Own It Hype Music
2012 Christmastime Independent
2013 Fix You Up Independent
2017 Covers, Vol. 1 Independent

Singles

Year Title Label Other Artist(s) Notes
2008 Let It Go/Taking a Ride
Low Tzviah
Dance With Joy Sara Lee/Amber (Heavenly) Matt Meils
2011 Pennies for Adam
STFU
Black Independent The Walking Dead trailer track
Let's Light It Up WWE Music Group WWE wrestler AJ Lee's entrance track
2012 Fire International Family Entertainment
Payphone
These Boots Are Made for Walkin' Independent
Fourteen Minutes
BNE (Best Night Ever)
Fix You Up
Perfect Day
Christmastime
2013 Where You Belong Abc family The Fosters' theme song
While You Were Up High
Fingerprints
Shooting Star Independent
Summertime Rykim Records
2014 Best Day Independent
2015 Everything is Feeling' Right Independent
Everybody Has to Fall Independent
Best Thing Independent
Happy Family Independent
2017 I See Trouble Freeform
Run Run Run Independent
Don't Feel Like Christmas Without You Independent
2018 Voices

[22][23]

Soundtracks

Year Production Title Role Other Artist(s) Notes
2004 Ella Enchanted It's Not Just Make Believe Performer
Shall We Dance Taking a Ride Writer, performer
Chestnut: Hero of Central Park Wonderful Day Writer, performer
2006 The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold Taking a Ride Writer, performer Video
2007 Girl, Positive Fly Writer, performer TV Movie
Victoria Beckham: Coming to America Taking a Ride Writer, performer TV Movie
Custody Taking a Ride Writer, performer TV Movie
The Deadly Pledge Can't Be Everything Arranger, performer, producer, writer TV Movie
Holiday in Handcuffs Taking a Ride Writer, performer TV Movie
2008 Tinker Bell Fly With Me Performer Video
2009 Princess Protection Program Is It Just Me Performer TV Movie
Bitter/Sweet Low Writer, performer
2010 Reviving Ophelia Remember Writer, performer TV Movie
Save Me Writer, performer
Knucklehead Taking a Ride Writer, performer
Space Dogs Watching Over You Writer, performer
I Got You Writer, performer
2011 Carnal Innocence Remember Writer, performer TV Movie
12 Dates of Christmas Christmastime Writer, performer TV Movie
The Chaperone Go Writer, performer
Let It Go Writer, performer
The Family Tree STFU Writer, performer
2012 The Pregnancy Project Finally Free Writer TV Movie
Don't Give Up Writer
Radio Rebel Brand New Day Writer, performer TV Movie
Pitch Perfect Female Voice No. 5
2013 Our Wild Hearts Who I Am Performer TV Movie
World War Z Go Writer, performer
Girl on a Bicycle It Just Takes a Moment Performer
Play With Me Performer
2014 A Tiger's Tail Great Big World Writer, performer
Best Day Writer, performer
Watching Over You Writer, performer
Composer (additional music)
Ouija Go Writer, performer Short Film
2015 Project Almanac Extraverdant Writer, performer
Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of Incomplete Lyrics, Music
The DUFF Nothing Left to Lose Writer, performer
Danny Collins Danny's Background Singer
Southpaw Perfect Day Writer, performer
2016 Face 2 Face Always Got Me Performer
Best Day Performer
Brand New Day Performer
Go Performer
Imagine Performer
On Your Side Performer
Such a Good Time Performer
2017 Veeram We Will Rise Performer
2018 Blockers Gold & Glitter Writer, performer
American Paradise Composer, Composer (theme music)

Songwriting

Year Title Label Other Artist(s) Notes
2001 No Less Reunion Records Joy Williams
Moonlight Avex Trax MAX
2002 Stronger Gloria Gaynor
2004 I Could Curb Records Kimberley Locke
2005 Incomplete Jive Backstreet Boys
Taking a Ride Frontiers Records Robin Beck
2010 My Song For You Walt Disney Demi Lovato, Joe Jonas
2011 Velvet Sky Nine North Records Jessica Ridley
2012 My Song For You Walt Disney Bridgit Mendler, Shane Harper
2017 Riding Free Back Lot Music Maisy Stella
Paper Airplane Kesha Unreleased

[6][24][25][26][27]

Awards and nominations

In 2017 Kimmel was honored, along with over a hundred other individuals, when she was awarded an ASCAP Screen Music Award for co composing The Fosters' theme song Where You Belong.[28]

References

  1. ^ "Kari Kimmel – New Songs, Playlists & Latest News – BBC Music". BBC. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  2. ^ Romano, Evan (September 10, 2020). "Here's Every Badass '80s Jam From 'Cobra Kai' Seasons 1 and 2". Men's Health.
  3. ^ a b "Entre Nous: Kari Kimmel – BARB". barbmagazine.com. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  4. ^ BWW News Desk. "Kari Kimmel to Perform at L.A.'s Hotel Cafe 8/6". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Singer-Songwriter, Kari Kimmel, Talks Walking Dead, The Fosters, Singing with Al Pacino and A Whole Lot More! | All Access Music". music.allaccess.com. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Spotlight: How Singer-Songwriter Kari Kimmel Landed Hundreds of TV & Film Syncs on Her Own Terms". Billboard. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Kari Kimmel – How being diverse turned into over 500 licensed placements – iSing Magazine". iSing Magazine. January 23, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  8. ^ "Belonging With Kari Kimmel – Young Entertainment". youngentertainmentmag.com. September 20, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  9. ^ Hentges, Sarah (September 10, 2014). Pictures of Girlhood: Modern Female Adolescence on Film. McFarland. ISBN 9781476608587.
  10. ^ a b "THURSDAY TRACK PICK – Kari Kimmel's "High" (EXCLUSIVE)". KeyboardMag. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  11. ^ a b c BWW News Desk. "ASCAP Award Winner Kari Kimmel Releases New Album 'Gold & Glitter' Today". Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  12. ^ BWW News Desk. "Kari Kimmel Releases New Album". Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  13. ^ "Songwriter Kari Kimmel ends her year in the 'Black'". AXS. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  14. ^ thewweajlee (September 1, 2013), WWE: AJ Lee – "Let's Light It Up" (feat. Kari Kimmel), retrieved July 25, 2018
  15. ^ Listen Free to WWE & Kari Kimmel – Let's Light It up (AJ Lee) Radio | iHeartRadio, retrieved July 25, 2018
  16. ^ "Kari Kimmel". karikimmel.com. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  17. ^ eMinor. "Kari Kimmel | Pop from Boca Raton, FL". ReverbNation. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  18. ^ "California AIDS Walk Circle of Life Concert | LA Music Blog". lamusicblog.com. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  19. ^ "Ringo Starr Announces His 20th Studio Album "What's My Name" To Be Released in October". Music Mayhem Magazine. September 13, 2019.
  20. ^ "BLACKBOOK PREMIERE: Stunning New Kari Kimmel Single 'Gold & Glitter' – BlackBook". BlackBook. April 6, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  21. ^ "Events Calendar". ascap.com. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  22. ^ "Kari Kimmel Radio: Listen to Free Music & Get The Latest Info | iHeartRadio". iHeartRadio. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  23. ^ "Kari Kimmel". SoundCloud. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  24. ^ "Kari Kimmel – DuVinage Music". duvinagepublishing.com. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  25. ^ "Joy Williams (2) – Joy Williams". discogs. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  26. ^ "Kimberley Locke – One Love". discogs. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  27. ^ "Kari Kimmel – A Life in the Day". ascap.com. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  28. ^ "2017 Screen Music Awards". ascap.com. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
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