Today we’d like to introduce you to Kena Sosa.
Hi Kena, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
In addition to being a writer and filmmaker, I have played percussion since eighth grade. I had one year of band experience when I went to high school to join the drumline. Riveted by the way a drum can make a noise louder than my voice, I was entranced and dedicated myself to catch up with the rest. At the time, there were few girls on drumline, so I buried my head in crafting my skills to work my way up to snare. By junior year, I had done it. It wasn’t just the goal though, it was the friends, the fun, and the way drumming took away outside stresses for a while. It kept me going.
After moving to Dallas in 2001, I soon found myself expending my extra energy volunteering. One lucky evening, a taiko group was recruiting. I had never played taiko, but I was an exchange student in Japan in college and jumped at the opportunity. It took a while to unlearn certain Western style drumming habits and pick up new forms, but motivation pushed me ahead. There, I made new lifelong friends.
Eventually, one friend, Sean, created a new taiko group, Goisagi. We were a duo in the beginning while songs were finalized and experimented with. Then we were a fantastic quartet of taiko drummers-Sean, Jay, Kris, and myself. We got our name out and made noise all over DFW. Then we were joined by three more, Maddie, Mayuri, and Katie. We released an EP called Alight and wove our skills together. We are currently writing our next EP. This is my percussion family for life.
As creatives often do, I also had other avenues to explore. I grabbed every percussion instrument I could find as I traveled and met people over the years. I took lessons for things I had never heard of. I listened and learned. I took chances, like drumming in a video called Paradise and creating a percussion movement experience called Heartbeat, inspired by the first thing we hear before we are born.
What I came to understand is that I want to share with others what drumming did for me. And that the benefits of playing aren’t only for performers and professionals. That’s where the partnership with Do You Speak Drum? came in. Working together with Ryan Taylor, DCF, I have met amazing people and learned their stories. That connection that we all seek in life can be from sharing the excitement of performing or just syncing rhythms together. What a wonderful life to lead.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As most artists will confess, the road to success or even self-sufficiency is winding and sometimes even involves some off-roading. Then again, challenging oneself and coming up with creative solutions is a quintessential piece of being an artist.
I think one of the biggest challenges for artists is to have stability. Some months are red hot in bookings and events, and others are lullabies. More recently, it seems like social media activity rather than production and performance are priority for bookings. I don’t see that changing soon. Bookings and opportunities don’t land in your palm. You have to get out there and get your name in people’s mouths, their inboxes, and their minds as much as possible. We can put so much work into marketing that we forget to put the work into the actual performance. Knowing when to place boundaries and how to honor agreements is another feat.
Sometimes, the challenge is simply being seen and heard. There are people I have to convince to take me seriously as a musician, but I don’t spend much time on them. I use that opportunity to demonstrate my abilities. I perform harder, I was endorsed by Creative Percussion. I look for ways to open the door to everyone by aligning myself with supportive people who want to do the same. Time is too valuable to spend on doubts. I keep moving and growing.
Currently, I’m learning about non-profit requirements and incorporation to decide if these forks in the road are beneficial. Many programs that are supported by city funds and grants require this status, but the status may not be best for all groups and performers. Not from a business background, treating your art like a business has been difficult, but the more I know, the more I move myself toward success.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Before becoming a filmmaker and author, I started my creative path as a percussionist. I am in love with the percussion family because there is always a new style or instrument to learn.
As a musician, I’m probably most recognized for being a member of Goisagi, a taiko ensemble from Fort Worth. We were nominated for a Fort Worth Weekly award this year after releasing an EP called Alight and performing at SXSW in 2022. With original music and choreographed movements, we put on quite a show.
After years of honing my craft with taiko, I became an endorsed Creative Percussion Artist which fuels me to keep experimenting and trying new things.
Through the Dallas Flamenco Conservatory I picked up the cajon and was enchanted all over again, playing with the Flame Foundation and also Sabor Flamenco DFW. In addition to performing, I love to collaborate with other artists.
I had the privilege to work with Ladi, the Musician, to record two instrumental singles, Exhale and Wander. We are currently working on our third collaboration! I also helped Lori Sundeen Soderbergh to create a short film performance piece called Paradise. I will also perform an original percussive experience with Over the Bridge Arts’ Younger Than Dirt program in spring 2024.
Realizing that there is power in partnerships, I teamed up with my fellow drummer, Ryan Taylor, as a partner Drum Circle Facilitator with Do You Speak Drum? Do You Speak Drum is now a duo that brings culture, community and care that connects drumming to emotional and physical health in casual and corporate settings.
I just can’t seem to stop adding to my percussion palate. Currently, I am taking bomba and plena percussion classes at Bombazo DFW. The wealth of music and happiness out there is endless. That’s what I want to be known for, a limitless passion for percussion.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Because live performance opportunities fell off a cliff during the Covid crisis, performers were in a void for bookings. Some of us resorted to streaming performances. Some of us created videos to push through online. Some of us decided it was time to wrap ourselves in a cocoon and grow.
For example, my taiko ensemble, Goisagi, used this time to start writing new music. We could not control having bookings, but we could use this time to be ready when the world reopened. We used the time do workshop becoming stronger as a group and for exploring the unbound talents within the group.
We performed at Top Ten Records, streamed live with other artists. We practiced in the park. We learned that the limits could only hold us as much as we allowed. We all slimmed down on opportunities but discovered new ones. Innovation, love, and flexibility are how we survive.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.doyouspeakdrum.com
- Instagram: @doyouspeakdrum, @goisagi.daiko
- Facebook: @doyouspeakdrum, @goisagi.daiko
Image Credits
Kasey Williams
Faith Thompson
