Hey everyone! In the chaos of rehearsals, performances, packing, and many other life tasks, “Film of Us” officially released! I am so thankful for the timing of this song’s release, as I feel it serves as a good kickoff to summer, and brings good vibes! The process behind this one was full of trial and error, which is surprising given it’s such a fun, sweet song. Here is the behind-the-scenes of the creation of my latest song!

I tried to look through my text messages to see when it REALLY all began but couldn’t quite figure it out… so here is an estimated timeline! Kevin originally created this mix with some vocals of the melody singing gibberish to hopefully develop some lyrics. In a studio session, I had talked about wanting to create an ‘Angel Baby’ by Troye Sivan type of song, and he played me his mix! I thought the energy and colors were what I was going for, so he sent it to me, and I started developing a story, and lyrics. I believe he had sent me the original mix around this time last year. After months of tweaking, writing, (and even co-writing… more on that later), and editing, we finally got into the studio to put down some vocals and finish the mix. The recording process went by relatively quickly, with a clear end goal in mind. This song has been on my radar for so long, and it feels so good to have it finished and out into the world! I hope it can bring some light and joy to your summer!

One big part of the creation process of “Film of Us” was the day Kevin and I co-wrote lyrics.

Long story short, I ended up crying.

When it comes to anything, I LOVE to have a schedule, working through things, trial and error, tweaking, etc. - and I love doing them on my own. I work so well by myself, and when it comes to creative endeavors I would 100 out of 10 times want to do it on my own. It’s not that I don’t trust or dislike other’s processes/work, I just know what I like, and I know how to get there. Given the Synesthesia aspect of my creative process, it gets hard to co-write a song that I want to be blue that has tints of suggested oranges or reds, and that gets confusing and difficult to communicate. I began to feel really overwhelmed by releasing control of making everything feel right, and tried to be open to what Kevin’s ‘right’ is. I think in the end, there’s maybe 2 or 3 lines we co-wrote in the final song, which doesn’t seem like a lot, but the experience behind it certainly was. Co-creating music is something I want to continue to grow in, because I know it has a lot to offer me… that day was just confusing and frustrating. But, it was a very important lesson I learned in the creation of this song!

I hope you all are having a great summer, and you enjoy “Film of Us”! Thank you for reading this blog post, and for your never-ending love and support. :)

Tags: film of us

Kira's fifth single, Film of Us, is out now! You can hear it on all major streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music, and there is a Hyperfollow page that links to all. You can also download the full-resolution version of the song for free by signing up for Kira's newsletter.


Film of Us
Waking up to sunlight dancing on your chest
I trace the tattoos up and down your neck

Time can't stop for us, baby

While you swim in the silk summer water
I drown in your voice
I keep this film of us close
When the lights take me home

As you fade into the noise, I’ll listen from a distance
To hear your voice, painted blue, telling me to find you

Time can't stop for us, baby

I live inside these memories
Of us and golden skies
I keep this film of us close
When the lights take me home

Winter will pass and spring will come
As time keeps turning, I want to bloom with you
I promise I see you behind your eyes
Can you see me behind mine?

I’ll breathe you in and hold you close
As the tide comes again
I’ll keep this film of us close
When the lights take me home

While you swim in the silk summer water
I drown in your voice
I keep this film of us close
When the lights take me home



Song Credits
Written by Kira Takei and Kevin McNoldy
Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by Kevin McNoldy
All vocals performed by Kira Takei
All instruments performed by Kevin McNoldy

©2023 Kira Takei / Cphonic Records. All rights reserved.

Tags: film of us