Kira Puru
Interview by Madeleine Dore
Every strength we perceive in ourselves or others perceive in us, has a flipside that feels like a weakness.
Often it’s our traits that make us extraordinary that can make us feel most ordinary – and vice versa –creating an internal contradiction.
Figuring out our contradictions and squaring off those sides of ourselves can take years, decades, but often when we do accept or even reveal them, that’s really when we connect with ourselves and others. Isn’t that what we’re looking for? In ours we are most fascinated by their flaws, maybe most comforted.
This week’s guests certainly makes it easy to connect and adore her wonderful contractions – and puts them front row and centre in her Twitter bio.
Performer, photographer, visual artist, DJ and vocal powerhouse Kira Puru describes herself as an “opinionated imposter” – in it exploring the fickleness of confidence but also the humbleness of learning to be wrong.
Ahead of her latest single launch, Idiot, in this conversation Kira Puru discusses mental health, navigating the logistics of living through a pandemic and sometimes curling up like an armadillo, giving yourself leeway to be overwhelmed, balancing the artistic and the political, frugality, mistakes and that tension between leaning towards chaos and leaning into routine.
Kira Puru: performer, photographer, visual artist, DJ and vocal powerhouse
““Don’t feel guilty about needing to regenerate. The world’s really overwhelming, and balance is important in any aspect of anyone’s life, so if you’re feeling burnt out, take some time.””
Shownotes
00:58
Contradictions – We all have traits that contradict each other. One is often perceived as a strength, and the other as a weakness. It takes time to learn what these traits are and how they complement each other, but when you do, wonderful things can be cultivated.
03:01
This weeks’ guest – Kira Puru is a performer, photographer, visual artist, DJ, vocal powerhouse, and a self-described opinionated imposter. She is open about her own contradictions and displays them in the open on her Twitter bio.
04:05
Navigating a pandemic – During a crisis such as COVID-19, it’s important to remember to give yourself leeway when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Give yourself the time to relax and be calm if you need it, whether you find that through creative work, housework, or in another way.
06:48
Waves of inspiration – In the creative industry, waves of inspiration constantly come and go, ebb and flow, and it’s best to accept that rather than get frustrated or overwhelmed by it. Be gentle on yourself, and don’t listen to the voices of self-doubt when you are struggling through a period of feeling uninspired.
09:26
Voicing opinions – If you have a platform and the energy to do so, don’t be afraid to use it to voice your opinions. Listen to other people’s stories and experiences and bring them together with your own. Ignore any pressures and expectations that are telling you what to say or how to say it.
14:21
Finding freedom – It’s easy to overload your brain with information and to worry about everything during a crisis, meaning that it’s hard to shut down and keep yourself both mentally and physically healthy. Don’t be afraid to take some time out for yourself, which will eventually put you in a better position to help those around you.
18:00
Balancing routine and fluidity – Freelance creatives can often struggle to find a balance between following a routine that allows them to designate time for being creative and being spontaneous and going with what feels right in the moment. Both have their advantages, so finding what works best for you is important.
20:18
Work-life balance – To break into the creative industry, it’s fairly common to have to balance a full-time day job along with your creative work, which ultimately will lead to having to sacrifice other things. Work out what’s most important to you, what sacrifices you’re willing to make, and don’t over-commit yourself.
28:51
Plan your path – Create goals and have an idea of how you want to accomplish them, which will help you to compartmentalise and navigate yourself in the right direction. Make sure that the goals are realistic and remember that you may not always be able to achieve them. Know what motivates and drives you, and what success looks like to you.
33:28
Making mistakes – We’re all human beings and we all make mistakes. When you do, make sure you learn from it and also look for indirect feedback from those around you. Remember that nobody is perfect and, even though your mistakes seem huge to you, they’re not always visible or obvious to other people.
37:39
Managing anxiety – Anxiety is being in a state of hyper-awareness and perfectionism. It’s always knowing what’s happening and what needs to be done. Although it’s often viewed as a negative thing, there can also be positive aspects to it if it’s managed correctly.
39:29
Evening routine – Kira likes to have slow evenings where she might be creative and make something, she might chat to people, or she might watch something, but she will always be up late and will sometimes use meditation if she’s struggling to sleep. She’s trying to make a habit of reading more and avoiding technology at this time of day.
41:28
Living in isolation – Kira has been enjoying the time in solitude to help her recuperate but is now starting to itch to get back into socialising with her friends. To help keep her busy and to stop herself from procrastinating too much, she has multiple different projects on the go that she can turn her attention to when needed, all while enjoying some of her favourite lockdown snacks.
44:43
Being a jack-of-all-trades – Working in the creative industry can sometimes mean that you need to have side projects in order to bring in a bit of extra money at times. It’s useful to try to learn as many skills as possible and be able to offer these services out to friends and family when needed.
46:49
Inspire yourself – If you’re struggling to produce creative content, try to do things that will inspire you. Allow yourself some time off and think about other things in order to let yourself regenerate. Be observant during this time and make note of things that you might need to improve on and put these into play next time you feel inspired.
48:12
We’re all inconsistent – Many of us may try to create and follow the perfect routine, but we don’t often stick to it for very long. We’re all wobbly and we’re all inconsistent, so don’t feel bad about it. Know that the majority of people are exactly the same and give yourself a bit of a break rather than feeling the pressure to follow the ideal routine.
““Things affect people differently, people’s stories are vastly different from each other, and everybody’s entitled to have their imposition on it, even if it’s something that you wildly don’t agree with.””