When The Craft Becomes the Statement
On The Jeremiah Show, singer and songwriter Kendra Erika opens up about the long game behind her chart success—and why her bold new chapter feels like a return home.
With five Billboard Top 10 dance hits to her name, including a No. 1 debut for her modern reimagining of Laura Branigan’s Self Control, Erika could have easily stayed in the comfort of club charts and EDM dominance. Instead, she chose reinvention. Central to her journey was an early agreement with her parents: That she earn a four-year college degree outside music before fully pursuing a performance career. That decision, she says, grounded her in discipline, informed her strategy, and shaped her perspective—tools that later proved essential in navigating the music industry.
Erika speaks candidly about early challenges, including being born without the ability to hear pitch and undergoing years of vocal retraining under German opera coach Gisbert Hoyer. What began as a limitation became a foundation, shaping a vocalist known today for precision and emotional command.
The interview traces her artistic evolution from dance-floor anthems to her upcoming album, License to Thrill: The James Bond Songbook, a cinematic collection drawing on her love for jazz, the orchestra, and the classic American songbook. Inspired by childhood Bond screenings with her father, the project spans multiple Bond eras and reflects Erika’s belief that audiences are craving depth and human connection in an increasingly automated music landscape.
Erika reflects on mental discipline and long-term perseverance, and what works for her to quiet overthinking in favor of forward motion. Her philosophy is simple: preparation meets instinct when you stop hesitating and start moving.
Set for release February 13, followed by a one-night live showcase in Las Vegas, License to Thrill marks a defining arrival for an artist who has spent years building the tools for this moment. As Erika makes clear in conversation, this isn’t a reinvention—it’s the sound of an artist operating in full alignment with her heart.
INTERVIEW AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 6 - APPLE PODCASTS
KENDRA ERIKA’S WEBSITE - https://kendraerika.com/
From Screen to Space: The Music of Zain Effendi
The Hollywood Film Composers Series
Presented by The Jeremiah Show and Executive Producer Carol Connors
Composer Zain Effendi’s résumé sounds unreal when read aloud—GRAMMY®-nominated for Best Instrumental Composition for his piece “Opening,” a Hollywood Music in Media Awards standout, and the composer behind music now playing perpetually inside Walt Disney theme parks worldwide.
What stands out most, however, is how grounded Zain is in his work.
His musical path traces back to childhood, when he became obsessed with the film scores of Hans Zimmer. He recounts a true “drop everything” moment: a sudden job opportunity with Hans Zimmer that led him to leave college, board a red-eye to Los Angeles the same day, and begin working at Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control Productions. The years that followed were defined by intense pressure and exacting standards—where perfection wasn’t optional, but formative.
From there, Zain describes the leap from studio life to conquering the fear of going solo. He reflects on the sacrifices required to accept large-scale theme park commissions and the obsessive creative process that shaped his Epcot Test Track symphonic suite—music he approached as a ’90s blockbuster, not “theme park music.”
The interview also reveals the human side of Zain: the family voices that pull him back from perfectionism when he needs it, his lifelong love of Disney, and his growing commitment to animal rescue and welfare. The episode closes with the full performance of “Opening,” a sweeping orchestral work infused with modern energy.
It’s easy to understand why Zain Effendi’s music has found its way so deeply into people’s lives.
INTERVIEW AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 6 - APPLE PODCASTS
Zain Effendi’s Website: https://www.zaineffendi.com/about/
THE JEREMIAH SHOW
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Host | Executive Producer - Jeremiah D. Higgins
Sound Designer - Graham Palmer, Surprise Studio
CONTACT Jeremiah D. Higgins Evolve Entertainment Network
The Jeremiah Show Airs Monday through Friday, 10 am - 12 pm
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