Kimbra: Staying with monks in monastery is a nice chance to re-centre

AWARD-WINNING Kiwi singer Kimbra has revealed that not speaking for a week a year gives her the inspiration and motivation to perform.

Kimbra will appear with music veteran David Byrne in Sydney in November.

STRANGELY, silence is key for singer Kimbra. The award-winning singer has revealed that not speaking for a week a year gives her the inspiration and motivation to perform.

“It is an important practice for me annually to just kind of reset,” Kimbra told Confidential.

“I go to a monastery about six hours out of New York.

“There are monks there who observe silence daily and I’ll be there for around five days. It’s a nice chance to re-centre.”

Gotye and Kimbra cleaned up at the 55th Grammy Awards with Somebody That I Used To Know.

Kimbra, whose full name is Kimbra Lee Johnson, has been based in the US for several years, having enjoyed huge global success thanks to 2011 Gotye collaboration Somebody That I Used To Know.

Originally from New Zealand but having lived in Australia on and off for years, the 28-year old will return Down Under for a national tour in November supporting Talking Heads frontman David Byrne.

Kimbra finds a “home” during live performance. Picture: Micaiah Carter

The New Zealand singer is not especially extroverted. Picture: Micaiah Carter

“The stage is where I find inner strength.” Picture: Micaiah Carter

“Silent meditation has been quite empowering for me,” she said.

“It’s a time I take that has nothing to do with music, where I can just reconnect with the force that drives me, the things that drive what I do.

“If we keep the noise at 10, we lose access to that inner still compass so it’s super-important to me.”

MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS AND HEADLINES

WHAT YOUR FAVOURITE SINGERS HAVE BEEN UP TO

Despite performing in front of thousands of people regularly, Kimbra isn’t always outgoing. “The stage is where I find a home and a space of expression but I struggle with anxiety and I struggle with a kind of nervousness and social anxiety around day-to-day things,” she said.

“The stage is where I find that inner strength.

“We often assume that performers are constantly expressive and talking and loud or whatever, but I think many performers have found they reserve that for their art and the rest of the time they are like everyone else working out their place in the world and where they fit.”

Looking ahead to the Australian tour, Kimbra and Byrne will play the ICC Sydney on November 20, with shows also on the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Adelaide.

“David Byrne is someone that cleared the way for artists like me,” she said.

“This tour is especially exciting for me.”

Originally published as Kimbra: Staying with monks in monastery is a nice chance to re-centre