Kandace Springs

Kandace Springs is a singer, songwriter and pianist from Nashville, United States, known for combining jazz, soul, R&B and pop in her work. Born in 1989, she grows up in a musical household and is the daughter of Scat Springs, a respected session singer in Nashville.

Early life and influences

Springs takes piano lessons after her father notices her playing melodies by ear when she is 10. She also shows an early interest in visual art and cars, later collecting, rebuilding and reselling automobiles. A family friend gives her Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me, which inspires her to sing and play piano more seriously. She also names Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack and Norah Jones among her main influences.

Early career

She performs a version of “The Nearness of You” at a music camp in Nashville, which leads to more professional live work in the city. A demo recording brings her to the attention of Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers, who offer to sign her to their production company SRP when she is 17, though she and her family decide not to pursue a recording career at that point. Instead, she works at a downtown Nashville hotel, parking cars during the day and singing and playing piano in the lounge at night. She later moves to New York to work on new songs and demos.

Recordings and collaborations

Her 2014 self-titled debut EP has a contemporary R&B and hip-hop feel and is produced by Pop & Oak. It leads to television performances on Late Show With David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, as well as festival appearances at Afropunk and Bonnaroo. She later records her Blue Note Records debut album Soul Eyes, which features her on piano throughout and includes work with Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers and Grammy-winning producer Larry Klein. The musicians on the album include trumpeter Terence Blanchard, guitarists Dean Parks and Jesse Harris, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, organist Pete Kuzma, bassist Dan Lutz and percussionist Pete Korpela.

Soul Eyes and material

Soul Eyes includes interpretations of songs by Jesse Harris, Judie Tzuke, Mal Waldron, Shelby Lynne and War, alongside originals and co-writes. Springs co-writes “Fall Guy” with Rogers and Sturken, and “Novocaine Heart” with them as well. She also co-writes “Too Good To Last” with Greg Wells and Lindy Robbins, while “Rain Falling” is a solo composition that dates back to her late teens. Other songs associated with the album include “Talk to Me,” “Neither Old Nor Young,” “Place to Hide,” “Thought It Would Be Easier,” “Leavin’” and “The World Is a Ghetto.”

Other notable events

Prince hears her version of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” on Okayplayer and invites her to perform with him at Paisley Park for the 30th anniversary of Purple Rain. She also auditions successfully for Blue Note president Don Was with her arrangement of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” Springs says she wants to be known as one of the younger artists helping to keep jazz and soul vibrant.