Kuba Ka
An interview with international singer, dancer, actor Kuba Ka
by Tina Hall
July 2012
Kuba Ka
Kuba Ka first gained noticed as one of the greatest men of 2001 in the Polish version of Elle magazine while only a teenager. He is a singer, dancer, and actor. Kuba is likely best known for his work at Las Vegas’ Kuba project with renowned architect Tom Wright (Atkins Global) who also created the seven star hotel, Burj Al Arab in Abu Dubai. A mainstay in radio, television, and stage in Europe for over a decade Ka is also the first artist after Michael Jackson to be represented by Frank Dileo. Most recently he released the video to In the Streets.
Maximum Ink: Can you tell us a little about your background? Where are you from and how do you think coming from where you have has influenced you to be who you are today?
Kuba Ka: I was born in Poland, where I started my entertainment career as child and then teenage performer. It felt amazing when I was doing in that country American styled shows, what audience of all ages really enjoyed. I became the voice for United Nations and UNICEF, what allowed me to do KUBA & Friends charity show, with 30 major stars including Oscar winning actress - Vanessa Redgrave. I was then 15 years old. This all journey made me sure that dreams are possible, and that I want to use my entertainer’s power to shine the light of entertainment in darkest places of the World, like Africa. My performance truly reflects all me, and all my life. I don’t separate stage from my private life. It’s one, and I guess that’s why I am blessed to share this great for me adventure, with top industry people, like it was with Michael Jackson’s manager Frank Dileo.
MI: Who are some of your earliest influences?
KK: Ha, well I always loved legends, from Charlie Chaplin, to Elvis, Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Eminem. I love entertainers, people with big time experience. I like to listen to singers, but I follow people with this “more” of the spectacle.
MI: When did you first know you wanted to be singer?
KK: It’s funny, but I never was thinking about it. I always knew, since I remember. I was maybe 2, when I was already more into singing and performing, than anything else. My family had a lot of fun, with me running around and doing all kinds of acts.
MI: Do you think dancing goes along with that naturally?
KK: Oh yeah, that’s why I don’t play any instrument, because I have this unbreakable connection between singing and dancing. When even I write songs, I have to move, feel it in my body, and that’s what I record on my iPhone, and then give to musicians to lay it out.
MI: As an actor what are some roles your fans might recognize you from?
KK: I believe that it will be the Odyssey of Mind, where I did the live stage acting, and I won in Europe, what took me to Washington DC, for international showcase. I guess I was 10 then. But of course most known is my performance with Vanessa Redgrave, during my charity show in Poland.
MI: How did you first become involved in that?
KK: Well, I had this wild force of nature to perform in arenas, when I was a kid. Theatre was not enough for me:) While my Dad had a business trip to Warsaw - capitol of entertainment in Poland, I took a taxi, and I went to first commercial TV station in Poland - TVN. There I go to reception, and I say that I’m an entertainer and I have a TV show project in this big Polish arena - Forest Opera, and I want to invite TVN to be involved. Receptionist was quite shocked to see a kid, coming with business offer, but because TVN was about American style in Poland, she told me to wait, and she made some calls. Then some bodyguard comes to me, and he takes me up, and then I enter this most amazing office. Who comes? Daughter of the owner of that TV - Sandra Walter, who was a creative director for network. She putted me on TV even before that arena show, with which she helped me. I became overnight sensation, somehow. Because she believed in me. That was my break.
MI: What was it like to be called one of the greatest men of 2001 by the Polish version of Elle Magazine? What was it that made you so great anyhow?
KK: It felt great to me, as for 15 years old boy. I was this “one of sexiest men”, WOW) I must say, girls were going crazy! It proofed that child’s dream can make history, and it did. Why ELLE chose me, they told me that they just have never seen anything like me before. Whatever it means.
MI: How would you describe you sound to those you have yet to hear it?
KK: I’m definitely a rock/ power type of voice, but with pop/ rock and dance music fusion. I never wanted to sing silent, what sometimes made confusion for non-rock producers. But that’s why I got Seth Riggs as vocal director, a guy who discover Josh Groban, and who directs voices like Michael Bolton. And that’s why I was singing lately National Anthem of US, on Championship Boxing in LA, with live TV broadcast! Yeah!
MI: What do you hope your fans take away from your music?
KK: I hope that they will feel something what you feel on this super big roller-coaster, a great ride, action packed!
MI: How did you come to work with Tom Wright? What is he like as a person?
KK: It started as just this almost impossible dream. I always wanted to build this entertainment destination, called KUBA Kingdom. Then I thought, Las Vegas will be a right place! On the beginning people thought thatI’m crazy, but one of Las Vegas companies believed in project - TR Las Vegas Group, people who controls this big land by Strip. They are the ones who introduced me to Frank Dileo. After I had that understanding with TR Las Vegas Group, my business manager arranged my meeting with ATKINS Global representative in USA. We were seating at Beverly Hills Hotel, in Polo Lounge that is famous for legendary deals:) And you know, I convinced ATKINS right there, and then Tom started to be involved:)! He is this master that can capture your dream and put int in this most amazing architecture. He does same for me now, as what he did for Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai, where he and Sheikh were walking on Jumeirah Beach in Dubai, and Sheikh had this fantasy talking about sailing. Then fantasy happened, biggest sailed of the World in building of Burj Al Arab!
MI: How did you get involved with Frank Dielo? What have you learned from working with him? Is it a little strange to find yourself managed by someone who managed Michael Jackson?
KK: My Las Vegas partners for KUBA Kingdom wanted me as artist to be managed by A-class manager. When they told me that they think about Frank Dileo, what was few months after Michael Jackson died, it seemed impossible, because industry knew that Frank is looking for this another big artist. People thought, maybe Britney Spears or who knows who. But big, known star. But Frank wanted to build, and he loved the empty page situations, what was allowing him to build from scratch. I was invited to meet him at his hotel, where he lived long time - Beverly Hilton. When I was going there, I even said to my Parents, it will be great experience too meet Frank, but probably we will just talk. Well, we did a deal in 30 minutes. I officially had him as manager, and that changed my life forever. First after Michael, like in fairy tale. He loved my voice, dance, acting, and vision for what I want to present as entertainer. We were recording at Capitol Studios in LA. Unfortunately he died before we finished a project, but he taught me how important is no compromise when it comes to best quality and best effects. He was always standing for classic values of great golden era of Hollywood. It’s timeless.
MI: What do you love most about being on stage?
KK: Connection with people, exchange of energy. It’s like a ride, where all is possible, where I feel that I fly. Stage is my favorite place on Earth!
MI: Other than releasing your video for In the Streets what other projects have you released recently? What are you working on at the moment?
KK: I released about year ago my independent project - STREETS OF FREEDOM, single with humanitarian music video, for which I got award on biggest music videos festival in Europe - YACH Film. It was a project that I started with Frank, who had big label plan for it. When he died, nobody had idea how he wanted to sell it, but I didn’t let it die, and I just released it on my own. For him… And for me, for us. Right now I work on my EP and album for BUNGALO Records/ UNIVERSAL Music.
MI: Where would you like to see your career go next?
KK: The only thing I want, is to become People’s Person as entertainer. However it will go, I just want that international connection with people. To be for them. That’s all what matters.
MI: Is there anything you would like to say to your fans before you go?
KK: That I love being there for them, and that they give me inspiration for everyday.
Kuba Ka
CD: In The Streets(TV Mix) Record Label: Bungalo Records
• Download In The Streets(TV Mix) on Amazon