Earlier this year, multi-disciplinary recording artist KROY teamed up with The PHI Centre in Montreal to turn her music into a live performance art piece entitled ANIMACHINA. During this residency, Jonathon Anderson at the Creative School of Ryerson University programmed three robot arms to play music and mirror KROY’s movements, to tell a communal story that blurs the line between man and machine and what interpersonal connection looks like in the modern world. Today, KROY releases a seven-part video series for ANIMACHINA. 

What inspired the release of ANIMACHINA? 

Basically, I’ve been both obsessed and terrified by robots for a few years now. 

They have this very frightening presence, but at the same time can move in such a familiar, almost  human way. When the pandemic struck, I was terrified at the idea of not being able to perform on stage  with other people, or for people in a venue because of the social distance. 

The idea then came to teach a robot ( or a few robots ) to play instruments, and play the role of stage  musicians, but also dancers, and lighting engineers.  

As the collaborators started participating, the project morphed a little, and became a series of seven  performances starring myself and a robot, and focusing on the relationship between human, robot, music  and movement. 

What is something you can’t live without? 

I have recently become adept at noise canceling headphones. This has been a life changer for me  when I get overstimulated and need a moment to rest. 

Any funny anecdotes from the time you were working on ANIMACHINA? 

Unsure if this is funny, but I almost died 🙂 

In one of the performances, I attached a hand loop to the head of the KUKA arm, and it transported me  across the room. While we were practicing, I slipped from the loop and was dropped on the concrete floor.  It wasn’t a very high fall, but I still got pretty injured. 

But all is good in the end!  

Tell us about what inspires your style and visuals 

I’m a Tumblr girl. I feel like that’s such an important part of my aesthetic. Very clean but also very dark  and gloomy. I like things that are surgical, that suggest violence, but that are very soothing to the eye. It kind of reflects my songwriting also.  

I’m also very inspired by chairs and architecture. 

What’s your favorite thing to do besides music? 

Play with my robot for sure. By far my favourite activity. Otherwise I love doom scrolling and cooking for  friends. 

What’s a record or artist that shaped your creativity? 

Year of Hibernation by Youth Lagoon. 

Such an important record for me. I had it on loop when I had just moved out of my parents’ and remember  feeling very childlike when listening to it. It felt safe, but spoke of raw emotion that I needed to be walked  through at that time. 

I’m super lucky, I just ordered it on vinyl and it got here a week ago. 

Who is an artist or band you look up to today? 

Caroline Polachek, Grimes, Charli XCX, Bjork, Arca, Yeule. 

It’s a vibe if you get it you get it.

What excites you the most about what you do? 

Honestly I feel extremely lucky that I’ve found a new playground to mess around in. I feel about ANIMACHINA how I felt about music in the beginning. Just a way to channel my creative  energies in a way that is not expected of me, and in which I don’t find myself comparing myself all the  time. I hope to be able to bring this energy back to music as I become more creative with my robots more and more.