Chicago native singer Kym Sims is set to 'Turn It Up!' in 2017
Tue. April 18, 2017 10:23 AM by Ross Forman
Days after singing on the Main Stage to a sun-soaked, rainbow-filled crowd of thousands at the Miami Beach Gay Pride Festival in early-April, Kym Sims was still smiling at the lasting memory.
"I was on a high (during the event) and still haven't come down," she said. "It was a spectacular, well-organized event, well thought-out, and generously full of love and excitement."
The singer's sun trip also included chomping on Cuban food and smoking a cigar, she admitted.
As for the 90-minute parade, held on Sunday afternoon, April 9, Sims said it was "uplifting, colorful and festive."
Sims, who now lives in Atlanta, is an accomplished singer and songwriter – though she started in the field as an advertising jingle-singer. The money from those jingles, she said, "was mad sick." And admittedly, she was surprised that, "they (will) pay me to do this."
Sims was born and raised in Chicago, and spent countless hours singing in local clubs. "I had a great life there, great friends and family. There's no place like home, (and) I'm forever tied to Chicago."
Sims' singing dates back to the early-1990s, when she started working with four-time Grammy Award-nominated record producer Steve 'Silk' Hurley. Sims' dance anthem "Too Blind to See It" spent 12 weeks on the UK Singles Chart.
And that was just the start of her musical run.
Sims certainly is well known for her 1992 hit single "Take My Advice," which reached No. 13 in the UK.
Other notable songs from Sims include "A Little Bit More," "I Must Be Free," "We Gotta Love," "One Of Those Nights," and more.
Sims brought "Turn It Up!" to Miami Beach. After all, that is her latest release on her own label, DIVADOWNRECORDS.
"It's been up and down (over the year, yet) the ups have been more," she said.
Turn It Up! was written for Sims by her friend Thomas Arambula, and the song, "it's a coming-out song of sorts, to the degree that I'm not doing it for anyone but me," she said. "Meaning, I own my own label, publishing (myself); I'm my boss, not a slave to the industry."
Sims is planning a domestic and international tour this year to support "Turn It Up."
She also will be singing this year at other Pride events, such as in Key West and San Francisco.
A Bit More Kym Sims:
All-time Favorite Musician: Prince
First Concert Ever Attended: The Jacksons
Kym on Kym: "(I am) a prayerful, family, loving woman."
On Her Music: "People want to be happy and have fun music; (that) is universal, (as) it touches our souls. If I've done that with (a) song, then I've done my job."
All-time Favorite Performance: At The Fridge, which is now-closed in South London. "It was my first performance ever for the gay community. The love and response I got was overwhelming. I've never forgotten it and (the gay) community (has) carried me all these years, (so) I'm forever grateful."
"I was on a high (during the event) and still haven't come down," she said. "It was a spectacular, well-organized event, well thought-out, and generously full of love and excitement."
The singer's sun trip also included chomping on Cuban food and smoking a cigar, she admitted.
As for the 90-minute parade, held on Sunday afternoon, April 9, Sims said it was "uplifting, colorful and festive."
Sims, who now lives in Atlanta, is an accomplished singer and songwriter – though she started in the field as an advertising jingle-singer. The money from those jingles, she said, "was mad sick." And admittedly, she was surprised that, "they (will) pay me to do this."
Sims was born and raised in Chicago, and spent countless hours singing in local clubs. "I had a great life there, great friends and family. There's no place like home, (and) I'm forever tied to Chicago."
Sims' singing dates back to the early-1990s, when she started working with four-time Grammy Award-nominated record producer Steve 'Silk' Hurley. Sims' dance anthem "Too Blind to See It" spent 12 weeks on the UK Singles Chart.
And that was just the start of her musical run.
Sims certainly is well known for her 1992 hit single "Take My Advice," which reached No. 13 in the UK.
Other notable songs from Sims include "A Little Bit More," "I Must Be Free," "We Gotta Love," "One Of Those Nights," and more.
Sims brought "Turn It Up!" to Miami Beach. After all, that is her latest release on her own label, DIVADOWNRECORDS.
"It's been up and down (over the year, yet) the ups have been more," she said.
Turn It Up! was written for Sims by her friend Thomas Arambula, and the song, "it's a coming-out song of sorts, to the degree that I'm not doing it for anyone but me," she said. "Meaning, I own my own label, publishing (myself); I'm my boss, not a slave to the industry."
Sims is planning a domestic and international tour this year to support "Turn It Up."
She also will be singing this year at other Pride events, such as in Key West and San Francisco.
A Bit More Kym Sims:
All-time Favorite Musician: Prince
First Concert Ever Attended: The Jacksons
Kym on Kym: "(I am) a prayerful, family, loving woman."
On Her Music: "People want to be happy and have fun music; (that) is universal, (as) it touches our souls. If I've done that with (a) song, then I've done my job."
All-time Favorite Performance: At The Fridge, which is now-closed in South London. "It was my first performance ever for the gay community. The love and response I got was overwhelming. I've never forgotten it and (the gay) community (has) carried me all these years, (so) I'm forever grateful."