A new talent in rap music is making waves all throughout Calgary—Kam Prada. Recently graduated in mechanical engineering from the University of Waterloo, Kam is now taking a bold step into a music career.
Here’s his story from where he started, to his inspirations, and where he hopes to go.
Watch the FULL INTERVIEW here
Early Life
Kam was born in Vancouver, but moved to Calgary as a young boy. He spent most of his childhood playing soccer, which he loved deeply. “I used to play soccer from morning to night. Those were the best times,” Kam recalls. He learned a lot about hard work from sports, and now he uses that same dedication in his music.
His mom, a Bollywood singer who covers famous songs, has heavily influenced him. She supports him a lot, appearing often in his social media posts to promote his music.
Kam was always really good at math, science, and computer science in high school. This made engineering seem like the natural choice for him.. He had planned to go to the University of Calgary but switched to Waterloo after getting an offer from them at the very last second. “I was thrilled when Waterloo accepted me,” he mentions
The Love For Calgary
Kam absolutely lights up when talking about Calgary. “The people here are the best part” he mentions. He’s credit’s a lot of his love to Calgary to him moving out for University. Him being away for school, made him really appreciate and be grateful to the city he’s from.
How did he get his start in music?
Kam stumbled into music by chance. A high school friend who used to make EDM tracks decided to create a hip-hop beat for fun. They recorded a song and put it on SoundCloud, where it quickly became popular in their school. That’s when he decided to work on this “hobby” a bit more. Music became his way to express his feelings, especially during times of change.
Going into university, Kam talks about how his progression through university also translated into his music progressing alongside him.
Kam often felt homesick at university, missing Calgary a lot. He managed to keep working on his music alongside his studies. Waterloo’s co-op program helped him choose internships that were flexible, allowing him to spend time on music, sometimes even back in Calgary.
The Making of His Songs
Kam’s approach to music is both intuitive and iterative. Each track begins with a beat, to which he mumbles potential melodies to form the backbone of the chorus. “The melody comes first, then the lyrics,” he notes. This method allows him to build the song’s structure organically, adapting the composition to the evolving tone and message of the music.
What is the future look like for this up and comer?
As for the future, Kam is optimistic and ambitious. “I see myself as a touring artist,” he says, envisioning a career that takes him around the world. His goals are to refine his skills in all aspects of music production, from writing to performing to vocals. Experimenting with various genres, from pop to country, Kam is committed to innovating and expanding his musical horizons.
