Naomi Kyle: Life, gaming and her pursuit of music

Our Interview with Naomi Kyle

What you know to be true about this gamer girl

You know Naomi Kyle as an actor and current on-air host/writer for IGN Entertainment’s award-winning news show, The Daily Fix. You may have even seen her #askNK episodes on YouTube. Prior to becoming a kick-ass woman in the gaming world, Naomi explored acting in college and later signed with a top modeling agency. Drawing on her love for video games, she then landed her first gig with Gameloft and the rest is, well, the present.

What you may NOT know to be true

Naomi’s alternate reality, is music. She’s been singing since age 3, jams to classic rock music with her friends every Tuesday, and recently recorded a song with other talented artists. This girl’s got game.

Instrumental beginnings

Growing up in a small Canadian town, music lessons and instruments weren’t available to Naomi. She instinctively used her voice and curiosity as a vessel to exploring her deep passion for music. “Since I can remember, I’ve enjoyed singing. Whether it’s learning the words to my favorite songs or making up my own,” says Naomi. In Naomi’s family, music always had a way of bringing everyone together. “One of my favorite memories was when my mom would put on her favorite Michael Jackson or Prince songs and start dancing in the living room. It would get the whole family dancing and singing,” she recalls. It was a perfectly magical occasion. Music evolved from her favorite pastime into a craft, as she gained her own taste and style.

Naomi Kyle’s key players

Several artists and albums shaped Naomi’s character over the years. Most notably, Coldplay’s first two albums made a significant impact on her adolescence. Their words, “Nobody said it was easy” meant just as much back then as it does today for Naomi. She also has a love for Rae Morris and more recently, has been into the likes of Drake, The Weeknd, Iggy Azalea, and Sam Smith. Acknowledging the ironic shift in taste, she notes, “I’ve veered towards more of the pop genre as of late. I wonder if it’s because I lack the time to deepen my musical exploration. I used to devote a lot of time to that.” As you can see, Naomi is inspired by an eclectic variety of artists and genres. Except country. “I dare anyone to make me a country song that I like,” she challenged.

“I dare anyone to make me a country song that I like.”

Garth Brooks, you reading this? With music by her side like a close friend (in low places?), Naomi found her niche in the gaming industry and quickly made a name for herself.

Merging realities: gaming + music

What started as a hobby has catapulted Naomi into a dream career where she gets to act, write and create full time. But what’s a great video game without an incredible soundtrack leading the way? “I think Dragon Age really topped itself with Inquisition’s soundtrack,” she says. “It made me feel things, which during any gaming experience, can make a massive difference. Same goes for Telltale’s The Walking Dead and Journey which can bring you to tears. Beautiful composition and sound.”

“I think Dragon Age really topped itself with Inquisition’s soundtrack. It made me feel things, which during any gaming experience, can make a massive difference.”

For Naomi, content creation isn’t just a buzz word. “Looking at the world around me as my source, I’ll see something missing, a calling of the void of sorts and want to materialize it. Whether that’s into a video, a new character, or piece of music – I’ll want to see my vision realized,” she says. Sounds impressive, especially in an industry that isn’t exactly female-driven.

A leading female role

As a popular woman in the male-dominated gaming world, Naomi gives some insight into how she has found success. “Never lose your passion for discovery, learn as much as you can, and never discount yourself. This industry can be disheartening at times but just remember that failure is necessary in the process of success so embrace it,” she advises. Naomi wants to inspire others to keep taking steps toward their ultimate aspirations, whatever those might be.

“Never lose your passion for discovery, learn as much as you can, and never discount yourself.”

And in the process of breaking down barriers, she is also breaking into another world.

Passion project

Aside from dancing to loud music in her bedroom, Naomi also uses music as her creative outlet and a way to process her emotions. Writing and recording the song “Oracle” materialized from this form of musical therapy. “I was going through a rough time, sounds cliché I know, but I really was and so I wrote a song about this deep feeling of longing. It’s about a particular someone in my life who was there for me and who I felt inspired by,” she shares. “Oracle” happened one Sunday morning and was completed in a day. As with many forms of artistic self-expression, including the other music she has created, it just seemed to flow.

“I wrote a song about this deep feeling of longing. It’s about a particular someone in my life who was there for me and who I felt inspired by.”

Hearing her song come to life through sound has been incredibly rewarding for Naomi. To now visualize her own musical work as a living and breathing piece of sound-wave art makes the process complete. “Modern and simplistic [art] is my personal preference and this is something unique that is entirely my own creation,” she says enthusiastically.

The beauty of reality is that it is ours to create

By blending her musical world with the reality of her career, life, and relationships, Naomi has found just the right harmony. Naomi’s song “Oracle” is out on iTunes! Preview the song and buy it now here.

Image sources: Nerdist, Astro Gaming, Gamespot, IGN.