MoPOP’s Sound Off! gives up-and-coming artists mentorship from industry leaders, entrée into an artistic community invested in their growth, connections with peer musicians, and the chance to showcase their original music in MoPOP’s iconic Sky Church venue.

This years’ three live showcases — set for February 19, February 26, and March 5 — raise the bar for an all-ages show with a first-class experience at MoPOP for performers and the audience alike.

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The first thing you hear when Kiddus Fecto takes the stage is the deep bass of his voice, and though he immediately commands a space when he sings, you’re also drawn into the depth of his craft as a songwriter, producer, and performer. Swinging naturally between hip-hop and R&B, and fiercely devoted to the music community, Kiddus lifts his listeners up.

We took some time to get to know Kiddus Fecto ahead of the artist's Sound Off! 2022 performance on February 26 at MoPOP. Check out what they had to say!

• Follow Kiddus Fecto on Instagram

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background as an artist!

Kiddus Fecto: "My name's Kiddus Fecto, I'm from Seattle Washington, and I've been making music for like seven years now. I started producing beats in my high school just for people who rapped and everything. Graduated, went to The Residency for a few years and then after joined Totem Star, and now we're here."

Having been part of Sound Off! in 2021, what did you take away from that experience?

Kiddus Fecto: "Performing in Sky Church was crazy. I was jumping off stage and all that, just having a blast. I just remember how much energy I had. I was telling myself throughout the whole quarantine 'Man, I'm going to get in the song though, I'm going to do this.' For me, to just perform the song that I did — it was called The King Way, it was an apartment complex I grew up in when I was like six-years-old to like 18. I wanted to do something relatable with me. To hear it in the speakers, the lights on me, and even though there was nobody in the crowd, I felt like, 'Let me just perform like I'm at Rolling Loud.' So yeah, it was lit."

Why was it important for you to come back this year for Sound Off! 2022?

Kiddus Fecto: "I want to perform in front of an audience. I want to get that feel. It was great performing last year and doing my thing, but it's a different feeling when there's people actually there with you physically, just soaking in all that energy, you know?"

Why do you make music?

Kiddus Fecto: "Because it's the only thing that makes me fly, you know what I'm saying? It's like I wake up every morning and think about, 'OK, how am I going to make this album? How am I going to arrange it? How am I going to promote it?' I always think about the layers."

How do you hope others receive your music?

Kiddus Fecto: "I want them to listen to it whenever they're going through a problem, or whenever they need inspiration. They just fill that void, my music's right there, you know? I want to make my music accessible for the youth, but also the older generation too, like on some Bob Marley type of thing, because that's what he was all about. He made sure that the youth were understanding what he was saying, but also the adults as well. I'm big on that.

"I want to make music that's bigger than me. I want to be able to make music that people could sample 100 years from now, so my influence would never go away. Nina Simone, her influence is never going away. The amount of times Kanye or other producers have sampled her are.. you know what I'm saying? And made it bigger than what it was. That's what art's all about. I hate when they always try to come at producers for sampling and chopping up little bits and pieces from songs. You want people to do that for you because that's going to make your music live on longer than you just putting it out and having 100 people, or 1 million people, whatever, listen to it and just leave it there. People got to come back to it, you know?"

Kiddus Fecto

BEFORE YOU ARRIVE AT SOUND OFF! 2022...

We know you may be curious about health and safety protocols, so here are the extra steps we’re taking for these in-person Sound Off! showcases in our 140,000 square foot museum:

• Performers will be separated from the audience by a 20-foot buffer.
• All guests 12 years and older will be required to show proof of full vaccination or a negative PCR COVID test taken within 72 hours prior to the event.
• Masks are required for guests 3 years and older.
• Please only bring what you need as coat check is currently closed.
• There will be no concessions sold during Sound Off! events. Please come hydrated and consider eating before you arrive.
• Hand sanitizer dispensers are available throughout the museum.

More information about our COVID policies is available on our website.

Can't attend the live Sound Off! showcases this year? You can still support MoPOP's youth artist development programs by making a gift.

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Special thanks to our Sound Off! community partner KEXP.

Learn more about Sound Off! 2022 + for contests, the latest news, and behind-the-scenes content, be sure to follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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