Kinley video launch for Microphone to raise awareness about sexual assault

The song Microphone was released by P.E.I. recording artist Kinley back in October, but it continues to make waves, and the singer has lots more plans for it.

It's taken from the debut album Letters Never Sent by Kinley, which is the stage name used by Kinley Dowling for her solo work. She's also a member of the group Hey Rosetta!

Last week, Dowling won three times at the the Music P.E.I. awards, including Female Solo Recording of the Year, New Artist of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.

"My boyfriend Dylan [Menzie] and I got a few this weekend, so we're decorating our house with them," she told Mainstreet P.E.I.'s Angela Walker. Menzie won for Male Solo Recording of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.

Microphone has received much acclaim for bringing attention to the problem of sexual assault and its victims.

It's about Dowling's own sexual assault, which happened at her high school prom.

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She's pleased with each award, but the songwriter one was special.

"That one definitely meant the most to me for sure," she said. "It was a very personal song, but I'm happy to share it, and I think that if you write from your heart and you write what's honest then it has great outcomes."

Songmaking an impact

The song continues to resonate with people as it spreads through social media.

"I still get, I even got a couple of messages today from people saying, like, 'I don't want to get into it really, but I'm a trauma survivor, the same thing happened to me, and thank you so much for being a voice for everyone,' so okay, that is why I'm still pushing it, and I want to make this known," said Dowling.

New video launch

The next step for Microphone is the release of a new video, made by P.E.I. filmmaker Jenna MacMillan.

Dowling and MacMillan worked out a dramatic way to portray the fallout of her assault, and those of others recently in the news, and also pass on a positive message and help to victims.

Dowling has planned a special evening to launch the video in Charlottetown.

"I'm so excited about this. We're doing a premiere of the music video on June 2, it's a Friday night at 7:30 p.m. at Florence SimmonsHall, at Holland College," she said.

"We're going to have a panel of a few people just to talk, professionals, councillors, maybe a police officer, just to get the conversation started. If something like this happens to you, what can you do, what can you expect, who can you turn to? And if anyone has any questions about any of that stuff, we're going to open it up to the room."

There will be live performances by Island singers Anya Smith and Jocelyn Fraser, and "just to lighten the mood," a stand-up routine by Charlene Kelly.

The admission will be by donation, with proceeds going to Anderson House. The video will then be available on Kinley's YouTube channel and other platforms.

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