Coryse Borg speaks to Annemarie Mayo, one of the brains behind The Kite Project, a collaboration combining a number of media.

Annemarie Mayo, 30, is a woman of many talents. An architect by profession, she also loves to paint, sketch as well as create the odd cartoon.

Last but not least, she sings; she is a Voices veteran and has provided backing vocals to shows such as Bla Kondixin, Pink Floyd’s The Wall, What the Funk and Stoned (with a few cameo spots in the limelight here and there), and also writes lyrics and music.

She says she would like to do more of the latter – and that is mainly why The Kite Project came about.

“The Kite Project is many things. It is an EP in the making, a cartoon band. It is also a venture which works on the premise that, with the right amount of forethought and planning, Maltese artists can launch their ideas to the public and invite them to join in on the creative journey, thus setting in motion a funding pattern and creative process. In short, it only takes a little wind for a kite to take flight.”

The project is also fronted by Janice Ellul (who, together with Mayo, makes up the acoustic duo Genn and Mayo), Luke Grech, Joseph Axiak, Cheyenne Belle Xuereb and Lesnich Vassallo.

The complete band has already performed together. Last November, they paid tribute to Kate Bush in a President’s Award Scheme show, where Prince Edward was guest of honour.

The band has grown accustomed to playing with each other through the annual concert Strummin’, which brings together over 80 guitarists to play in aid of charity.

“Though the idea started off as a simple desire to contribute towards the local music scene, the cartoon band was born out of a long conversation I had with Luke on our way to the Gozo ferry.

“I have been drawing for as long as I remember, and Luke has come a long way in terms of recording and mixing. He now boasts a fully-fledged recording studio complete with a British analogue mixer.”

The cartoons which make up the virtual band are loosely based on the real-life band members. For instance, the drummer has resurfaced as a hedgehog, and Axiak has a motown look and afro, as he moonlights as a funk DJ.

“People always wonder how tiny Cheyenne can hold up her massive bass, so she is portrayed with equally massive hands. Janice is the tomboy with a passion for all things Disney and so on. Storylines sometimes emerge from funny stories shared between the band or with friends. We are even considering writing in a few new characters based on our friends,” Mayo says with a smile.

In the meantime, Martin Bonnici from Shadeena Films is acting as mentor, guiding them along each step of the way, as they create the animation video featuring the virtual band.

“Animation is completely new ground to me, so the learning curve has been steep,” Mayo admits.

“Martin will also be shooting the live parts of the video, as well as the post-production bits. As to what it will be about... well, you’ll just have to wait and see. It will hopefully be launched in the final quarter of this year.

“Though each track will be a mini-project in itself, having a cartoon band was probably the main reason why the Malta Arts Fund board decided to support us. I’ve always been fascinated with this idea. When I was tiny, I wanted to be Jem from Jem and the Holograms and I adored Kidd Video and Damon Albarn’s band Gorillaz,” explains Mayo.

In the meantime, cartoon strips, which will follow the band’s journey throughout next summer, will be used to create online awareness in a graphic way. In-production gigs will allow the audience to influence the release of tracks, meet the band members and pre-order the album.

The band members are currently recording at Juubox Studios. Grech, who is present at every recording session, will be mixing tracks and co-ordinating mastering, which will be done at Abbey Road Studios.

The band’s influences range from Florence and the Machine and Imogen Heap to You Tube sensations such as Pomplamoose, but Mayo says they are working to one sound.

Meanwhile, Mayo is concentrating on the weekly cartoons and the music video, which the band will be releasing to accompany one of the tracks. The CD cover is on her to-do list too and there is also a gig in the pipeline.

www.thekiteproject.com