On the 143rd episode of
What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome
Kimbra. Kimbra is a New Zealand-born songwriter, musician, producer, and adventurous performer. Her 2011 debut,
Vows, was certified platinum in Australia and New Zealand. The following year, “Somebody That I Used to Know,” her duet with Gotye, topped Billboard’s Hot 100, became the best-selling song of the year in the U.S., and earned her two Grammy Awards. Since then, she has toured with artists including Beck, David Byrne, and Jacob Collier, and has released four more albums:
The Golden Echo,
Primal Heart,
A Reckoning, and
Idols & Vices (Vol. 1). She hosts the podcast
Playing With Fire and shares essays, poetry and watercolours on her
Substack newsletter.
In this conversation, Kimbra reflects on her ongoing journey to find balance and rest within her life and career as a musician. She speaks about the importance of silence in shaping her artistic expression, the power of surrendering to spirit, and the grounding influence of nature.
03:00 The experience of burnout
09:50 HoneyBones and nothing to lose
12:30 The generosity and connection of silence
16:00 Life, art, and work are not separate
19:30 Receiving a message from spirit
23:30 Being empowered by spirit
29:00 A mystical experience and calling
33:42 We all have a cross
38:50 Making a difference in the world
42:30 The power and role of nature
45:00 Rest, letting go, and liberation
51:15 Summary and what is a good life for Kimbra?
Keywords: Meaning of Life Interviews | meaning of life conversations | exploring life | big life questions | meaning of life discussions | creating a meaningful life
What is What is a Good Life??
A project exploring the big questions around how we live, who we are and what actually matters. Over the past four years, I’ve sat with more than 300 people — artists, parents, executives, wanderers, therapists, and strangers and invited them into a simple but profound inquiry, "What is a good life for you?"
The conversations explore presence, paradox, uncertainty, and the moments that shape a life - love and loss, trust and fear, clarity and not knowing. It’s an invitations to slow down, to listen deeply, and to bring you into conversation with your own life. There are new episodes every Tuesday.