Women of Rock: Kim Edwards Dives into Her Top Influences

Kim Edwards has long captivated listeners with her cinematic songwriting and poetic lyricism, and her latest project, Vignettes, is a luminous continuation of that legacy. The EP, a thoughtfully woven collection of story-based songs, explores the seasons of life through vivid characters, emotional landscapes, and gentle musical arrangements. With each track, Edwards paints a world both intimate and expansive, bridging personal introspection with universal themes of change, resilience, and hope.

At the heart of Vignettes is a devotion to storytelling that feels literary in nature, a thread especially prominent in “Steinbeck.” Inspired by the raw grit and heartache of the Dust Bowl era, the track draws parallels between the past and present, offering a sweeping soundscape filled with longing, movement, and melancholy. The song is a standout moment that showcases Edwards’ gift for crafting songs that feel like short films, anchored by detail, emotion, and a sense of place.

In contrast, Kim Edwards revisits a more personal chapter with the reimagined version of “Far,” a fan favourite that has been given new life through a stripped-back, intimate arrangement. This updated take highlights her growth as both a storyteller and musician, allowing the emotional weight of the lyrics to shine with even greater clarity. It’s a track that resonates deeply with longtime fans while offering new listeners a tender entry point into her catalogue.

As she continues to evolve her sound while staying rooted in narrative depth, Kim Edwards invites audiences to not just listen, but to see, feel, and journey alongside her characters. In this Women Of Rock feature, she shares more about the influences behind Vignettes.

Kim Edwards ‘Vignettes’ album artwork. Photo by Bruce Kite, design by Victoria Strout.

1. Helen Edwards

“My mom, Helen, is the most inspiring woman in my life. She hasn’t had an easy life by any means, but she has shown me what it looks like to walk through difficult times with love, grace, resilience, and dependence on God. Where she has had every reason to be bitter and angry, she has chosen to be loving, kind, joyful, and forgiving. I’m so grateful for my mom and all her love and support; I absolutely would not be who/where I am today if not for her!”

2. Regina Spektor

“Where do I begin with Regina?! Musically, I adore the classical influences she brings that perfectly blend into her own unique brand of pop. But beyond that, her music sets me free every time I listen; in fact, I often use her albums to cleanse my musical palette, so to speak. Regina has this amazing way of bringing me back to center: listening to her quirky glottal stops and genius lyrics and not-yo-radio’s-pop music gives me permission to be myself and feel like I can write what is *me* instead of trying to be something I’m not.

“And during a time where it felt like every singer-songwriter was acoustic guitar-based, it was a breath of fresh air to hear a pianist (and a classical one at that!). Regina remains my musical heroine, and I’m so grateful to live in an age where her music exists.”

3. Ingrid Michaelson

“I stumbled across Ingrid Michaelson on YouTube circa 2010, and I was immediately drawn to her humour, personality, and witty banter with the audience at shows. She felt like ‘one of us,’ a jeans-and-t-shirt kind of gal, entirely relatable and surely would have been my friend had we gone to the same high school. But more than that, she wrote these gorgeous, brilliant songs that became the soundtrack for multiple seasons of my life. Her songwriting, particularly on ‘Everybody,’ opened up a whole world of indie pop for me and deeply impacted my own writing.”

4. Lana Del Rey

“Lana Del Rey’s dreamy cinematic alt-pop songs left a huge impression on me. ‘Young and Beautiful’ blew my mind when I first heard it while watching The Great Gatsby. The lush strings, the timpani, everything… it was like finding a missing piece of me that I didn’t know I was looking for. ‘Love’ was another song that stopped me dead in my tracks. I love that there’s nothing out there quite like Lana, and the full commitment to her musical/artistic vision inspires me to just go for it.”

5. Allie Moss & Bess Rogers

“Allie Moss and Bess Rogers are the founders of Thinking Outside the Blocks, an online songwriting community that I’ve been a part of since its inception in 2016. Allie and Bess both played in Ingrid Michaelson’s touring band and are also artists in their own right (I was a fan of both of their music long before TOTB ever existed). Their workshop on overcoming writer’s block eventually matured into TOTB, which has been a tremendous resource for my own growth as a songwriter.

“Allie and Bess have mentored me through various songwriting hurdles and offered truly helpful, objective feedback that I’ve taken to heart. Nearly half of my upcoming album consists of songs that have origins in TOTB, so I’ll be forever grateful to Allie and Bess for the ways they have inspired and pushed me to grow.”

6. Meghan Saletta

“I met Meghan Saletta at an indie artist workshop in Nashville back in 2012, and we’ve been friends ever since! Meghan inspires me not only because she’s an excellent singer/songwriter, but also because she is one of the most dedicated and prolific writers I know. I’m always amazed at her output (the quantity and the quality), which is a direct result of the way she makes intentional, consistent space for her craft. In areas where I probably overthink and drag my feet, Meghan joyfully and fearlessly dives right in and does the thing.

“For example, on the heels of a steady stream of releases and starting a side project of writing commissioned lullabies, she published her first book in 2022 (shoutout to Sifting), complete with an eight-song companion album. This woman endlessly inspires me, and her passionate and constant encouragement has been a key factor in my own growth as an artist.”