Meet Kianna Sumitani

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kianna Sumitani a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kianna, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I am still working on finding my purpose, as we all are, but I know that live music makes me tick. I’ve always been an avid music listener, but I remember dedicating all my funds from my part-time job to attending concerts and music festivals in my junior year of high school. Looking back, I was beginning to build my first photography portfolio without even knowing it, slowly squeezing my way to the front of general admission pits and using my phone to take photos and editing them after the show. One of the concerts I remember vividly was attending Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD: Wish You Were Here Tour in 2019. I was sat in the lower bowl, and even while Travis Scott was performing and interacting with the on-stage rollercoaster, I couldn’t seem to look away from the tour visuals displayed behind him. Up until that point, I had never seen a set of unique visuals that incorporated creative 3D animations that still somehow paired seamlessly with the theme of the album. I went home and immediately began researching what type of job would allow someone to create the visuals for a tour. I then stumbled upon the term “creative director” for the first time and went down a rabbit hole online, discovering Willo Perron, and realizing that you can get paid and have a very successful career being a creative. This was when I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the music sector of the creative industries. It sounds a bit dramatic to say that this show shaped who I am, but it definitely helped influence my decision to apply to a post-secondary creative industries program. I still look back at the videos I took that night. But to answer your question, long story short, a lot of my experiences growing up, were influenced by music, visuals and photography and even if I thought I was just attending a concert with my friends, I continued to be inspired by the live music environment around me and artist-to-fan connections, eventually ending up capturing concerts and festivals professionally and creating music-inspired art and clothing whenever I have time.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

My name is Kianna Sumitani, and I’m a concert and tour photographer currently based in Toronto, Canada. Known online as Kianna Creates, I capture A to AAA acts wherever you need me! It’s still super surreal to say I’ve shot across Canada, the US and Australia but I live to capture the energy and essence of all things live music. I have yet to find another environment that even comes remotely close to a concert or a festival that connects hundreds to thousands of fans with completely different backgrounds. I recently moved to Toronto and am excited to (hopefully) go full-time with my work, so if you know anyone who needs a tour photographer, definitely let me know!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Turnaround time is always appreciated, even if it’s an unpaid gig, treat every job like you’re shooting in the biggest arena in the world.

Be kind (even to the security guards and staff at the venue), clients will be far more inclined to rehire someone enjoyable to work with.

Comparison is the thief of joy, so be patient. With social media being instilled in our society, you are inevitably going to see others who you may think are miles ahead of you, and it can get frustrating. Others may be booking gigs that you wish you were, and I think it’s important to remember that your time will come. Realizing that there is no clear blueprint for navigating the creative industries and that everyone is just trying to figure it out is something I still think about often as I continue to grow my work.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

I’m lucky to say that I had a great childhood growing up, and the majority of it was spent playing all sports imaginable, but soccer was the one that stuck. I’m so grateful that my parents signed me up for soccer when I was 5 years old and were invested in my brother and I’s soccer programs, trading summer vacations for trips to the US to play in soccer tournaments. Was I only initially interested in playing soccer because my older brother was already playing? Probably. Did I develop my strongest characteristic through playing in a team environment? One hundred percent. I’ve been playing for almost two decades now, and it has made me a strong leader, teaching me how to work well with others and communicate, which has, in turn, has translated into my work as I navigate working in the music industry.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Tactics & Strategies for Keeping Your Creativity Strong

With the rapid improvements in AI, it’s more important than ever to keep your creativity

Productivity
From Burnout to Balance: The Role of Self-Care

Burning out is one of the primary risks you face as you work towards your