AMID polished productions, Wynnum father-daughter duo The Kunins captivate with just two voices, two instruments, and an undeniable bond.
Ken Kunin and his 20-year-old daughter Lily Maia are redefining family harmony with their second album, Waiting For Lily.
Drawing inspiration from the rawness of live performance, they’ve crafted an album that’s as close to a private concert as it gets, allowing the simple magic of their voices and stories to shine.
With an already storied career under his belt, Ken has released 11 albums, toured throughout the US, had music featured in TV and film, and ran indie label Underhill Recordings.
A native of Los Angeles, Ken moved to Brisbane 23 years ago and has called Wynnum home ever since.
“I had the misfortune of releasing an album on 9/11 and figured it was a good time to move and hit the reset button on the other side of the world where we had some family,” Ken said.
At just 20 years old, Lily Maia possesses a voice and songwriting talent well beyond her years, influenced by artists like Billie Marten, Simon & Garfunkel, Lana Del Rey, and Ray LaMontagne.
“When I was little, I would beg my dad to ‘play rock ‘n’ roll’ on his iPod for me, and I would dance around the room,” Lily said.
“That was the start of us sharing our love of music together.”
It wasn’t until 2022 that Ken and Lily fully discovered how beautifully their voices blended, marking the beginning of an unshakable musical journey.
Lily described their first record as a burst of musical ideas and creativity, exploring every possibility of what The Kunins could become.
“As we considered the challenge of playing live, we realised that we couldn’t replicate the full sound without a seven piece band,” she said.
“We didn’t want to dilute the pure Kunins quality of our music, so we went the other way: just us, no one else.”
Ken named the album after guitarist Michael Kearey, who, impressed by the family harmony in their live show, suggested Waiting for Lily as the title.
“It also has a lot of significance in that it turns out that the one person who really finished off a sound I was hearing just happened to be my daughter,” Ken said.
“I guess I was waiting for her after all!”
Looking ahead, Ken said the duo never stop writing, ensuring there will always be another record.
“I would love for the next album to be recorded in a classic Nashville studio.”
