Saultite Owen Kjiersdam, who performs under the monikers OwenMK or Electro Summer Station, has been making music for the better part of twelve years.
Playing electro-synth pop in a city like Sault Ste. Marie, which lacks an obvious electro scene, can be challenging.
Kjiersdam found the inspiration to begin creating music early on by listening to Enya, who although not a household name, is the second best-selling artist out of Ireland next to U2.
Enya’s sound is highly ethereal, developed by combining multi-tracked vocals and keyboards with elements from a variety of musical genres.
Kjiersdam found inspiration in her approach and experimentation.
“My influences were primarily Enya and Owl City,” he says
“But Owl City got me into this sound.”
Owl City is an American underground electronic music project created in 2007 in Minnesota by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Young.
Adam Young’s music has often been touted in online forums as being therapeutic for those living with autism or who experience sensory overload.
Kjiersdam, who has been very open about his own experiences living with autism on his YouTube channel, not only embraced Owl City as an artist but used his love of his music as a springboard for his own.
In one of his older videos online, Kjiersdam talks about how over time he discovered that he was considered to be on the autism spectrum.
“All of it was never easy. I struggled with a lot of the curves [Autism] threw at me. My mind does not learn as fast as everybody else … at that time, I did not see myself as a person who could overcome struggles and succeed in realistic goals.”
Through therapy and support from family, CICE, and March of Dimes, he learned how to keep himself active and positive and move his life forward.
He wound up studying digital film at Sault College and even got to showcase one of his pieces at the Shadows of the Mind Film Festival.
“I still have disabilities that I struggle with, but that doesn’t mean I can’t achieve the unthinkable. Anything is possible.”
And he proved that to be true by turning his experiences into full-length albums of music.
“I have released three albums, All Life [2021], Aquamarine [2022], and Past End [2023],” he says, noting he has been prolific in not only the production of the music but the accompanying music videos.
“I directed and released videos for the songs ‘Open Space,’ ‘Meaford,’ ‘Determination,’ ‘Truth,’ and many others.”
Kjiersdam writes and sings, while his friend Joel Kahtava helps him produce the music.
“Creating music is very therapeutic and it encourages me to keep pressing forward facing new challenges as they arise.”
His new video for the single “Hold On” from the Past End album was just released.
“The song's meaning is about moving on from what has been said and done, and taking the courage to press forward into endless possibilities for a new journey,” he says.
For the music video for the single, Kjiersdam collaborated with Justine Chalykoff of Chalykoff Studios, known for directing the 'Modest Spouse’ video for local band Man Feelings.
“She helped lead the music video and helped with the overall cinematography and vision.”
Kjiersdam has performed his music live at events organized by Dryer Fire and the Fringe Festival.
“They were a big help with promotion by offering a spot in live performances,” he says.
“My last performance was at the Fringe Festival in August, and I hope to perform again for the same thing sometime this summer.”
For more information on Owen Kjiersdam (aka OwenMK) and Electro Summer Station, visit his Instagram page, YouTube Channel, or Spotify page.