When British singer Kwn (pronounced kay-one) requested her friend-collaborator Kehlani to kiss her within the video for her seductive observe, “Worst Behavior,” she knew it was going to interrupt the web.
With steamy lyrics like “Cut the lights, turn the bass up, we gon’ hit some notes,” the unique observe was already making waves on-line when Kwn dropped it in November. It gained much more eyes when R&B famous person and five-time Grammy nominee Kehlani hopped on the remix, which they gifted to craving followers on Valentine’s Day.
Supporters took to social media to movie their reside reactions and touch upon the artists’ extremely lengthy make-out and seemingly plain chemistry.
“Are … we supposed to see this? Omg,” one particular person mentioned on YouTube.
“This is gonna be somebody’s awakening,” commented one other.
“It’s sickening how many times I’ve replayed this video lol,” declared one other.
However if you happen to ask Kwn, the 2 entertainers have been doing simply that — entertaining. As of mid-October the video, which was directed by Chris Probability, had greater than 21 million views on YouTube — a quantity that also shocks Kwn every time she hears it.
“I’m super happy, man. I knew that song was going to be something, and I’m glad that the world took it in just as much as I did,” Kwn says in regards to the observe that she recorded reside on Instagram in her childhood bed room in Walthamstow in east London.
Shortly after, Kwn dropped yet one more chills-down-your-spine, sapphic bed room jam, “Do What I Say,” which is the second single from her newest EP titled “With All Due Respect.” As somebody who’s been making music since she was a preteen — she picked up the drums first, then attended the acclaimed East London Arts and Music faculty — the 25-year-old crooner says the popularity is lengthy overdue.
“I felt like so many people were doubting me and sleeping on me, especially after [I was] dropped from my label,” says Kwn, who was let go from U.Ok.-based Black Butter Data in mid-2024. The direct title, “With All Due Respect,” was meant to boldly sign that she’s “not playing games anymore,” she provides.
The nine-track EP kicks off with the “bite me intro,” during which Kwn sing-raps the commanding lyrics, “I don’t want to be humble no more/Baby, bite, bite, bite me/Bite me, bite me.” This assured vitality carries all through the mission together with on the EP’s second function with fellow London lady group, Flo — whom Kwn calls this technology’s Future’s Little one — on the sensual “Talk You Through It.”
Kwn is kicking off the U.S. and Canada stretch of her With All Due Respect tour in Los Angeles on Tuesday on the Echo, which additionally marks her first ever headlining tour. Forward of the sold-out L.A. present, she phoned in from London to share what she realized from touring with Kehlani, why she thinks artists ought to share their artistic course of and why she’s way more than simply that viral second. And cough cough, there’s extra music on the way in which.
This interview has been evenly edited for size and readability.
“I’m really just being myself on stage and letting my personality out. So I think that’s what’s captivating people, which I’m glad about,” Kwn mentioned.
(Michelle Helena Janssen)
You began making music while you have been about 11 years previous after your older sister took you to her buddy’s at-home studio. How thrilling was it so that you can be studying find out how to lay tracks and produce tracks at such a younger age?
I really feel prefer it was at all times destined, to be sincere. My nan confirmed me a video the opposite day of me tapping pens on the desk and making beats from an excellent younger age. I used to be most likely like 9 or 10, after which my mother purchased me a drum equipment after I was tremendous younger as nicely. In order that was the primary instrument I picked up — the drums. Then clearly I used to be studying little bits at school like find out how to document myself and produce. Then my sister launched me to that buddy and he had a studio in his home. Any time my sister would go over there, I’d go together with her, possibly like as soon as a month or one thing and just about simply watch his course of. I’m a really visible learner so I used to be studying loads simply from watching folks. I’d keep up actually late and watch YouTube movies of individuals making beats and stuff.
You’ve been making music for a very long time, however you didn’t launch your first official track (“wn way or another”) till 2022. Take me again to that point. How did it really feel to lastly share your music with the world?
I used to be tremendous anxious. You at all times assume to your self — ‘cause I signed to a record label back then as well — that as soon as you drop your first song, that’s it. You’re gonna go off. However that’s positively not the case, d’you understand what I imply? Additionally, it was such a very long time coming as a result of I’d written these songs so lengthy earlier than that most likely in like 2018 and 2019. It was a very long time coming, so it sort of felt like a launch as nicely.
You have been dropped out of your label simply days earlier than you launched your single “Eyes Wide Open,” which began catching folks’s consideration. Did you are feeling such as you’d lastly discovered your sound and the route you wished to go in with that track?
Yeah, 100%. As quickly as I made that beat, I used to be like Ohhh. It’s clicked now. I used to be attempting for therefore lengthy to seek out what I used to be attempting to do. I believe I used to be struggling as a result of I didn’t actually perceive the place I used to be attempting to go, so the folks I used to be working with couldn’t assist me in looking for the sound too. In order quickly as I obtained that, I used to be like “Oh, this is it.” After which after I wrote it, I used to be like, I’ve by no means heard something like this earlier than — within the least big-headed approach attainable. That was positively the second for me the place I used to be like “All right, this is going to do something. It has to.” If it doesn’t, then I don’t know. Clearly I’m going to maintain going but it surely’s gotta make a little bit little bit of a shift someplace for me, and it did and I’m so grateful for it.
Talking of “Eyes Wide Open,” you may have a definite fashion in your entire movies together with “Worst Behavior” and “Do What I Say.” You utilize a single body that appears prefer it was shot in a single take. It’s very cinematic. Are you able to speak about why that fashion resonates with you? Are you a movie buff?
[Laughs] I watched a movie referred to as “The Boiling Point” and that’s all shot in a single take. While you watch a one take — not even only a music video — you don’t wish to take your eyes off of it since you don’t wish to miss something. My director, Chris Probability, and I felt just like the artwork of music movies sort of died a little bit bit. There have been solely a choose few those who have been actually making [captivating] movies and issues that have been capturing your consideration, so we have been like we want one thing that’s simply going to maintain your eyes on it always. And the one take simply works, man. We did that one fairly fast. We didn’t have lots of time as a result of the home that we have been taking pictures in was someone’s precise home, and I believe that their children had come dwelling. However we simply wished one thing that was simply tremendous charming and simply lures you in. “Lord I Tried” was a one take too. We knew that labored and that seemed unbelievable. After which clearly we did it with “Eyes Wide Open” as nicely, then after that we have been like we obtained to maintain this going. It’s changing into a theme now.
Why do you take pleasure in exhibiting your course of for making songs on Instagram Stay? I’m positive you may’t do it as a lot as you used to now.
It was my supervisor’s concept like again in 2019 or 2020. She was like “I think you just need to go on Instagram Live. Let people see your process.” And I used to be like “I don’t know,” however she was like “Just trust me.” At first, it was simply me, her and possibly like two different folks in there. Then I’d do it right here and there, after which after lockdown, I began doing it a bit extra. I don’t know. It was simply that you just don’t get to see many artists’ course of within the studio. I at all times take into consideration folks like Beyoncé. There’s solely like a number of movies of her within the studio and also you at all times assume to your self like, “Man, I wonder how these people’s brains work.” There’s a great deal of movies of Pharrell and I believe that’s what I like about him. I can at all times go on the web and search up “Pharrell in the studio” and there shall be one thing of him whether or not it’s with like Justin Timberlake or Timbaland or one thing. I believe it’s simply cool to see how folks’s brains work and what makes the sunshine bulb go off at sure moments. That’s what lots of it’s in my IG lives. You possibly can see when my mind figures one thing out. I believe it’s cool. We shouldn’t actually gate-keep our processes. I’ll [hop] off to write down the lyrics as a result of I don’t wish to give them every thing as a result of folks will begin stealing ideas and tips, ya know what I’m sayin’? Once more, it simply makes you human. We’re not like these robots that churn out the music. It takes time and folks ought to get the privilege of having the ability to see that, particularly like my core fan base. It was simply lots of them on the time. Now it’s loads for me as a result of there’s so many individuals that come on there and so they’ll find yourself display screen recording it and placing it on the web and that bit, I’m like “Ah, guys, come on.” I ought to most likely get again to it a little bit bit extra, however this yr I haven’t been within the studio as a lot as I often am. However I’m positively going to get again on there for positive.
In June you dropped “With All Due Respect.” Speak to me in regards to the inspiration for the title and what your mindset was going into the creation of that EP.
I had a unique title earlier than after which we scrapped that. I used to be prefer it must be one thing that [shows] those who I’m not enjoying video games anymore. I felt like so many individuals have been doubting me and sleeping on me, particularly after I used to be dropped from my label earlier than. I used to be like, “Everyone’s sleeping on me.” I’m attempting to get in with artists and producers, and so they’re not hitting me again. I don’t know what I’m doing incorrect, however I do know I can do that. After which it was Chris [Chance] that got here up with that. He had despatched me an inventory of like 12 totally different names [and] “With All Due Respect” was one among them.
“I think people are just starting to put out music that they genuinely love and we’re not chasing a trend or chasing a TikTok moment anymore,” Kwn mentioned.
(Michelle Helena Janssen)
In a earlier interview, you mentioned that “With All Due Respect” is the primary a part of a two-part album and that you just’re planning to launch a B-side. Is that also the plan? If that’s the case, when can we anticipate that?
Yeah, completely. I’ve simply been so busy with this promo stuff after which clearly we jumped straight into tour. It’s going nicely although. I’m excited in regards to the subsequent set of music. It’s very basic. That’s what it looks like well timed.
I’ve to ask. Are you planning on dropping it someday subsequent yr?
Yeah. It’s not going to be a yr after that. I inform ya [laughs].
You toured with Kehlani final yr (on the Europe stretch) and also you mentioned that the expertise proved to you that you would be able to actually do that music factor. Quick ahead simply months later, you’re within the midst of your first headlining tour. How does that make you are feeling? What was your mindset going into this tour?
I used to be positively nervous. However I believe I used to be nervous as a result of I used to be like, you may faux streams. You possibly can faux followers. You possibly can faux all these things, however the one factor you may’t faux is folks, actual folks shopping for tickets to your present. Not saying that I’ve faux streams or followers, as a result of I completely don’t. However the true telling is like folks coming to see you at your exhibits, and the suggestions that you just get from that. And yeah, the reception has been nice, man. It’s been greater than I might have imagined. I’ll be sincere. I’ve not seen a nasty phrase about my present, which I’m actually grateful for as a result of that’s all I wished to be sincere. I simply wished to have the ability to have enjoyable. I wished to have the ability to have interaction with folks. I’m not a dancer or something, ya know, so I felt prefer it was going to be onerous for me to interact with the group and provides them a superb present, however I’m actually simply being myself on stage and letting my character out. So I believe that’s what’s charming folks, which I’m glad about.
You’re kicking off the U.S. and Canada leg of your tour in L.A. on Tuesday. What can followers anticipate?
A very good time! I hold saying it’s actually a particular expertise to have the ability to do these small, intimate exhibits. And I do know persons are like, “You could’ve sold out this venue and you could’ve done this venue …” And I’m like, yeah however these intimate, virtually like one-to-one moments and experiences with folks is what they’ll respect much more in the long term. And I do know I’m too. I be strolling into these venues and I’m like “Oh, this small. Like we definitely could’ve gone bigger.” However I’m like nah. That is what it’s about. Everyone’s gotta begin someplace and I believe it’s simply vital, like I mentioned, that we are able to have these intimate moments with one another. It’s an excellent tremendous particular expertise, it feels nice.
From Cleo Sol to Sasha Keable to Odeal to Elmiene and several other others, it actually feels just like the U.Ok. R&B scene is having a second. How does this make you are feeling to be part of such good firm?
It’s nice. I really feel like music was sort of on a decline for a little bit bit. It felt like nobody was actually enthusiastic about music, however I really feel like now it’s like “Oh, people are really getting excited about things again.” I believe persons are simply beginning to put out music that they genuinely love and we’re not chasing a pattern or chasing a TikTok second anymore. I really feel prefer it’s simply real music that everyone’s loving, so it feels good proper now. The scene feels nice.
