23-year-old Kwabs lives and breathes music.
Singing loudly in choirs as a school boy, before going on to study at London's prestigious Royal Academy of Music, it's safe to say he seriously knows his stuff. But Kwabs' offerings aren't the stuff of stereotypical, soul-driven melodics. Granted, his voice is soulful and supremely powerful, but Kwabs chose early on in his fast-flourishing career to wrap his warm, throaty vocals around beds of leftfield electronica—a decision that earned his debut EP, Wrong Or Right, an immediate 10,000 streams in its first 24 hours online, as well as studio time with super-producer SOHN, a MOBO Award nomination for Best Newcomer and a record deal with Atlantic Records.
With his recently-released Walk EP doing the rounds, we headed to South London for a chat with everyone's favourite new soul man.
COMPLEX: So, you just got nominated for a MOBO award—how does it feel?
Kwabs: Yes! I hadn't expected it but, when I saw that people were talking about the nominations, I thought: "Hold on! I might be in for a chance here." It was like an early Christmas present. I'm just really glad to be in the same category as other artists that I love; it feels like a really good team of people.
Was there a particular moment growing up that you realised music was what you wanted to do on a serious level?
We used to have singing assemblies at school, and I really took my chance to shine. Even when there's like 100 people sitting with me, I was belting out at the top of my lungs. But it took until teachers started paying attention for me to kind of take it seriously, I'll be honest.
When you started out, you got a lot of attention from your YouTube videos so social media has worked out great for you. Overall, though, do you think social media is more of a help or a hindrance in today's music industry?
It creates an interesting relationship between artists and fans where they have such a direct beeline to you. An interesting compromise is where, as an artist, you lie along the lines of giving your all to your fans all the time, and letting them know everything, and kind of keeping some stuff back.
Your lyrics, they're super-personal and really honest...
I wear my heart on my sleeve, musically, but I think people don't necessarily know that by listening to the songs. They're emotive, so they'll feel a story in there but I've never said anything explicitly and that’s really important because I want people to make their own judgments about what they mean and also have their own connections with it. I want people to feel whatever they feel about it, rather than feeling what I feel or trying to make a judgment about what I wrote it about.
You come from quite a jazz background, don't you? What made you want to work with electronic soundscapes?
I have a fondness for electronic music and I have a fondness for putting different and maybe unexpected parts together in music. I needed to have that rub of the two things for it to really work for me, for it to excite me, and that's where it came from more than anything else. It wasn't because I wanted to make "electronic soul" or "nu-soul" or any of those labels, I just wanted to create a path for myself that had an identity for myself and, to do that, I had to have something that felt new for me. My musical heritage is very varied. I listened to so many different things growing up: Hot Chip, Robots In Disguise, The Strokes, as well as soul records and stuff like that kinda inspired my singing voice and my tone. When it came to actually making music, it wasn't so much a matter of trying to find something that was different—it was already there—I just needed to pick from the stuff that I was already listening to.
What was it like working with SOHN?
Really cool! He is a very deep, considered, intelligent guy, with a mass of musical ability and talent. It was really amazing to be party to that.
How did the collaboration come about?
He's been around for a while; I think myself and BANKS were probably two of the first people he's worked with as like a writer to someone else's project. Our teams just kind of set us up together, and it just worked.
Do you think working with him opened you up to a new audience?
Yeah, I think his fans connected with my stuff and some of my fans connected with his. It seemed like a really good, really important partnership, actually—to unlock different sides of what I do. I think it's all about taking two creative energies and making something new with them. Something new... I think that's key!
Tell us a bit about your forthcoming album. How does it differ to your EPs, Wrong Or Right and Walk?
I think the album sort of creates a broader picture of the music that I love. Whilst it's keeping a sense of alternativeness in its identity, there will also be the bare bones of my musical heritage and what my voice does; some more classic moments because people need to hear that too.
Your shows are forever selling out! Do you enjoy performing live, or do you stay nervous?
I've definitely gone to different stages with it. At first, I was just experimenting. Now, though, I have to be aware of the fact that people might know some of the material and that they have different ambitions, requirements, desires, and you have to step up to the mark, which is quite nerve-wracking. It just takes practice and trial and error. And you make some mistakes sometimes.
What would you say your biggest mistake has been?
Not trusting that my fans love my material. Sometimes when I'm making a set list, I'm like, "I'm gonna put the biggest, fastest tunes in there. I'm going to play all of my new tunes." But, actually, I think my fans remember the journey so they want to experience what you've done before and the songs that they love, as well as some new stuff to look forward to when it comes out.
What's your definition of success?
Doing what I love and loving doing it. I want to make music for everyone and I want as many people to hear it as possible.
