Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with KVNG

R&B artist KVNG is one of the hottest acts coming out of the UK, and he’s undoubtedly going to be an international superstar making his presence known on a global scale. Fusing together R&B and pop, KVNG is captivating audiences with lyrics that strike listeners at their core. His newest single, “Vibe,” is the perfect way to kick off 2020, and we spoke to him about it!

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
KVNG: My family listened to a lot of different music—a lot of different vibes and genres, from reggae to R&B to soul. As a child, one of my favorite artists was Michael Jackson. The moment that I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life was watching him perform. Seeing his electricity on stage and how he made the crowd feel, I was like, “I want to do that! I want to make people feel that way.” That was the start of my love/obsession with music.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
KVNG: As an artist, I would say MJ was a huge influence. Personally, I had an aunt who was very supportive of my music. She would always ask me about my music. She took an interest in what I was doing. She supported me when no one else would. Without her, I don’t think I’d be doing music. So I would definitely say her. She’s no longer with us, but she was an anchor for me.

PC: What’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
KVNG: Be yourself! That’s the biggest lesson that I’ve learned. It’s okay to be yourself. None of this sh*t matters. You don’t need to be fake. You don’t need to play to the people. You don’t need to play to the executives. Your biggest superpower is being yourself. Those who connect with you and see the real you are the ones who will be your fans.

PC: Tell us about your new single, “Vibe.” What inspired the track?
KVNG: “Vibe” is a collaboration between myself, a friend of mine, and an artist named Kadeem Tyrell. He’s an incredible artist in the UK R&B scene. I had a beat that I partly produced. Kadeem came into a session. It was our first-ever session together. We’d been friends for a while but had never worked together. I was running through beats and asked him, “What do you think of this?” Then I played the beat for what is now “Vibe,” and he was like, “What is this? This is a vibe!” It kicked off from there. “Vibe” was the best word to describe the song and the energy.

PC: The single follows your debut EP, Broken. If you had to pick one song off Broken that best encompasses you as an artist, what would it be and why?
KVNG: I would say “Sad Songs.” I lean towards “Sad Songs” for this answer. My first love was piano. It was my first instrument. I still very much connect with it. It’s so pure and simple. The exact place where music started for me was very pure, simple, and organic. I think it’s a very big reflection of that.

PC: You’re also the co-founder of RNBRIT. How did that come to fruition?
KVNG: RNBRIT came to be because I spent quite a lot of time in the R&B UK scene working on my career and trying to progress. The issue was that there wasn’t really an infrastructure, especially for those who came before me. There wasn’t much being done about it at the time. There was a lot of noise and frustrated people. I brought all of those frustrated people into one room. We all agreed that something needed to be done. I decided to put something into action. I had people around me who believed in the same vision. We created a platform and an infrastructure that allowed people to connect with the music in one place. That was the initial inception. The talent was there; it was just the opportunity that was missing.

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2020, what does the year hold for you?
KVNG: It’s looking bright. There’s loads of music. That’s my main focus. I want to connect with the fans even more. I just want to continue sharing. Last year was huge for me. I was able to connect with old and new fans. This year is about consistency and releasing music.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: An artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
KVNG: Owl City

PC: First album you bought?
KVNG: 50 Cent’s The Massacre

PC: First concert you attended?
KVNG: Destiny’s Child in London

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
KVNG: MJ’s Bad! It was a huge part of my childhood. The fusion of all those different sounds got my creativity going.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
KVNG: The Apollo

PC: A must-have on the road?
KVNG: Apple crumble

To keep up with KVNG, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Pick up or stream “Vibe” on Amazon Music, iTunes, or Spotify.