- Words Notion Staff
- Photography Natalie Jennifer
We caught up with alternative R&B artist, KeepVibesNear, to get to know who he'd like to play him in a movie, his dream meal and goals for 2022.
Growing up in Romford and East London, musician KeepVibesNear found comfort in a love of English at school, where studying poetry lead to a natural interest in freestyling and songwriting. He spent the following years working on his instrumentation, developing a sound which felt truly his own.
He has described his own style of music as “Noir R&B”, consisting of stripped-back vocals and a moody, raw sound that puts vulnerability at the centre of KeepVibesNear’s sound – chilled-out vibes alongside strikingly personal revelations which he described as careful “outbursts” of feeling. He cites a wide range of influences from John Mayer to King Krule and D’Angelo.
KVN released his first full album, When Will We Realise? in 2019, introducing the world to his music, and has kept up a steady stream of releases since then, including collabs with the likes of Evie Golding, Lauren Luxenberg and Safiyyah. His music has also been picked up by BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Jams Supernova segment.
Notion sat down with KeepVibesNear to ask the questions we really wanted to know.
If you were transported back to 2019, what’s the first thing you’d do?
If I could go back in time to 2019, I’d convince all my friends to move in a shared house and make the best album known to life.
How have you developed creatively over the past year?
What are you currently obsessed with?
What’s your party trick?
Finish the sentence: I feel happiest when…
Never have I ever…
Who would you love to play you in a film?
Lakeith Stanfield. What a special guy. Directed by Donald Glover if possible haha.
The wildest thing that’s happened to you lately?
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Biggest goal for 2022?
