KVNE
Impresses With Single “Lay Me Down”
By Cody Capalongo
Hailing from Ontario Canada, artist KVNE has built his name at the intersection of R&B, Hip-Hop, and pop, and made his presence known in the music industry as the next big contender. Since his musical debut in 2018 with “Make Me Better,” KVNE has only continued to refine his craft and prove to us just how versatile he can be. Prior to his debut as an artist, KVNE worked to master the production side of the industry, and it shows. Taking inspiration from artists such as Tory Lanes, Post Malone, and Blackbear KVNE lays down complex lyrism and catchy melodies over rich and exciting instrumentation to create the staple KVNE sound. His playful nature and mastery of both engineering and writing allow KVNE to disguise otherwise serious messages in songs that leave the audience with an upbeat impression. No song better exemplifies this unique style than his most recent release “Lay Me Down,” which chronicles KVNE’s navigation through life as an artist in relation to old and new friends and his attempt to “find the balance between the two.” The song is best accompanied by its humorous music video that visually reflects the playful nature of both the track and the artist alike. We spoke with KVNE about his new single, and what we can expect in the future from the artist that seems to never disappoint.
Hey KVNE! Thanks so much for speaking with us today! Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hey guys, thanks for having me! I am an artist and producer from Ontario, Canada.
How did you get started making music?
I started playing guitar when I was 13 years old, and never stopped, haha. I ended up with my first band before I was 15, and we began performing and writing our own stuff.
“Lay Me Down” is fantastic, congrats! How are we feeling about it coming out?
Thank you so much! Super happy to share that song & video with everyone, and the response has been really great.
Can you walk us through the inspiration for the song and what you wanted to convey through making it?
“Lay Me Down” was actually made a while ago, and it just went through a lot of post-production changes with the producer Conor Conors. The inspiration for the song was really about new friend circles and old friends, and trying to find that balance between the lifestyles. I just wanted to make sure it was still playful, and not too dark, haha.
“Lay Me Down” / Click to Listen
Do you have a formulaic way you go about writing all your songs or is each project unique?
Yeah, typically, I start with going through the beat, then play around with vocal melodies and find some flows in the right pocket before I start putting lyrics together.
Was there anything different or special about your writing process for “Lay Me Down?”
I actually had a good friend of mine Vincent Xavier help with some of the writing on “Lay Me Down!”
Cool! So, You made your musical debut with “Make Me Better” in 2018. How would you say the KVNE sound has changed since?
I mean, for starters: so much growth, haha! I think I’ve figured out more of what I really enjoy making, and I do it with more confidence. I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with so many talented artists and producers since the release of MMB. Keeping a consistency in my sound while collaborating with artists across the board really helped with refining my music.
So obviously we couldn’t discuss the new single without also talking about its hilarious accompanying music video. It’s definitely a very comical visual representation of the song so I was wondering why you chose to portray it in that way?
Hahaha, yesss! Honestly, I just wanted to make something different, and have fun with my friends while making it haha! It seemed too obvious to just have another music video with strippers or bottles & fancy cars, so we put a creative spin on it. I owe so much to the team that helped bring that video to life: Teagan Walker and Jessthesnapper. There are so many Easter eggs in the video that I’m not sure half the audience picked up on, but it was just a blast to make.
I have to ask, what’s the significance of the ghost character that makes an appearance on the cover of the single and in the music video?
That photo was actually taken on the last day of shooting. I just thought Jessi did such an incredible job on everything, the make up, hair, teeth. It was all just so wicked. And again, just wanted to try something a little different.
As an artist, what stands out as your favorite moment in your career so far?
I would have to say performing with Lil Tecca. It was my biggest show to date, and it honestly just reminded me why I started KVNE. I just wanted to get back on stage and perform again.
So on top of being a recording artist, you also are the co-founder of Killa Kollective. I was wondering if you could share with us what Killa Kollective is and what your motivation was for starting the label?
My business partner Solomon Mallo has been with me since the very beginning of KVNE. We actually met working on creative teams for other artists. He was doing the management side of things as well as writing and I was doing the engineering, mixing, and writing too. At a certain point, we thought we could help some of the independent artists out here and offer some of our life lessons. So we started the label and the rest is history.
Outside of working on music and the label, what are some things you enjoy doing?
I live in the country alone with my six-year-old son. We’ve been spending a lot of time outside gardening and fishing since the pandemic hit. I’m also a huge movie nerd and love the art of film!
What else can fans expect from you going forward in 2021?
I’m dropping a new single in October I actually produced and wrote myself, I’m really excited about sharing. It’s a lot different from any of my other material, so it should be interesting! I made so much music throughout the pandemic, so expect a lot of new music before the end of the year.
When KVNE makes it to LA…he’s going for fish tacos.