Kevan – DOORS | Alluring

Italian singer and producer Kevan recently came out with his debut EP, ‘DOORS’ that features a blend of Latin instrumentation with r&b in a truly captivating way. With four emotional and sultry tracks, Kevan takes us on an introspective journey that explores love, lust and everything in between.

DOORS EP Tracklist

With over 1.5 million streams on Spotify, the opening track to the ‘DOORS’ EP, Call Me, begins with a syncopated reggae beat and flamenco guitars. It’s amazing how the kick drum pattern fits in perfectly with the rhythm, creating a space that is very emotive and danceable at the same time. I particularly enjoyed the instrumental section with the guitar melodies, which make the song even more vibrant and lively; a fantastic production!

Track two, Dollars, has a more r&b feel to it, coming from the slow, soft beats and laid-back vocals. Kevan does a good job showcasing his vocals on this track. He sings in a calm tone and rap verses are smooth and engaging. Loved the instrumentation on this one; simple and very effective!

Title track, Doors features emotive vocals, big harmonies and nostalgic lyrics and reveals a part of Kevan’s honest personality. I really enjoyed the way he shares his heartfelt story with his voice on this song; he conveys his emotions sincerely and passionately. – “I kept on working all I had was nothing / Now were here, were at the dawn of something / Everything I thought becoming true / Can look into my eyes like open doors?”

Kevan ends the EP with a track about separation titled, White Blankets. A powerful kick drum works incredibly with the deep 808, setting the sultry mood of the track along with rhythmic guitars and mellow synth melodies. Undoubtedly, my favourite track of the lot, owing to the masterful production and skilful composition.

Interview

Kevan was kind enough to share the story behind his songs and the journey of his career with us. Here’s what he had to say.

Q1– These four tracks feature an eclectic mix of sounds that blend together wonderfully and create captivating atmospheres. What inspired you to write this record?

DOORS is the beginning of my solo career, after more than a decade of making music. I looked deeply into my own personality and I started to shape my individuality into sounds and lyrics. I can say I was inspired by my past, my feelings, my brutal honesty and the vision I have for me and for the ones who believe in it.

Q2 – Which artists do you look up to and how have they shaped your music creation process on this EP?

I look up to many great artists, the ones who inspire me are mainly from the Hip Hop, Pop Punk and Pop world. I’m really driven by artists whose successful artistic career turned into a message that motivates people across the world, changing it. To name a few: Travis Barker, Future, Drake, Dr. Dre, Travis Scott, Rosalia, Rita Ora, Kanye West, Rick Rubin, Trey Songz, Max Martin, Ariana Grande and many more. I carry my music culture everywhere like a bag, ’cause I will always pull something out of it when I need to produce a new track.

Q3 – The sultry vocals on ‘White Blankets’ fit in really well with the deep bass and drum rhythm. What is the track about and what would you like listeners to take away from it?

White Blankets is about the separation of two individuals with a very strong bond between them. Sometimes we have a million reasons to walk away from somebody, but that one good reason keeps taking us back to that person.

Q4 –With over a million listens on Spotify, you have amassed an incredible number of fans! Could you tell us a bit about your journey as a singer and songwriter?

I started at 11 playing the guitar with a punk rock band. We had the luck to participate in a national TV programme that would eventually launch my career into the music industry. After changing several band formations, since I was really young, I decided to finish High School and build a recording studio right after graduation. In 2018 I decided to move to London to study music production, I really needed it, and one year after I founded my record label Rotbaum Records.

Q5 – Do you have any tips for musicians who are just starting out and trying to make it in the industry?

The first thing I always remind every artist is that nobody asked us to make music. We must show our worth as artists to everyone and we need to be our first fans, without quitting. With this mindset we are gonna be more prompted to work and invest more in our career. If we add value to our brand and our artistic vision we are very likely to reach our goals.

Q6 – If you had the chance to collaborate with any artist in the world on a live tour of the EP, who would it be and why?

If I could really choose: for the genre I think opening Trey Songz or Khalid would be a very good fit, but I would also love to be on the same stage as Drake, Kanye, Travis Scott, or Rita Ora one day. In my deepest dreams I’m jamming together with Travis Barker by the way.