Spotify / Apple Music

The London-raised artist was discovered in the back of an Uber while studying abroad at UCLA, taking classes in African-American studies and the music industry. Within a week of landing he met a producer and the first thing they created together was a demo for what would become his breakout single "Cool Kids." While still figuring out his way around the city, KWAYE was picked up in Downtown LA by an Uber driven by a former A&R executive, and after hearing "Cool Kids" he passed it along to Mind of a Genius. MOAG provided KWAYE with a place to work and record, and within just a couple weeks he was the label's first UK signing.

A student of not only the Zimbabwean music his family brought with them to England, but neosoul icons like D'Angelo and John Legend and funky boundary-pushers like Thundercat - not to mention unexpected influences like Tracy Chapman and the Eagles - KWAYE uses flourishes of pop and classic house music to juice up a breezy, funky version of modern soul miles apart from dour alt-R&B. A multi-instrumentalist who plays viola, sax, and guitar, he's been performing on stage since childhood in venues ranging from open mic nights to the West End. His art and style emphasise Zimbabwean colour and swagger matched with the clean, smart lines of London fashion. His sense of style extends seamlessly into his sonic identity, blending into one complete aesthetic whole with the effortless grace of a veteran pop star. KWAYE is a new kind of artist, a utopian global citizen, bouncing from city to city, continent to continent, picking up influences and energy along the way.

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