Tell us about “Sunkissed.” What was the vision for it? “Sunkissed” gave us such a happy, upbeat vibe, like it’s the summer we could have had. I feel like the “dream” part came from artists like Frank Ocean or Kevin Abstract. I think I knew from the start that I wanted to go by Khai as an artist.
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What’s in the name? What’s the story behind “Khai Dreams?”
KHAI DREAMS PLUS
While their music’s vibe is “chill and sweet,” Khai is also an artist who recognizes the significance of having a platform, using their virtual soapbox to amplify undermined voices as well as the advocacies they’re passionate about.Ī post shared by khai this week’s Friday Picks, we caught up with Khai to chat with them about “Sunkissed,” their collaboration with Phum Viphurit and again&again plus the importance of artists speaking their truth.
![khai dreams khai dreams](https://upload.afkmobi.com/photos/afkmobi-com/2022/08/afkmobi-dreamland-6.jpg)
They sampled “ Inochi No Namae ” from the Ghibli classic “Spirited Away” for their song, “Fantasy.” “Sunkissed” captured the summer imagery in anime where the weather is humid and cicadas are buzzing outside (you know scenes like that, weebs).Īlso, fun fact: Khai’s a Studio Ghibli fan like many of us. Not to mention, a lot of their music videos are inspired by anime. The influences of this San Fran-based singer/songwriter ranges from contemporary hip-hop, indie, surf rock, and neo-soul, crafting a brand of “intimate pop” that dissects the self and reflects on artistic expression in times like now. There’s a lot of nostalgia in my writing, I feel.” “I get my inspiration from all sorts of places, I guess. There’s a lot of nostalgia in my writing, I feel,” they said. Their song provided the lost summer reckless teens and twentysomethings longed for. We compensate for the lack of outdoor interactions with non-work-related Zoom meets and endless TikTok scrolling.īut it’s TikTok that probably introduced people to Khai Dreams’ “Sunkissed.” With the half-Vietnamese artist’s claim to fame, they take us back to a time when summer meant two months of memories worthy of a coming-of-age montage. Even now, some people have barely seen sunlight (that’s me, I’m some people). It feels like a fever dream because the year’s almost ending. Those were fun times.īut TBH, I don’t even remember what I did this summer. Back in January, we’re all making plans, booking tickets and crafting itineraries. For recommendations on who you want us to feature next, send us an email titled “SCOUT FRIDAY PICKS” to Įveryone’s travel goals were single-handedly squashed by the pandemic. Khai is slated to release new music this year, following a critical period of self-reflection that found them reconfiguring their intentions and artistry within the context of these unprecedented times.SCOUT Friday Picks is our dedicated column on music, with a focus on familiar faces and new, young voices. Inspired by anime, the idyllic sounds of the ukulele and pressing discussions about gender and police brutality, khai dreams has collaborated with several artists including mxmtoon, Atwood, Forrest, Dream Easy Collective, biosphere and RudeManners. With an eclectic blend of influences ranging from contemporary hip-hop and R&B to modern indie, surf rock, and neo-soul, khai’s dreamy brand of intimate pop has helped them amass more than 450 million career streams and a dedicated online following. Khai dreams is a 21-year-old, half-Vietnamese singer, songwriter and producer born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. The following year, khai released the Now and Then EP, featuring “Sunkissed” and six others. “Sunkissed” is from khai’s 2019 EP, Now and Then, and has been streamed over 90 million times and used in over 300,000 videos on TikTok.įollowing a string of breakout singles in 2017-including “ Lost In You,” which has racked up nearly 60 million streams, and “ Through and Through”-khai shared Nice Colors in 2018, a collaborative EP with Atwood, that showcased their “ability to craft a full-length body of work where no two tracks were quite alike,” according to Ones to Watch.
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The new track follows the “ Sunkissed” video and remixes by Phum Viphurit and again&again. The colors are so vivid too, it makes everything really fun to just look at!” “I love the textures in his art, and how he plays with proportions and perspective to make everything even more surreal and crazy feeling. “I've always loved animation and I thought Joe's style in animation and design was so unique,” khai says. Today, Eugene, Oregon singer, songwriter and producer khai dreams debuts a new track, “ Good Advice,” their first new single of 2020, alongside a video animated by Joseph Melhuish-listen here and watch the video here. Their dreamy, melodic, and feel-great tracks have matured from lo-fi bedroom tracks to an infectious blend of surf rock, R&B, modern indie,Īnd contemporary hip-hop influences.”-Ones to Watch “…khai dreams has quietly built themselves a small empire in the idyllic