KANYA 18' - KickBackKev
KickBackKev lives up to his name.
He is cool, collected and driven to get to the top (and so far he’s on the right path)
From dusk till dawn, this nighthawk is souring with new ideas.
He's either working on a new track, editing a video or even booking new shows for the artist' he manages. Time waits for no one so why would he?
Kanya 18' is a constellation of alternative R&B, soul, blues, moderate rap and a tie of ballads.
His range of piano play and guitar strings are enticing. It leaves a shimmery trail to his ethereal, falsetto vocal arrangement and takes on a counter of roles in each track.
Coupled with lucidity and trance, the piano and drums burst in as the backdrop of Kev’s proclamation of love towards a mystic female.
It seems impossible to not relate it to ourselves. We’ve all been on Cloud 9 before so we know the euphoric feeling that it leaves off wholeheartedly.
The name Kanya 18’ was inspired by the mysterious ladies’ astrological sign and the current year which is 2018 (In Indian astrology, Kanya means “Virgo). Similarly enough Kanye West happens to be one of his influences but that factor is just coincidental. “The feelings and memories are really honest. Nothing is forced” says Kev about Kanya 18’ “The theme behind the project really captures the moments and emotion. It gets the feeling across.”
Kanya 18’ starts off with scales of subtle piano play in Dream Girl. In this track, Kev swoons his lady away with an acclamation. She is a blessing from above. She has changed his life for the better and made him whole. Because of this, Kev wants to keep her happy, always. He croons “Dream girl, dream girl it’s just me and you” and finishes it off with the piano fading into the next track.
Promises uses the existing piano formation, except he adds light tambourines to support his smooth sailed crooning. He’s fallen deep for this lady but she doesn’t seem to know why, “I feel you’re the one for me/If only you could see what I see”. Kev then fumbles in his pocket of rhymes and speaks about how he’s barricaded his heart before but since he’s met her he’s felt like doing the opposite. He just wants to treat her like the queen she is. One line that had me was when Kev states “You deserve the world and more for all that you’ve endured”. It’s a love ballad towards the woman he adores and the listeners just can’t get enough!
Hypnotic and alluring to the ear strings, 4our 2wo 7even intertwines the harp and piano into one. In this track Kev continues to serenade his love, confessing how he feels towards her “When I’m with you, I feel like the stars align/ You’re the moonlight that brings my tides up high/ And drown me with memories that will not die/You are the sunlight to my sky/ As long as you’re here darkness won’t come.” She is the blessing in his life and he will wait for as long as he needs to in order to make his hers. Kev confesses his undying sentiment of love and lays everything down on the table. “If you fall for me/ I hope you fall for me but I’ll catch you.” She is the one that fits to his puzzle and he wants to make that clear to her.
The title replicates a special moment they shared on that day.
Beautifully pitched guitar strings and all, Vinyl Records paints a portrait for Kev’s love. He wants to lose his soul into his love, learn about her and grow. It’s the little things she does that keeps his captivated and he can’t wait to give her the world. He croons “I promise to give it all I got/You can see it in the conversations, your happiness is my motivation.” which indicates that she comforts him, To me, I can compare their love to soul food. Both heart drenching and savoring to the soul.
Night Sky adds a twist to Kanya 18’. Kev adds a pedal of echos, drums and lightly pressed piano(and of course lustrous spitting) to get his point across to the ones listening closely. What he’s trying to express in this track is that life has unfolded a lot of questions and yet everyday he’s still trying to find answers. He’s put his trust and faith in others, but it never panned out “I try my luck through everyone to reach the freedom/Naming every star I could find cause I need them/Shooting through the sky and I hope you see them”. Kev then chants that he’s looking for a fairytale type love and finally, he’s found it in her! “Truly looking for Blockbuster movie, groovy/It’s the little things you be doing to me that make a huge difference, got me looking at life way different.” Although the girl who keeps his head spinning might be willing to be with another, he’s willing to wait (and forever more).
Adding a sweet end to Kanya 18’, My Only Exception thrashes subtle drums, trickling piano keys and faint guitar strings in the groove of Kev’s nostalgic crooning. In this song, Kev speaks about how he hopes for his love to see him as more than an acquaintance, as a close friend. He’s afraid to tell her how he truly feels but knows that it must be done if he plans on making her his wifey. As he reverbs, “I fell in love with a woman who may never know” the listener can relate it to their first time having a crush and not knowing how to say it to that person out loud. Afraid that he will be rejected, he expresses that also through this one line “I don’t know what’s worse/ The fear of rejection or the pain of regret/ I never act reckless no.” But she’s the only exception basically.
He’s willing to let her know how he feels before he loses her forever.
But even so, KickBackKev enjoyed making Vinyl Records because it surfaced around his first encounter with the mystic female who is mentioned from time to time in the project. The emotion was really easy to portray and with those two favors it made the song whole.
He list Forest Hills Drive 14’ as his all time favorite album (and coincidentally it even happens to be mine!). “J.Cole is someone I look up to because he came up in his generation.” Kev goes on to say “He’s both a lyrical genius and relatable.”
Inspired by the likes of Mac Miller and Diddy also, KickBackKev notes it’s because of [Diddys] business aspect and what they get at. They all have a message and that’s why he enjoys their sound the most.
Naturally chimed in with his rhyming skill, Kev decided to test the waters and express his emotion more freely through singing.
For upcoming artist who are planning to release a mixtape Kev’s message is to be consistent, have a good support system and believe in yourself. “You can’t just talk the talk” he says.
All in all, Kanya 18’ is like a pinned up love letter that you want to send to your crush across the room.
It takes you on an emotional journey has a solid climax and leaves you with a euphoric feeling.
By: Natalee Gilbert
KickBackKev has one more project on the way called 11:11 which will be a continuation of Kanya 18’
For those listening, Kev wants you to have a wonderful day and to never give up…because you never know how close you are to your dreams.
Link -
https://soundcloud.com/thekickbackexperience/sets/kanya-18