A steamy kiss made Kwn viral. Her latest EP proves she’s more than a moment

Kwn, a British singer, predicted her new music video for the song “Worst Behavior” would go viral after asking her friend and fellow artist, Kehlani, to share a kiss on camera.

The song was already becoming popular online when Kwn released it in November, featuring suggestive lyrics like “Cut the lights, turn the bass up, we gon’ hit some notes.” It became even more widely known when R&B star Kehlani, who has been nominated for five Grammys, released a remix as a Valentine’s Day gift to her fans.

Fans shared videos and comments on social media, reacting to the artists’ passionate kiss and obvious connection.

“Are … we supposed to see this? Omg,” one person said on YouTube.

“This is gonna be somebody’s awakening,” commented another.

“It’s sickening how many times I’ve replayed this video lol,” declared another.

According to Kwn, the performers were simply putting on a show. By mid-October, the video, directed by Chris Chance, had already racked up over 21 million views on YouTube – a number that continues to amaze her.

Kwn expressed her excitement, saying she always believed the song had potential and was thrilled with how well it resonated with listeners. She recorded the track live on Instagram from her bedroom in Walthamstow, east London.

Kwn recently released “Do What I Say,” a sensual and intimate song with sapphic themes, as the second single from her new EP, “With All Due Respect.” The 25-year-old artist, who began her musical journey as a young drummer and later studied at the prestigious East London Arts and Music school, feels this attention is well-deserved after years of dedication.

After being dropped by her record label, Black Butter Records, in mid-2024, Kwn felt like people were underestimating her. She says her new song title, “With All Due Respect,” is a clear message that she’s serious and won’t be taken advantage of anymore.

Kwn’s new nine-track EP starts strong with a bold introduction, where she confidently raps, “I don’t want to be humble no more/Baby, bite, bite, bite me.” This energetic vibe continues throughout the EP, especially on the track “Talk You Through It,” a sensual collaboration with the London-based group Flo, whom Kwn considers the modern equivalent of Destiny’s Child.

I’m so excited for Kwn! She’s starting her first ever headlining tour, the ‘With All Due Respect’ tour, right here in the U.S. and Canada, kicking things off at The Echo in Los Angeles this Tuesday. I recently heard her talking about the tour, and she shared some really interesting thoughts – like what she picked up from touring with Kehlani, why she believes artists should be open about how they create, and how she’s so much more than just that one video that went viral. Oh, and the best part? She hinted that she’s already working on new music, which is amazing!

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

You began making music around age 11 after your sister brought you to a friend’s home recording studio. What was it like learning to record and produce music at such a young age?

Looking back, it feels like I was always meant to make music. My grandmother recently showed me a video of me creating rhythms with pens when I was really little – around 9 or 10 years old. Soon after, my mom got me a drum set, which was the first instrument I played. I also picked up some basic recording and production skills in school. Then my sister introduced me to a friend who had a home studio. Whenever she visited, I’d tag along, maybe once a month, and just observe how he worked. I learn best by watching, and I absorbed a lot that way. I also spent late nights watching beat-making tutorials on YouTube.

I’ve been following your work for a while now, and it’s amazing to see how far you’ve come! I know you’ve been creating music for years, but it was so exciting when “One Way or Another” finally dropped in 2022. I’m really curious, what was going through your mind when you finally released it to the world? What did it feel like to finally share something you’d poured so much of yourself into?

I was honestly really nervous before releasing my music. I’d signed to a label before, and you always imagine that the moment your first song drops, everything will just take off. But it definitely doesn’t work like that, does it? It was extra weird because these songs were actually written ages ago – probably back in 2018 or 2019. So, after waiting so long, finally getting them out there felt like a huge weight off my shoulders.

You were let go by your record label right before your single, “Eyes Wide Open,” began to gain popularity. Did you feel like that song represented a breakthrough in finding your unique sound and artistic direction?

Honestly, the second I finished that beat, everything just clicked. I’d been searching for this sound for so long, and I realized I hadn’t really known what I was looking for. That made it hard for anyone I worked with to help me find it. But when I finally got that beat down, I just knew – this is it. And then writing the song… I genuinely hadn’t heard anything quite like it before, and I don’t say that to sound arrogant. That was the moment I felt like this could really be something special, that it had to. I’m going to keep creating no matter what, but I needed this to make an impact, and thankfully, it did. I’m so thankful for that.

You know, people have noticed a certain look to my videos – things like “Eyes Wide Open,” “Worst Behavior,” and “Do What I Say.” I really aim for a cinematic feel, and I achieve that by using what appears to be a single, unbroken shot. It’s something I’m drawn to. I’ve always been a huge film fan, so I think that definitely influences my work. It’s about trying to capture a mood and a story in a really immersive way, almost like you’re watching a scene unfold in real time. That style just feels right to me – it lets the energy of the video breathe, you know?

I recently saw the film “The Boiling Point,” which was filmed entirely in one continuous shot. That really got me thinking – when you’re watching something done in one take, you’re completely hooked because you can’t look away for a second. My director, Chris Chance, and I felt like music videos had lost some of their impact. There weren’t many artists creating truly captivating visuals, so we wanted to make something that would grab and hold your attention. A single, unbroken shot just felt like the right way to do it. We filmed it quickly, actually. We were on a tight schedule because we were shooting in someone’s home, and I think their kids were coming back soon! We just wanted something really immersive and captivating. We also did a one-take video for “Lord I Tried,” and it looked amazing. Then we did “Eyes Wide Open” the same way, and after that, we decided to make it a signature style for our work.

You used to share a lot of your songwriting process on Instagram Live – what made you enjoy doing that, and is it still something you’re able to do often?

My manager suggested I start doing Instagram Lives back in 2019 or 2020. She thought it would be good for people to see how I work, and I was hesitant at first, but I trusted her. It started with just a few people watching, but after lockdown, I started doing them more often. I realized you rarely get to see artists’ creative processes. Like with someone like Beyoncé, there are very few studio videos available, and you wonder how they think. Pharrell, on the other hand, is great because you can easily find videos of him working in the studio with artists like Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. I think it’s fascinating to see how other people’s minds work and what sparks their creativity, and that’s what I try to share on my IG Lives – those moments when I figure something out. I believe we shouldn’t keep our processes secret. I’ll probably head off to write lyrics now, because I don’t want to give away all my ideas and have people copy my techniques. It’s about showing that we’re not just machines churning out music, it takes time and effort, and my fans deserve to see that. Lately, though, it’s become frustrating because people are screen recording the lives and sharing them online. I need to get back to doing them more regularly, but I haven’t been in the studio as much this year. I definitely plan to start again, though.

Your EP, “With All Due Respect,” came out in June. Can you share what inspired the title and what you were thinking about when you started making it?

I used to have a different project title, but we decided it wasn’t right. I wanted something that showed everyone I was serious and committed this time. A lot of people had lost faith in me, especially after my record label let me go. I felt like people were underestimating me, and I was struggling to connect with other artists and producers – they weren’t responding to my messages. I wasn’t sure what I was doing wrong, but I knew I had the talent to succeed. Then Chris Chance sent me a list of potential titles, and “With All Due Respect” was one of them.

I remember you mentioning in an earlier chat that “With All Due Respect” was just the first half of a bigger project, and you were thinking about releasing a collection of B-sides too. Is that still happening? If so, I’m really curious – do you have any idea when we might get to hear those extra tracks?

Things have been really hectic lately, with promoting our music and immediately heading out on tour. But it’s all going well, and I’m really looking forward to releasing some new music soon. It has a classic feel – it feels like exactly what people want to hear right now.

I have to ask. Are you planning on dropping it sometime next year?

Yeah. It’s not going to be a year after that. I tell ya [laughs].

You recently toured Europe as an opening act for Kehlani, and you said that experience confirmed you could pursue music as a career. Now, just a few months later, you’re embarking on your first headlining tour. How does it feel to be leading the show now? What were you thinking as you prepared for this tour?

I was pretty nervous, honestly. I kept thinking about how easy it is to inflate numbers online – fake streams, fake followers, all that. But you can’t fake actual fans showing up to your shows. That’s the real measure of success. Not that I ever would, but it’s just that seeing people in the audience, and getting their reactions, is what truly matters. And the response has been incredible – way better than I expected. I haven’t seen a single negative comment, which I’m so thankful for. All I really wanted was to have fun and connect with people. I’m not a performer or dancer, so I worried about keeping the crowd engaged, but it turns out just being myself on stage is enough. I think people are responding to my personality, and that’s really cool.

You’re kicking off the U.S. and Canada leg of your tour in L.A. on Tuesday. What can fans expect?

I’m really enjoying these smaller, more personal shows. People ask why I don’t play bigger venues, but these intimate experiences are what truly matter – both for me and the audience. I think creating these one-on-one connections is more valuable in the long run. It’s important to remember that everyone starts somewhere, and these moments are really special. It feels great to connect with people on this level.

With artists like Cleo Sol, Sasha Keable, Odeal, and Elmiene gaining recognition, the UK R&B scene is really thriving right now. What’s it like to be included among such talented peers?

Things are really good right now. For a while, it felt like people weren’t very enthusiastic about music, but that’s changing. It seems like artists are now focusing on creating music they truly enjoy, instead of just trying to follow trends or go viral on platforms like TikTok. That authenticity is resonating with listeners, and the overall music scene feels really positive and energetic.

2025-10-21 01:02

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