10 Things We Love About Kwaku Asante

Fresh off the COLORs stage, London-based singer-songwriter Kwaku Asante sits down with New Wave to discuss his highly anticipated EP Blue Solstice Volume II as well as continuing his Grandad’s musical legacy, embracing the importance of having a good inner circle, embracing his Ghanaian roots and breaking down the artists who have shaped him into the musician he is today.

Kwaku has released his fourth and final single 'Inside Out', which is set to be on his upcoming EP Blue Solstice Volume II, once again exhibiting the singer's soulful vocals, as he light-heartedly speaks on self-expression and admiration for a woman who he finds good looking.

Finally seeing the results of his hard work, it has been a whirlwind 12 months for Kwaku Asante, touring with the likes of Pip Millett and Sam Henshaw, releasing some of his biggest tracks to date including ‘Strawberry Skies’ and ‘Until The Morning, releasing his addictive 2022 EP ‘Wanderlust’ and even unveiling his cheeky charisma during his performances, which can be seen this Sunday as Kwaku is set to grace the stage of London’s rising R’n’B festival Cloud X. A man who is good with his words and is deeply passionate about his music, he is 10 things we love about Kwaku Asante.

We love the visuals for ‘Strawberry Skies’ (yes it’s still on repeat)

What inspired you to incorporate the funk/soul era?

We wanted to get across the idea of creating a timeless track that was accompanied by timeless visuals, with the lyrics and overall vibe of the single I believe it can exist now or back in the 70s. I also wanted to show people in 2023 that there was still an appetite for colourful and vibrant visuals while paying homage to my Grandad who was an executive music producer for an Afrobeat label in Ghana where he worked with the likes of Quincy Jones, Fela Kuti and a variety of Motown stars. Ultimately Strawberry Skies is a fun way of displaying my appreciation for my Grandad and eclectic musical influences, I’m also a person that likes to have fun and Strawberry Skies was the perfect way to showcase that, as a lot of my videos portray a more serious side, I decided to throw on a wig and tap into my playful side. The lyrics are equally as playful but still exhibit intricate wordplay and storytelling.

We loved your COLORS debut!

How did it feel to be on that infamous stage? We Love how you shouted out your mum and friends too, how important are they to you?

My family and friends are so important to me, I probably have one of the best support systems I could’ve asked for. My friends are compassionate, they are attentive, they show up, they are selfless, they are giving, and caring, I can’t speak more highly of them. I’m very selective about who I keep in my inner circle, as I believe that it can feed into your inner psyche and how you operate. My Mum is the most amazing person, who has sacrificed so much for me, music-wise she put me into piano and violin from a young age and did everything she could to get me the best education. My older brother is also very important to me and I lastly couldn’t forget my two nephews who are so innocent, sweet, and inspiring (Kwaku show’s off a handmade drawing by one of his nephews). My family and friends have always poured into me and I can’t wait until I can fully pour back into them. I really do believe in the saying show me your friends and family and I’ll show you your future, I’m genuinely in awe of my loved ones all of the time.

Initially, I had the idea to bring a picture of my boys to the COLORS studio, but I couldn’t find it so I ended up shouting them out, my guys have seen the process from the beginning and it was a huge honour to the grace that stage, but If I’m being honest I truly didn’t believe it was even happening until I was on that plane to Berlin, a very surreal moment in my career.

We love how positive and uplifting your music is.

Are you as happy and positive in your everyday life as you are in your music?

It’s funny you say that because I feel like my last EP Wanderlust wasn’t that happy or positive, however after its release, I feel like there was a huge weight lifted off my chest, and ever since then I’ve been open, happier and just having a lot more fun, so I think maybe with everything in my life aligning and feeling a lot more positive and has transcended into my music. I feel like your internal investment when you first start out in music comes a little later. In a good way, things are happening a lot faster and I’m finally seeing some of the results of my hard work, I think that’s all adding to a positive mindset. Wanderlust was definitely a mylonitic era for me and I now want to enter a fun period, where I’m really showcasing who I am through both my music and visuals. Being an artist is a process and as time goes on I want to show everyone who I am whether that’s funny, positive, or serious.

We love how eclectic your music is

Which artists do you take inspiration from?

D’Angelo, Marvin Gaye, Robin Thicke, Kirk Franklin, Justin Timberlake, Radiohead, and Jamiroquai, as you tell my inspirations are very eclectic as my past projects have always come through as soulful R’n’B because my music is a reflection of the sounds I listen to. I live by the idea that creativity flows through you, it doesn't come through you. As long as I stay inspired and listen to different things, I’ll continue to make a unique and well-infused sound. I love a woman’s voice too, Lauryn Hill, Mariah Carey, Nina Simone, Anita Baker, SWV, Beyonce, and honestly the list goes on. Some current artists I’m enjoying include SZA, H.E.R, Daniel Ceaser, Nick Hakim, Lucky Daye, Nao, Little Simz, Cleo Sol, Victoria Monet, Yebba, Samm Henshaw, Tom Misch, Ojerime and Jaz Karis.

We really love your hit single Until The Morning

Is there a story behind the track?

Until The Morning takes inspiration from my past relationships, a lot of my partners would have 9 to 5 jobs and when you’ve spent such a good weekend with someone and the weekend comes to a close, I always hope to hold onto that moment for a little longer and they could stay Until The Morning but they can’t because they have to go to work. I remember being in 180 studios and scrolling through Instagram where I came across the beat to the track and instantly started writing. After reaching out to the producer, the track was effortlessly made in two days.

We love how passionate you are about your music

Are there any other sides to the industry you’d like to explore?

100%, I just want to be an all-around creative that taps into everything from fashion, film, art, the stuff behind the camera, in front of the camera and even the business side of things would be cool too. Through my music people can already see that I have an interest that goes beyond my sound. I went to school for a long time and it would be rude for me to not utilize my skills. I’m not a full-on producer but I’m very hands-on when it comes to my music, I’m almost there. I just don’t push the buttons, but I’m definitely willing to learn.

We love that you’re in a lane of your own when it comes to your sound, are there any other genres of music you’d like to explore?

Yeah for sure, there’s an artist called Lizzy McAlpine who I really became obsessed with after her track ‘Ceilings’ went viral on TikTok, she has makes incredible incredible folk/ indie music and a lot of her tracks got me through lockdown, so yeah that acoustic guitar type sound is something I’d like to explore. It’s pretty obvious I’m a proud African man, I would never have shared my Ghanaian surname with the world if I wasn’t, It’s only a matter of time before I authentically hop onto Afrobeats, I’ve been listening to Wizkid since I was 8 years, this is not a new thing to me. I love Afrobeats, my Grandad literally founded the first Hi-Life/Afrobeat record label, I was really close with him up until he passed away, but I never truly knew about his work until I was much older. I remember going to Ghana and playing my aunties and uncles' The Way That You Move along with a few other tracks, they were all so impressed, one uncle said just looked at my Mum and said ‘It’s made,’ and followed then to speak so highly of my Grandad and shared some of his biggest achievements with me. I’d definitely be interested in exploring the sounds of Afro or Soulful House, who knows there could be a track out there that already sounds just like that.

We love your sense of style

Is dressing well another way you like to express yourself?

The same way I express myself with fashion is the same way I like to express myself through my music, it’s all a spectrum, If I wanna be a sweet boy I’ll make sweet boy music, If I want to be a bit more boisterous or playful I can be a certain way, I’m definitely differentiating between everyday clothing and performance wear, with the clothes that I perform in it immediately activates performance mode. I do have a stylist who helps me bring my visions to life, working with her has definitely pushed me to try different styles and step out of my comfort zone. I’m trying to find my wife, so I need to look good at all times. Taking care of my appearance is key.

We love the fact you’ve set the tone for your upcoming EP Blue Solstice Volume II

What can we expect from it?

There are no features, but it’s bright, witty, light-hearted and nothing like what I’ve done before, it’s really vibrant and each track has its own unique personality, there’s only one mellow single on the project. The topics, songs, and concepts are bouncy with great delivery and lyrics. There’s one song on the EP called ‘The Real Thing’, I’ve never done a song like that in my life, but I’m proud of the fact that I’m stepping out of my comfort zone. I want it to be easy to listen to and for people to have some lifelong favourites that they can pick from. It’s a 9 track EP with a very funny interlude that I just can’t wait for people to hear when it’s released in September.

We love your consistency, where else can people find you?

People can find me across socials @KwakuAsante, I’ll be headlining Cloud X Festival which is exciting, you’ll catch me outside I won’t lie that can be at a Recess or a DLT but you’ll definitely find me wherever the vibes are.