Kevin George is a 20-year-old self-taught producer turned singer, and it's clear from "High Like This" that he's got something special. There's nothing overly flashy or in your face about the track, instead it relies on incredibly strong songwriting rather than gimmicks to make its mark, and that aesthetic extends to the video too. We're introduced to Kevin in a sparse room with only a keyboard, guitar, television, and pictures of Prince.
It's a simple video, but it also makes a lot of sense—Kevin George has been grinding away, often on his own, honing his skills, producing, engineering, and mastering all of his upcoming EP, LOVELAND. As well as Prince, Kevin name-checks Tame Impala Calvin Harris as inspirations, and explains the impact The Weeknd has had on him as an artist.
"I still can't get enough of House Of Balloons by The Weeknd," Kevin tells us. "The Trilogy album is in my top 5 of all time. That album inspired me to sing and write my own melodies. I don't think an artist like me would even exist if that album hadn't been a backbone to inspiration for me."
Elements of the moody, drugged out R&B sound that The Weeknd did so well on his first mixtape are evident on "High Like This" and the rest of LOVELAND, but Kevin George's ambitions are already stadium sized. Listen to "High Like This" and get to know Kevin George with a short interview below. And get prepared for the rest of LOVELAND, because it's excellent.
Who is Kevin George? What can you share about yourself?
Kevin George is a 20-year-old producer turned artist, who's out to become one of the world's biggest pop stars. Kevin George is the character who haunts me inside my head... Kevin George is my subconscious.
How long have you been making music? What inspired you to start?
This is only my fifth year doing music. My cousin came to me one day after I told him I was interested in making music. He told me to hear these two new projects that just came out, it was Yeezus and Owl Pharoah.
Those projects inspired my first beats. I'd try to emulate those sounds and even re-create some of the production. It blew my mind and really fueled my love for production early on.
Your music has a dark edge but definite pop appeal—what was your approach when making these songs?
I've failed so many times during the first four years at creating a sound that caters to me and how I move, think, and feel. And I think going into LOVELAND I just wanted to make huge sounding records that caters to just about everyone.
Who produced "High Like This"? Do you work with one producer on all your music or were there multiple people involved with LOVELAND?
I produced, engineered, and mixed all of LOVELAND including "High Like This." I've worked alone on my production forever, which I hate sometimes, but people like Tame Impala, Calvin Harris, and Prince inspire me to keep working with what I've got.
What's next after "High Like This"?
After "High Like This" will be a wave of anthems every three to four weeks leading up to the release of my EP, LOVELAND. I look forward to finally branching out and hopefully collaborating with some of my favorite producers like Calvin Harris, Pharrell, Max Martin, Kevin Parker, Travis Scott, and Mike Will to name a few.
