Artist

Leven Kali

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Leven ( lay-vin ) Kali ( kah-li )

@levenkali

Leven Kali (pronounced: Lay-Vin Kah-Li), the Dutch-born, L.A.-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist is as reverent as he is boundary-pushing. His dynamic early mixtapes — Low Tide (2019) and HIGHTIDE (2020), with collabs from Syd, Smino, Topaz Jones, and Ty Dolla $ign — put the actual soul back into modern soul music, and he’s shared his gift with others, writing and producing for the likes of Drake, Teddy Swims, and Playboy Carti. He is 4x GRAMMY nominated for his work on Beyoncé’s Renaissance and Cowboy Carter, but his new solo material may be his most ambitious. Take “Are U Still,” a fluid mix of spiritual jazz, intimate R&B, breezy soul, and playful groove that feels virtuosic, yes, but also loose and live as the instruments pull you through genres, eras, and scenes — all in 4 minutes. “This is what I’ve been trying to do,” says Leven. “I’m getting closer to what I’ve been hearing in my head.” To listen is to know he’s spent his young life steeped in sound. Co-signs from Quincy Jones and George Clinton complete the Venn diagram of inspiration that best defines Leven’s approach: compositional genius plus experimental fervor. Leaning into sounds that “feel adventurous,” as he puts it, Leven taps into the past while building the future.

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