Detroit-born artist KNDRGRTN has been quietly and methodically working on developing a sound that is both unique and compelling as the roots that have made him. Channelling and fusing influences of punk-rock, hip-hop, and R&B, KNDRGRTN is quickly carving out an exciting sound all his own.
Now in LA, the 20-year-old artist is gearing up to release the follow up to his debut EP, Insert Here which dropped last year and garnered praise from Complex, Elevator, and other reputable sources. Like his new single "City of Angels," which is out today, his forthcoming EP, Sleeping With My Clothes On, is produced by industry leader Beewirks (Pusha-T, Lil Wayne) and will be inescapable upon its release in July.
INTERVIEW
How did you land on KNDRGRTN as your name?
I've been making music for a while now and I've had a couple of names throughout the whole process but I felt KNDRGRTN was the most fitting. My music is all about bringing you to a time where you didn't really have to think about much, like kindergarten, a time where life is more care-free and you're not worried about anything else.
You're in LA now but you're originally from Detroit. How has a city with such a rich music culture affected your musical process and creating?
I definitely draw on a lot of influences from the area like Eminem and Motown-style music. It all contributes to my creative process and I always try to keep elements of my home roots in my music. It's great because I grew up in metro Detroit, a little outside of the big city, and the art and culture in that area were really rich and highly influenced my upbringing, which ultimately fueled my decision to pursue music.
There's a lot of live instrumentation throughout your first project Insert Here, how is that sound developing as you head toward releasing your next body of work?
Insert Here was my debut EP and really shows me sticking to the roots of my influences like Kurt Cobain, Sex Pistols, people like that. I drive my sound toward alternative hip-hop where I'm bringing rock & roll and those elements and intertwining them with 808s, heavy bass, snares and all of that. With my new project, I'm taking all of that to the next level and really experimenting with my sound.
So, are you also playing all of the instruments on your singles?
On some songs. I play the guitar and I'm learning the piano right now but I'm not amazing at both yet. Throughout time and my process as an artist, I will definitely be more proactively playing both on my singles and future albums.
Is the hope that you'll then perform a complete live show in the future?
Definitely. That's my goal. Eventually, down the road, no matter how long it takes, I'd like to play all of the instrumentation, sing, and perform a complete live show for my fans. Perform live acoustic sets and things like that.
