KEYAH/BLU INTERVIEW: With a sound that slips between dreamy electronica, psychedelic hip-hop, R&B, and off-kilter indie, KEYAH/BLU has carved out a singular sonic lane, fusing ethereal harmonies with melodic, hard-hitting bars and unflinching lyricism. Having built a reputation as one of London’s most exciting prospects, KEYAH/BLU returns with a bold new chapter, stepping into her own as a self-producing force, continuing to defy genres, whilst deepening the emotional intensity of her work. Through a raw, minimalistic, yet deeply intimate lens, she explores the complexities of human connection, identity, and the quiet resilience to exist and evolve in today’s world.
What five words define your sound?
Intimate, raw, honest, uplifting, open.
Tell me something unique about your creative process
It involves a lot of living and going out and dancing and falling in love and doing things for the plot. I wouldn’t say it’s unique but I find it really hard to write or make anything before like 1am. And most of the time I have to be completely alone. Everything I do creatively is really insular and often involves the sun coming up. I find the middle of the night by myself in my living room is a great time to write, and the rest of the time I’m out in the world collecting inspiration or napping.
Which song of yours would you like people to hear first?
‘Euston / Corridors’. It’s a double single and my latest release. Like my name, they present a feeling of duality. Two songs with different sounds but it’s all me.
What inspired you to make that song?
I wrote ‘Euston, We Have a Problem’ after a brief summer romance I had with a guy from Birmingham a few years ago. I would catch the Avanti West Coast service from Euston Station to go and see him but I ended things very abruptly with no explanation. I just stopped going one day and broke contact. The reality was that I was struggling with substance dependency and I really needed to get help, hence the name of the song. It was me admitting to myself that there was something very wrong, and accepting the fact that I’m gonna have to make some changes if I was gonna survive. I wrote ‘Corridors’ whilst I was in treatment, getting said help. It’s a note to self and a reminder that things can get better and we do recover. We all have the strength to do anything we put our minds to – all the doors are open and we can do whatever we want to. It’s a celebration of that strength and power, that willingness to do the work and pull yourself back from the brink.
What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself to be when writing/making music?
I don’t think I can make music unless I’m allowing myself to be vulnerable. It’s where it all comes from. That quiet place inside that begs to be heard and understood. The willingness to be naked and raw and say the things people are too afraid to say out loud. Everything I make comes from that quiet place. I’m an open book. It’s literally my whole thing.
What’s the best/worst experience you’ve had on stage?
The best experience I’ve had on stage was last year. My friend Gaelle at The Emerald Planet put on a show in south east London with Deem Spencer and myself. It was intimate but it was the first time I performed a lot of my new music and the reception was so overwhelming. I had produced everything myself and had never done a set like that before where it was solely my own production. It was a really big moment for me to be that naked on stage and to have everyone in the audience right there with me.
What is your favourite song to perform?
At the moment, ‘til bliss’. Any time I perform it my friends are always front and centre screaming the lyrics back at me and that’s what it’s all about really. That song means the world to me and has definitely had the most impact as far as reach and overall reception. Performing it always reminds me how far I’ve come, as the hook is literally “here’s a shout to you, we made it this far.”
Which artist/song/album made you want to make music?
The first time I heard Lausse ‘The Cat’ blew my mind. It was SoundCloud circa 2016 and I remember hearing his demos thinking “I wanna write songs like this.” The way he wrote about the sesh and existentialism was candid and whimsical. My first ever song ‘Alice’s Purge’ was hugely influenced by his sound and lowkey did numbers on SoundCloud when I released it.
What’s the meaning behind your name?
Growing up my dad called me Keyah and my mum called me Blu. I’ve gone through life introducing myself as both depending on where I am or who I’m talking to. The slash (/) in between represents duality; I’m not just one thing. I think that reflects a lot in my music. I’m not tied to one sound or idea, or one version of myself. They can all exist at the same time. So KEYAH/BLU represents that. Light and dark, up and down, right and wrong, loud and quiet. It can all exist.
If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?
I’m not sure I’d be here, I’ll be real. Music saved my life. I’d have to be doing something creative. If I wasn’t, I’d literally combust.
What’s success to you?
Waking up every day and liking the person I have become. Having healthy loving relationships with friends and family. Being cool with my mum. Not having to eat noodles for dinner (unless I want to). Having my music positively impact people who come across it. By that definition I have already found success, I think. Everything else is a bonus. The mission now is to expand. More love, more good food, more listeners, bigger impact. Bigger shows, better songs. I just wanna be the best artist I can be, and be recognised and respected for what I put into the world. Making music is therapy for me but if something I make can help someone else along the way then I’ve done my job, successfully.
What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?
Lockdown was a pretty pivotal time for me, as I’m sure it was for most people. I lost my whole team; my producers, my management, I was dropped by my label, and a lot of my friends stopped talking to me. My mental health got really bad and I ended up in hospital for a really long time. I had to start again from the ground up. I literally locked myself away and made songs. I would just watch tutorials every day and teach myself how to use Logic Pro and Ableton and how to play guitar. My sound evolved in a big way, so I’m grateful for everything.
Where can people keep in touch with you?
Write to me on a piece of paper and tie it to the foot of a raven, or find me in the ether (@keyahblu / tt: @kb4ev3r)
