Interview with
Keoni Usi

Tell us three words that describe you as an artist.

Three words that describe me as an artist would be curious, passionate, and exploratory.

How would you describe the music that you typically create?

I would describe the music I typically create as a cohesive story from beginning to end. I personally prefer to tell a story through my music in which every sound, silence, and word has intention. I want every listener to feel like we are having a conversation or that I am in the room with them while they listen.

Who would you most like to collaborate with?

I love collaborating with my two friends Gabryl and Kyle. In the future, I’d love to continue to work with them, and hopefully, one day get to work with artists like Dijon, Mkgee, Frank Ocean, Daniel Caesar, Rex Orange County, and Tyler the Creator. There are too many inspirations I’d want to cross paths with to help inspire my version of self-expression.

If you could open a show for any artist who would it be?

If I could open a show for any artist, a dream of mine would be to perform before Dijon or Dominic Fike. I would also love to open for Rini, especially in the Philippines because he inspired a lot of Filipinos like myself to pursue music.

What is the song, Smoke, about?

The song “Smoke” is a visualization of overthinking. The experience of seeing yourself spending too much time thinking about an ordeal or a person for way longer than you should be.

Are there any artists that inspire you and your music?

Artists that inspire my music include Dijon, Frank Ocean, D’Angelo, Stevie Wonder, the Beatles, and Omar Apollo. Again, there are so many artists that I like that influence my artistic approach for me to list them all.

Is there any new music the fans should be excited for?

I may or may not have finished a project with songs I believe are levels above smoke. So if you really mess with smoke, I’m excited to see what you guys think of the album.

What's next for Keoni Usi later this year?

This year, I’m hoping to continue to make great stories told through music with my friends Gabryl and Kyle. My friends and I really want to tell relatable stories to make people feel heard and to also push music and the Filipino culture forward. Hopefully, this year brings the opportunity to perform and travel together and learn from everyone along the way.