The least interesting part about kwn (pronounced kay-one) is who she’s talking through it. 

With all due respect, this blossoming London-bred R&B sensation is so much more nuanced than what’s been rumored. Influenced by the likes of Brandy, Destiny’s Child, Jodeci, and Dru Hill, kwn burst onto the scene in 2022 with her debut single, “wn way or another.” 

It wasn’t until 2024 that she hit her stride with her single, “eyes wide open.” Now, she’s in high demand. Funny enough, kwn’s formula of success wasn’t chasing the algorithm or analytics. The key component to her catalog is her being “unapologetically” herself.

“I don’t shy away from saying things. I’m like, ‘If it’s on my mind, I’m going to say it,’” she says frankly. “I’m a person with quiet confidence outside of music. So, when it comes to [song]writing, it’s like the confidence comes out a little bit more.” 

That confidence can be heard on two Kehlani collaborations: “Clothes Off” and “worst behaviour.” Naturally, kwn credits the newly minted two-time Grammy winner as someone she’s “very, very grateful” for. “She’s been a big part of my success, of course, [but also] me staying grounded, me learning how to say no when it’s right, and just more so looking after my mental health.”  

Fellow British singing group FLO also played a role in that. In fact, she praises the trio for their chill demeanor in the studio. “They don’t put pressure on themselves or anybody in the room,” she explains. “It’s a very chilled environment, which I like.”

As an artist freshly navigating fame, kwn admits it’s been “super overwhelming” and urges fans to remember that she and celebrities alike are human. It’s an issue she tackled while opening the European leg of Kehlani’s CRASH World Tour and during her first headlining tour. 

“On tour, I handled [their entitlement] with laughs and jokes,” she says, “but ultimately, at some point, people realized, ‘No, I’m being dead serious. We need to tone it down a little piece.’” She concedes, “I’m still finding ways to manage it, but I don’t take anything personal. I’m like, ‘I know everyone is excited,’ and I guess the thing with supporters is that they feel like they know you, and I think that’s always going to be the case. I just handle it in the best way possible.”

The caveat showed kwn that her dreams were tangible. “It made me realize that I’ve got the ability to lure in a crowd and all of that. I’m super grateful to [Kehlani].”

In an effort to showcase more of her humanity, kwn is now opening her heart while protecting her privacy. Yes, she’s dominant, but she’s also a lover girl. “Without a doubt, I’ll never shy away from that,” she teases. It’s how her single, “hopeless romantic,” came about. It’s an honest record where she openly puts her feelings on the table. She doesn’t want to be seen as a “player” and acknowledges that as she grows up, she has to be honest with herself about what she wants from future lovers. “It’s not just about all this sexual, sensual stuff,” she says. “It’s a lot deeper than that.” 

Fans can expect this and more on her next release, and all pride aside— a B-sides version of her major label debut, with all due respect. Describing it as a “one-on-one therapy session” with herself, kwn hopes the more intimate project resonates with listeners. “I’m touching on things that I didn’t think I would really talk about,” she elucidates. “I’m growing up, and that is what pushed me to write more vulnerable and honest songs, because I’m trying to be more open and honest with myself, and in turn, that allows me to be more open and honest with the people that are listening to my music.” 

“I’m just 26 and growing and learning a lot more about myself and what I want from not just a partner, but myself, too,” kwn adds. “I feel like this is the kind of phase that everybody goes through at this age, of just like, ‘What do you want? How do you see life? How do you see a partner?’ It’s just like with all due respect was like my foot in the door, ‘Here I am, don’t really care what people have to say about it. I’m here. This is what I love doing. This is the music that I love. Take it or leave it.’ Whereas this side now is more just about opening up my book to everybody.”

With her last project, kwn felt she had a point to prove to herself. After being dropped from her former label in 2023, she remembered feeling as if no one was taking her seriously. “I just really felt slept on,” she shares. “I wasn’t even thinking about making a project when I made ‘with all due respect.’”

Her new goal was to make music that pushed the boundaries of R&B. “It was just like, ‘If you don’t go full force now and give this your all, then maybe it’s time to pack it in […] I [said], ‘If I go full force now and I don’t love it [or don’t] fall in love with the process again, then maybe that will show me whether this is really for me or not,’ and I did. I did fall in love with the process again, and it felt fresh, and it felt new, and it felt like a whole new experience.” In hindsight, she believes parting ways with the label was “100 percent” a blessing that helped propel her forward. 

In the grand scheme of things, kwn has learned to “follow through with the things that I love” because she’s seen the consequences of when she doesn’t. 

“When I love something, like a piece of music, I think it carries through to my audience. It’s almost like, in everyday life, it’s like if you’re not sure about something, people can feel it,” she says. “I think when I haven’t been sure about music that I’ve put out, I think people have felt that. But when I put things out that I knew that I genuinely had a passion for, that’s why things started to go up.”

Despite her life being flipped upside down, kwn is embracing the challenges, rewards, and unconditional support of her family, especially her mother and sisters. “They always say to me, ‘It’s so weird seeing your life through a screen now,’” she jokes. 

The greatest reward, however, is being able to see the words “sold out” next to her name on a marquee. “I think every artist dreams of that from the beginning of their career, is to sell out rooms. I was so, so incredibly lucky enough to do that on my first go-round, and just to hear people singing my songs back to me. It’s indescribable, to be honest,” kwn reflects. 

On the flip side? “The biggest challenge [is] getting used to it all. It’s very tiring. It’s a lot of energy exchanging, and I’m an introverted extrovert. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s a great time, and every time I step on that stage, I’m like, ‘This is the reason why. I know why I’m doing this.’” 

So far, kwn has checked off a COLORS performance on her bucket list. When she received the call, she was admittedly “gassed” and chose to showcase her versatility and perform “idea of love,” her latest single. “I feel like ‘touch myself’ would’ve been a cop out [because] that’s the kind of sound that people expect from me now,” she explains. “But COLORS has such a broad audience. I feel like it brought a lot of new people to my little community of supporters.”

In the future, she hopes to create a visual album, pivot into acting, work with the likes of Pharrell, Olivia Dean, Yebba, Lola Young, and Brent Faiyaz, and dismantle the term “UK R&B.” 

“I hate that ‘UK R&B’ term in general,” she states. “I know we take a lot of influence from Americans, and I don’t think we’ve ever shied away from saying that, but I don’t feel a divide. We’re all just making great music, and I don’t think there should be a divide if there is one. We should probably just keep it that way.”

At the end of it all, kwn hopes to be remembered as “the person who took risks, did something different, pushed some boundaries, helped people, didn’t fold, [and] didn’t ever play a character.” She’s also happy to be a topic of conversation. “I’m glad my name’s being spoken in rooms, and that’s all I can ever wish for, to be honest. I want to just keep putting out music to show people that I’m not just a one-project [or] one-hit wonder. I want to keep showing people that I genuinely do have a talent and God has blessed me enough to show it to the world.”