It feels like 19-year-old Texan singer Khalid was plucked from obscurity and planted at the centre of the music scene overnight; the kind of Hollywood fairy tale we’re told not to believe. He started making music in the winter of 2015, and the next year, aged 18, was signed to a major music label. He rose to fame not long after being crowned prom king at his high school in El Paso, following the release of his debut album American Teen (2017). His first and most developed single ‘Location’ (which was co-produced by Syk Sense who has previously worked with Drake) tells the reality of being a millennial in love, and how growing up on social media can impact relationships.
Khalid (born Khalid Robinson) is an old soul; a poetic and romancing crooner whose songwriting is confessional and vulnerable, but beats with a modern and youthful spirit. The effect is playful and euphonious but remains grounded and exposed throughout. 'This is what I went through during high school: heartbreak, love, all the clichés – but not necessarily in cliché format,’ he explained to Rolling Stone. His voice is mellifluous and honeyed, and on each track of American Teen he flexes his vocals in a different style. His flawless body of work features slower songs like ‘Shot Down’ and 'Coaster', and then more upbeat, pop-influenced ones like ‘Let Go’ and 'Keep Me'. ‘I want people to realise these songs are my real experience and give them something they can relate to,’ he said. ‘It's not based on genre. It's based on mood. It's got every emotion.’
His unique sound is in the vein of vocalists like Sampha with nuances of R&B artists like James Fauntleroy, which is perhaps what has lended to his success. He cites his influencers as Frank Ocean, Drake, A$AP Rocky, Grizzly Bear, Kendrick Lamar and even James Blake, and his song ‘Reasons’ samples 2Pac’s ‘Do For Love’. He says his mum is his biggest inspiration and revealed that she even helped him out with the harmonies on 'Location', and the song has since been remixed to feature Lil Wayne and Kehlani (a real 'pinch me' moment for Khalid according to his Instagram Stories).
The style of the visual work accompanying the album is modern but not flashy - the music does all the talking. 'Location' was shot in a desert in El Paso – the city where he was not born but considers home after a childhood of moving from place to place - and it's this backdrop of cruising carefree and directionless under the warm sunshine where his anthems feel most compatible.
Still new to the limelight, his humbled gratefulness is refreshing. He recently performed at Coachella, grinning from ear to ear when photographed with the likes of Solange. His foray into collaborating with big-time artists came not long after the release of American Teen: he is featured singing on Kendrick Lamar's song ‘The Heart Part 4’ - his vocals drawing parallels to the to dulcet tones of Frank Ocean. Khalid shared his excitement on Twitter: ‘I'm so honoured to have been a part of this. I can't believe that my voice is on a Kendrick song. This is insane.’ With such an accelerated rise to fame, the future is looking bright for this star.
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