We were lucky to catch up with Kédo Rebelle recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kédo , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I am proud to announce the culmination of a lifelong aspiration: the creation and recording of my first album. The journey to get here was no easy one, as I confronted my deepest fears and vulnerabilities to address profoundly personal subjects, dedicating myself over the past year to crafting an album that serves as a poignant reflection of my experience growing up in a severely abusive household, and grappling with the effects of CPTSD as an adult. This collection serves as an intimate chronicle of my past, present, and aspirations for the future, akin to an open diary set to music. Within this sonic tapestry lies a narrative born from the need to confront and transmute personal anguish into artistry. Set against a futuristic backdrop, the album unfolds the saga of Kédo, a protagonist who unearths an archive of memories, recording the chronicles of his younger self, Konrad. These archives reveal a cataclysmic event instigated by The Despotic One, symbolizing the devastation wrought by my own traumatic upbringing.
Guided by these crucial recordings, Kédo embarks on a quest to uncover truth and instill hope in a world ravaged by despair. Each chapter of this narrative is accompanied by a musical “episode,” designed to immerse listeners in a multi-sensory experience. Incorporating evocative environmental sounds and cinematic arrangements featuring strings, piano, and voice acting, the album pioneers a storytelling approach that blurs the lines between auditory and visual mediums.
Despite its adherence to traditional album formats like vinyl and cassette tapes, with distinct sides marking thematic shifts, Dystopian Archives breaks new ground by intertwining its narrative with the emotive power of music. Side A delves into themes of pain, trauma, and adversity endured during my formative years under the shadow of abuse. Conversely, Side B celebrates the journey of healing, growth, and resilience cultivated through introspection and therapy. Each track within these sides encapsulates a specific emotion, serving as a testament to the transformative potential of artistry in navigating the complexities of human experience.
The tracklist is as follows:
Side A : Nuclear Winter 1994 (Intro) [a prologue that draws the listener in and sets the precedent of whats to come]
Tyranny (Inhuman) [a song about agony]
False Idol [a song about confusion]
Desolate [a song about anxiety]
Exodus (Fight or Flight) [a song about dissasociation]
Blood On Your Hands [a song about rage]
Side B : P.T.S.D. (Interlude) [a song about prayer
I Need A Reason [a song about perseverance]
Flight Of The Fallen King  [a song about healing]
Cheat Codes [a song about overcoming]
Rebuild this city [a song about growth]
Oracle Of Hope (Outro) [a message of hope]

The first single, Desolate is out now, with my second single ‘False Idol’ coming out on April 3rd.

The album is set for release on September 18.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Kédo Rebelle, and I am a singer-songwriter, audio engineer, mixing engineer and producer currently based in LA. My discography has seen many genres and currently sits at about 98 millions streams. I am primarily known for dance music but I would say, my songwriting and voice is very pop. My first favorite artist ever was Alicia Keys, she has always inspired me ever since first grade, when her first album: Songs in A Minor came out, my two other core inspirations would have to be Tracy Chapman and Lady Gaga.

And the wild thing about it is, with all the streaming success I’ve had so far, this upcoming project feels like the one that’s going to push me past the milestone of 100 million streams. It’s like everything I’ve been through has led me to this moment.

So, I started writing this album, mainly to get all that pain out of me, you know? It was my way of finally healing from all that trauma that haunted me for years. But, funny enough, this album turned out to be more than just a personal project. It’s not about promoting myself or my music anymore. It turned into a project about raising awareness for survivors of childhood abuse and shedding light on the struggles of CPTSD.

Talking about what I went through is still hard for me….so I’m proud of myself for getting to a point to even write about it, let alone release an entire album about it. Even now, at 29, I’m still dealing with the effects of CPTSD (Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.), but i know now that what I’m doing is important…not only to me, but to others who can relate to it.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

For the first 10 years of my career, my goal was what mosts artists goals are: for my voice to be heard. And while that is still true, i find that my mission has changed after writing this album. Songs about love are great, but I want to write songs about things that people are afraid to say. There aren’t many albums or songs that really cover this subject, but I’m confident that Dystopian Archives, is one of a kind in delivering this heavy source material in such a beautiful way. Writing these songs started as a part of my therapy for me, and it became something that i never really expected. After i wrote the album, my mom told me “This album is bigger than you” and she’s so right, because it feels like i have to get this album to the people who need it, to the people who’ve survived and endured just like me. I feel as though this is my duty in life now. I dont wanna be a spokesperson for abuse or trauma or anything, but I definitely want to tell my story, and my only goal now is that it can be of help to someone else.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I feel kind of lucky, because when I first started releasing songs, I sort of fell into the EDM world, almost by accident, and my very first release had millions of streams right out the gate, (I signed some records to some labels and got distribution deals). And from then on, I kept releasing songs within the dance genre and continued on the ‘vocal top-liner’ path, releasing over a hundred releases over the course of about 10 years. After seeing success as a musician, there comes a certain point in ones career where you have to figure out if what your’e putting out is for the money/streams and or clout? or is because it’s meaningful to YOU as the artist?–I really had to ask myself this question, and i feel like my music changed after i figured that out. It was right about the same time I figured out the concept of my album. Dance music has, and always will be a part of my music, but I began to explore new horizons of my music and its been the best decision for my music, and I’ve grown so much while writing this album, i feel like a completely different artist. This new music is unlike anything I’ve ever done before. Some of the songs are just me and the piano, or me and the guitar, or even me acapella. There is rock, pop, Rnb influences all over this album paired alongside Nordik Fire’s Bethany Borg on the strings, bringing a cinematic element that ties it all together. This is my first concept album, and it absolutely wont be my last. From now on I’m making music that means something in this world. I dont want hollow and empty pop songs that were written only for the moment or money or clout, i want my music to be timeless, something that you can listen to years from now and move you just like how it did when you first heard it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4sKIXx7oUcvZgLdxni53DO?si=ZVIdJMdEQFy32bW4qZl89g&dl_branch=1
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kedorebelle
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kedorebelle
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/kedorebelle
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/kedorebelle
• Other: Desolate – the first single from Dystopian Archives: OUT NOW: https://open.spotify.com/album/7pmRsxI4SeKD4YuU1bRCvI?si=7_1zBh8nRliMZANspGkgRw

Image Credits
Jules Kuhr Instagram: @juleskuhr