Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kanyun. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kanyun, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
I get so much fulfillment out of my projects, whether it be an EP, an album, a cover art or a particular date for release. I always find some sort of meaning along the way. I never sit down and say “I’m going to write a song for my dad today.” The meaning always comes during the journey and then it gives me that grand moment of finality when I finish it. My Finally Safe EP was released on my Father’s birthday, and that wasn’t decided until about halfway through the project. Once that date was established, it gave me something really special to grip onto while I was finishing up the writing process, which carried all the way through into mixing and then post production. Another one for me is the thematic inspiration behind my new label. My little pug, Amelia, is the visual aesthetic and theme for everything artistic within the label’s presentation. I have so much fun with every single angle of it just because I get to include my pup at every step!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a Lofi producer and label owner. I started as a multi-instrumentalist (acoustic guitar, trumpet, electric guitar, bass guitar). I was originally producing rap instrumentals for artists prior to diving into the lofi and chill beats space. I even got so far as to have Lil Uzi Vert and some other prominent artist use my beats. The rap beat production process requires you to always consider leaving room for the vocals and allowing the voice to be the dominant “instrument”Eventually I reached a point where I wanted an opportunity to be more creatively unchained in the sense that I could just write whatever I wanted; whatever I think is cool and that I feel good about because it’s about what I want to do. Lofi provided the perfect opportunity for that. I had some early success, got placed in a few huge playlists (Lush Lofi Spotify Editorial, Chill with Taiki, Lopills) and released with a few solid record labels (Pueblo Vista, purity label, and more) and I was hooked! Being rewarded for being passionate and unshackled felt so fulfilling that I had to keep going. I’ve always been a huge fan of indie and folk music (Gregory Alan Isakov, The Paper Kites, Fleet Foxes, The Lumineers, etc.) and so as I became a more refined lofi artist, I began to blend the warmth of folk music with the groove of lofi and that’s where the “Kanyun” sound has really started to grow into itself. My most recent endeavor is starting up my own Lofi record label titled Amelia Grace Recordings and we’re aiming to be somewhat of a folky lofi label. We’re just out here having a blast and making what we like to make!
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
For me, creating things is just something I have to do in order to feel whole. There have been times in my life where music had to take a back seat in order for my basic needs of survival to be met, and man, those are always rough times. Eventually, the music always comes back and I have a massive renaissance where I fall in love with it all over again. Life is a balancing act and rediscovering that internal love for creating is like doing a delicate dance with myself. In addition to that, my greatest aspiration is to just live a life full of purpose. I have so many things outside of music that provide that such as my family, my additional professional endeavors and my relationships, but my journey of creating will always be a one-of-a-kind experience in my life that can’t be replaced.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the relationship building power associated with the artistic process. I have made so many wonderful friendships just from collaborating with folks on the internet. It’s profoundly satisfying when I send a loop or a track-starter to a fellow producer and they send back their finished product. Getting to hear how they interpreted what I sent them and seeing the direction they decided to take it is incredibly fun. People who I collaborated with years ago are still people I check in with and keep up with to this day. At the end of the day, it’s all about the people you get to work with that make it a rewarding journey,
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.lofipug.com/
- Instagram: @kanyunlofi
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@kanyunlofi?si=LVKnkmGzEIDsNKAL
- Other: My music, available on all streaming platforms. https://songwhip.com/kanyun