If you want to understand music the way kwn does, just observe her trademark dance—a twitchy, rhythmic neck movement that emerges whenever she is truly feeling the music. The internet quickly latched onto the move, as well as the London artist’s hair-raising approach to R&B. “If you look at my dad listening to music, you’ll know why I do what I do,” she says, reflecting on the passion that drives her craft. “We listen to music the same way—it’s just passion.”

kwn—pronounced “kay-one”—is an East London native who has been immersed in the ardor of R&B since childhood. Growing up in Walthamstow, her home was filled with the sounds of Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, and Usher. While international artists often face an uphill battle in the U.S.-dominated music industry, kwn’s breakthrough single “worst behaviour” proved that her sound resonates globally, peaking at #15 on the U.S. R&B charts.

The Intentionality of R&B

For kwn, R&B is more than just a genre; it is a medium defined by its emotional depth. “I think R&B as a genre has the most amount of feeling in it and the most amount of passion put into it,” she explains. “Everything’s so intentional. You have to be so clever with your lyric choices and your chord choices. A good R&B record takes time, sonically.”

Her collaborative spirit has also been a hallmark of her rise. After connecting with Kehlani, the two worked on tracks like “Border” and “First Life.” When Kehlani needed a “sexy song” for her project, kwn provided “Clothes Off,” cementing a creative partnership that thrilled the queer community. Similarly, working with Ty Dolla $ign on “‘til the room stinks” felt like a full-circle moment for the artist, who has been a fan of his work since she was 17.

Growth and Vulnerability

With her new album all pride aside, kwn is moving beyond the “sex symbol” label to show her versatility. “I found it hard to kind of open up about who I was,” she admits. “But just through the growth of the last year that I’ve had, I’ve been able to be like, ‘All right, what do I want to tell people about, what do I want to speak to myself about?’ At the end of the day, it’s kind of like a journal for me.”

As a masculine-presenting queer artist, kwn acknowledges the pressure of representation but remains focused on accessibility. “I want my music to be accessible to everybody and not just the queer community,” she says. By balancing her personal growth with a commitment to her craft, kwn is carving out a space that is uniquely her own, proving that R&B’s future is in very capable hands.