Keyawna Nikole Talks ‘Secrets’ feat. Kellin Quinn

It seems like it’d be impossible, but sometimes it really does happen. When the skills are clear enough — and the sound is loud enough — young musicians can attract the attention and support of legends. Keyawna Nikole is a new face, but once seen, she’s hard to forget. She’s got the voice, the energy, and the attitude of a rock star; she’s had millions of streams and views of her independently released songs and videos; and now, she’s got a heavy hitter in her corner. Through a combination of willpower and sheer talent, she’s drawn Kellin Quinn, the celebrated frontman of the chart-topping rock band Sleeping With Sirens, into her orbit.

Keyawna Nikole ‘Secrets’ with Kellin Quinn

This unlikely (but highly logical) pairing is dramatized in the explosive video for “Secrets,” Keyawna’s fiery collaboration with Quinn, and the latest in a series of propulsive singles from the California artist. In the clip, Quinn is pulled through a television screen into a glade where Keyawna and her ferocious band are performing, and before long, they’re joining voices. His anguished delivery is a perfect match for her soaring vocals — and both of these outstanding rock singers sound perfectly within their element as soon as the drums begin to pound.

For Quinn, a collaboration like this is nothing novel. He’s built a reputation for picking emerging artists to work with, irrespective of genre: he’s had hits with rappers-turned-rockers like Machine Gun Kelly, K-pop iconoclasts like Amber Liu, bands on the progressive fringe of pop-punk like Pierce The Veil, and many others. Keyawna Nikole, whose music pairs the intensity of post-hardcore with the expressive immediacy of emo — and whose background in hip-hop is palpable through her expert sense of rhythm — is exactly the sort of young artist he can’t resist.

But what are the consequences of his curiosity? Is it dangerous to play around with supernatural forces? @IAMPARKE’s darkly funny clip for “Secrets” suggests that Keyawna Nikole’s music is, quite literally, face-melting. The artist doesn’t seem dangerous at first: she approaches Kellin Quinn shyly, addressing him as a superfan might, from behind the counter of a convenience store where he’s stopped to buy Pringles. But the videocassette she’s slipped in his bag is more explosive and magnetic than he expects it to be. Hey, when you’re looking to connect with a star, you’ve got to use all the magic you’ve got at your disposal.

Keyawna Nikole weighed in on a few things in a quick interview!

What was it like working with Kellin Quinn?

Working with Kellin Quinn was a full circle experience for me. Having waited in line for his shows when I was only 13 years old, to being able to release a record and shoot a music video with one of my favorite artists of all time was amazing.

Keyawna Nikole and Kellin Quinn – Secrets

“I’ll pretend that I’m doing just fine” from “Secrets” is a powerful line, how do you think this will help your fans?

I think the line “I’ll pretend that I’m doing just fine” is so powerful because it’s something that we all as people pretend to do: we all pretend to be OK when we’re not, whether it’s to keep people from worrying that we care about or to convince ourselves, but it’s something that everybody does and I feel everyone can relate to it.

What was the creative process like for “Secrets”?

So, the creative process for “Secrets” was actually very simple: the entire song was produced, recorded, and ready to go within 30 minutes. It was a very natural experience; my producer and engineer Cody Benjamin had come up with the beat and tracked the guitar, drums, everything, and as soon as he was done, I just sat in front of the mic – I didn’t even type the lyrics, I freestyled the whole song. Ironically, it was one of the songs that I pushed to the side and it turns out to be my biggest single. I’m so honored to be able to have Grammy-winning Dave Pensado mix and master my track alongside Cody Benjamin.

Who are your musical inspirations?

My musical inspirations are Vic Fuentes of Pierce the Veil and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac.

What was behind the scenes like for “Secrets”?

The behind-the-scenes experience for “Secrets” was incredible to watch, considering we had to have the wood scenes completely brought in separately so we were in front of an LED screen, watching my stage crew build an entire forest out of dirt and trees and building a well for me to crawl out of – it was all done within two hours. It was just so incredible to watch it come together because if you would’ve seen how the building looked before we set dressed it, you’d be amazed that that’s what it took to change the scenery.

What is your favorite line in “Secrets”?

My favorite lyric in the song says “I feel so temporary.” I feel like it’s an overlooked line in the song but it’s one of the most powerful statements. We are all here on this planet temporarily which makes us all the same.

Can you walk us through your songwriting process?

My songwriting process may not be the traditional process of everyone else, but I find it easier for me to just sit in front of a microphone and pretty much channel whatever it is that I’m feeling in that moment; most of the time, it becomes one of my favorite songs.

What’s next for you?

What’s next for me is a lot of new music, some incredible features, and new music videos. I’m just very excited to get the rest of this project out to the world.

Follow Keyawna Nikole:

http://instagram.com/k3yawnaa
http://tiktok.com/@keyynikole
http://twitter.com/KeyawnaN

SHARE ON FACEBOOK SHARE ON TWITTER

Tags: Interview, Keyawna Nikole

About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.