Rising artist KiLLOWEN begins the year strong with new single ‘Naughties’
KiLLOWEN -‘Naughties’
Today - 5th Feb - London-based musician KiLLOWEN returns with his new single ‘Naughties’, The track follows a tale of love told through KiLLOWEN’s trademark blend of nostalgic sampling and nods to the early 2000s. KiLLOWEN’s signature sample-led production sees him flip the iconic ‘Acceptable in the 80’s’ by Calvin Harris, reworked through his distinctly modern lens that has been heavily teased on TikTok this month. Known for building a fully realised audio-visual world through his music, content, and live performances, KiLLOWEN continues his upward momentum ahead of a forthcoming 14-date UK and EU tour, kicking off this March.
Music has always been KiLLOWEN's destiny. Born in Hayes, he moved to Buckinghamshire during his pre-teens, giving him a completely different perspective on life as he knew it. His earliest musical memories stem back to rapping along to instrumentals as young as 7, which birthed a curiosity to explore new avenues of creativity. His older brother, a D&B DJ, was responsible for nurturing his musical knowledge and shared experiences that came with his journey, encouraging KiLLOWEN to explore alternative genres. Along with his discovery of Breaks, Dance, Grime, and Dubstep, KiLLOWEN was drawn to a golden era of UK and US Rap, citing Skepta's 'Black Listed' Kendrick Lamar's 'Good Kid Maad City' and Kanye West's 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' as pivotal albums. Those projects also shifted his perspective on how far he could push his early abilities to play instruments, produce, rap, and sing, leading to years of perfecting and showcasing his craft at any opportunity. With relatability infused in his storytelling, KiLLOWEN has organically become a voice for like-minded mid-20-year-olds in Britain who are processing the realities of adolescence. All of these align with the core purpose of his career as an artist: to paint a picture of what life is like for many people like him. His sound as we hear it today could be coined as Garage-Rap. In a world where virality can't be premeditated, his 2023 single 'Sober' was a shifting moment that kickstarted an influx of broader attention. Since then, the milestone moments have become a much more regular occurrence. In the same year, KiLLOWEN released his highly acclaimed debut project' Pub Therapy', which he cites as "a narration of me coming into adulthood and becoming more emotionally mature". At just 25 years old, KiLLOWEN's persona and music are everything you would imagine from "a man on a mission".
KiLLOWEN closed out 2025 on a high with the release of ‘Motion Sickness’ - a collaboration with Songer - featuring in END. x Oakley’s campaign, and a Best New Rap / Hip Hop nomination from Notion Magazine. There’s no slowing KiLLOWEN down as he continues to prove himself as an artist with the ability to speak clearly to a fastly growing audience.
For more information on KiLLOWEN, please visit: Instagram TikTok
