Arena News

Updates about the latest announcements and events happening at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.





MULTI-PLATINUM SELLING ARTIST YOUNG THE GIANT ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN TOUR WITH MILKY CHANCE STARTING MAY 30, 2023

MULTI-PLATINUM SELLING ARTIST YOUNG THE GIANT ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN TOUR WITH MILKY CHANCE STARTING MAY 30, 2023

 

VANCOUVER, BC – DOUG MITCHELL THUNDERBIRD SPORTS CENTRE
AUGUST 10, 2023

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3 @10:00 AM PST

Photo Credit: Natasha Wilson

 

JANUARY 26, 2023 – Today, critically-acclaimed, multi-platinum selling artist Young The Giant announces a summer tour with Milky Chance of the US and Canada. The tour begins May 30th in Montreal and ends August 31st in Dillon, Colorado with stops at the iconic Rooftop at Pier 17 and Red Rocks Amphitheatre along the way. The tour follows this past fall’s greatly anticipated release of American Bollywood, their first album in four years. The current single “The Walk Home” is rapidly gaining momentum at AAA and Alternative Radio. The tour will also feature special guests TALK and Rosa Linn. See dates below for more information.

“Epic doesn’t even begin to describe American Bollywood. Seismic in scope and intimate in nature, Young the Giant’s fifth studio album is a massive artistic statement; it’s the band’s most ambitious and sprawling project of their career” – Atwood Magazine

Young The Giant and Activist will partner with REVERB to reduce the tour’s environmental footprint and engage with fans to take action for people and the planet. Visit REVERB.org for more details.

To ensure that tickets get directly into the hands of true fans, advance presale registration is now available HERE powered by Seated. The Young The Giant Presale begins Tuesday, January 31 at 10am local venue time and runs through Thursday, February 2 at 10PM local venue time. Advance registration does not guarantee tickets. Supplies are limited.

Guests who prefer an enhanced experience can purchase VIP Packages which include a private pre-show performance and Q&A with the band, premium tickets, an exclusive poster signed by the band, early venue entry and merchandise shopping. Packages from 100X Hospitality will go on sale January 31 at 10am local venue time. For full details, click HERE

The four-part album is available everywhere now via AWAL/Jungle Youth Records. Since the last album, Mirror Master, three of the band members became fathers. With lyrics mostly written by the band’s lead singer Sameer Gadhia, the son of Indian immigrants, the album tells the multi-generational saga of the American immigrant, and the origins, exiles, battles, and denouement of reclaiming their collective identity. “This is not just the story of an Indian-American caught in between two worlds,” the band’s Sameer Gadhia previously said, “it’s also our universal search to find meaning in chaos.”

The album was co-produced by John Hill (Santigold, M.I.A., Phantogram, Khalid) and the members of Young The Giant.

Milky Chance — the unassuming German duo of childhood friends Clemens Rehbein and Phillipp Dausch — are excited to release their upcoming 4th album. Over their decade-plus as a band, they’ve evolved to survive and thrive in a changing music industry. In 2023, they proudly boast over 10 million monthly Spotify listeners, an enviable touring resume (including festivals like Coachella, Reading & Leeds, and Lollapalooza), and an upcoming schedule of dates that represent the biggest shows of their career.

YOUNG THE GIANT
US AND CANADA TOUR 2023 WITH MILKY CHANCE

* with special guest TALK

^ with special guest Rosa Linn

 

MAY

30 – Montreal, QC – Place Bell *

31 – Toronto, ON – RBC Echo Beach *

JUNE

2 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage *

3 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17 *

4 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17 *

7 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater *

9 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion

10 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion *

11 – Philadelphia, PA – Skyline Stage at the Mann *

13 – Niagara, NY – Artpark *

16 – Detroit, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill *

17 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live! *

18 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE *

20 – Cincinnati, OH – Andrew J Brady Music Center *

21 – Cleveland, OH – Jacob’s Pavilion *

23 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island *

24 – St. Louis, MO – St. Louis Music Park *

25 – Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater at White River Stage Park *

27 – Minneapolis, MN – Surly Brewing Festival Field *

28 – Des Moines, IA – Water Works Park *

30 – Oklahoma City, OK – Zoo Amphitheatre *

JULY

1 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre *

13 – Atlanta, GA – Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park ^

14 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater ^

15 – Charlotte, NC – Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre

16 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheatre ^

18 – Richmond, VA – Brown’s Island ^

20 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre ^

21 – Tampa, FL – Yuengling Center ^

22 – Miami, FL – FPL Solar Amphitheatre ^

25 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company ^

27 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall ^

28 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater

29 – Dallas, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory ^

 

 

AUGUST

1 – Albuquerque, NM – Revel ^

3 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Great SaltAir ^

4 – Flagstaff, AZ – Pepsi Amphitheater ^

5 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre ^

10 – Vancouver, BC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre ^

11 – Seattle, WA – Marymoor Live ^

12 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Edgefield ^

14 – Boise, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater ^

15 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater ^

17 – San Francisco, CA – The Greek Theatre at Berkeley ^

18 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl ^

19 – Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheatre ^

20 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Amphitheater ^

30 – Denver, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre *

31 – Dillon, CO – Dillon Amphitheater *

___

In addition to the album and tour, Gadhia was recently named to Variety’s 2022 Inclusion Impact Report, the publication’s annual list highlighting advocates for inclusivity who’ve made an impact in the entertainment industry over the past year. In 2020, he launched Point of Origin on SIRIUSXM’s Alt Nation, a platform to amplify voices of color. Each month, he highlights an artist by playing their music on-air with heavy rotation, with each spin including a personalized introduction from Gadhia. Over the next year, Gadhia will expand this campaign as he continues to be a prominent, unwavering voice for equality and change.

 

Young The Giant was established in 2004 and is comprised of Sameer Gadhia (vocals), Jacob Tilley (guitar), Eric Cannata (guitar), Francois Comtois (drums) and Payam Doostzadeh (bass).

Young The Giant is repped by United Talent Agency and Activist Artists Management.

___

Press Contacts

Big Hassle Media

Jim Merlis

Jim@bighassle.com

Follow Young the Giant:
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

 

Follow Milky Chance:
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

 


KALI UCHIS CONFIRMS NEW ALBUM RED MOON IN VENUS OUT MARCH 3

KALI UCHIS CONFIRMS NEW ALBUM RED MOON IN VENUS OUT MARCH 3

AND ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINE TOUR THIS SPRING

 

VANCOUVER, BC – DOUG MITCHELL THUNDERBIRD SPORTS CENTRE
MAY 23, 2023
TICKETS ON SALE THURSDAY, JANUARY 26 @10:00 AM PST

Photo Credit Cho Gi-Seok

 

 

January 23, 2023—Grammy-winning artist Kali Uchis’ new English language album, Red Moon In Venus, is slated for release on March 3 via Interscope—pre-order/pre-save it here.

“Love is the message,” Uchis explains about the new album. “Red Moon In Venus is a timeless, burning expression of desire, heartbreak, faith, and honesty, reflecting the divine femininity of the moon and Venus. The moon and Venus work together to make key aspects of love and domestic life work well. This body of work represents all levels of love—releasing people with love, drawing love into your life and self-love. It’s believed by many astrologers that the blood moon can send your emotions into a spin, and that’s what I felt represented this body of work best.”

Simultaneously, Uchis confirms she will embark on a headline North American tour this spring produced by Live Nation, with stops at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom, Washington D.C.’s Anthem and more—see full routing below. General on-sale begins Thursday, January 26 at 10am local time at kaliuchis.com. Uchis is among the top-billed performers at this year’s Coachella, Lollapalooza in Chile, Argentina and Brazil and Estéreo Picnic in Colombia.

Uchis went into the recording process intending to create an album that felt timeless, one that can be enjoyed any time and any place and will remain meaningful throughout the years to her and her fans. Red Moon In Venus floats between soul, R&B, pop, música urbana and more experimental textures. The result is an album that, as Uchis has come to perfect throughout her catalog, transcends genre or classification, a pure reflection of her soul.

Last year, Uchis won three Billboard Latin Awards, two Billboard Music Awards and an American Music Award. In 2021, Uchis took home her first Billboard Latin Music Award for her critically acclaimed Spanish language album, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) ∞, released in 2020, which spawned the runaway, chart-topping hit, “telepatía,” which has been streamed more than 2 billion times to date and is the Billboard Hot 100’s longest running Spanish song by a solo act this decade with a 23-week streak. That same year, she took home her first Grammy Award, Premios Nuestra Tierra and Univision Premios Juventud, covered Office Magazine, performed on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and toured arenas across North America with Tyler, the Creator.

Raised between Virginia and Colombia, Kali Uchis rose to prominence with Por Vida in 2015, following it up with her 2018 debut album, Isolation, which received widespread critical acclaim and was featured on Best Of lists in Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, NPR, Vulture and many more. Uchis has collaborated and shared stages with SZA, Gorillaz, Jorja Smith, Diplo, Major Lazer, Snoop Dogg, Kaytranada, Leon Bridges and more and has toured the world over, with much-lauded sets headlining Tropicalia, Coachella, Governors Ball, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza and many others.

KALI UCHIS LIVE

March 17—Santiago, CL—Lollapalooza Chile

March 19—Buenos Aires, AR—Lollapalooza Argentina

March 24— São Paulo, BR—Lollapalooza Brazil

March 26—Bogotá, CO—Estéreo Picnic

April 16 & 23—Indio, CA—Coachella

April 25—Austin, TX—Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park*

April 26—Houston, TX—713 Music Hall*

April 27—Irving, TX—The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory*

April 30—Miami, FL— FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park*

May 1—Orlando, FL—Hard Rock Live Orlando*

May 2—Atlanta, GA—Coca-Cola Roxy*

May 4—New York, NY—Radio City Music Hall*

May 7—Philadelphia, PA—The Met Philadelphia*

May 9—Washington, D.C.—The Anthem*

May 10—Boston, MA—MGM Music Hall at Fenway*

May 12—Toronto, ON—Coca-Cola Coliseum*

May 14— Detroit, MI—The Fillmore*

May 16—Chicago, IL—Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom*

May 18—Denver, CO—Fillmore Auditorium*

May 21—Portland, OR—Keller Auditorium*

May 23—Vancouver, BC—UBC Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre*

May 24—Seattle, WA—WAMU Theater*

May 26—San Francisco, CA—Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

May 28—Las Vegas, NV—The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

May 30—Phoenix, AZ—Arizona Financial Theatre

 

For more information, please contact
Reid Kutrow, Ethan Jacobs or Carla Sacks at sacks & co., 212.741.1000
;
reid.kutrow@sacksco.com, ethan.jacobs@sacksco.com or carla@sacksco.com.

 

For Live Nation Concerts, please contact

Nadia Hernandez and Valeska Thomas

nadiahernandez@livenation.com, Valeskathomas@livenation.com

 

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

 

To apply for media credentials for show coverage:

livenation.com/pressrequests

Follow Kali Uchis:
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube


NAV ANNOUNCES NEVER SLEEP ‘23 TOUR

NAV ANNOUNCES NEVER SLEEP ‘23 TOUR

Tickets On Sale Starting Monday, December 12th at 10am Local at Ticketmaster.com

 

December 8, 2022  — Today, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer NAV announced his Never Sleep ‘23 Tour. Produced byLive Nation, the 23date tour kicks off on Tuesday, February 14th in Minneapolis, MN at the Fillmore with stops in Chicago, IL, New York, NY, Vancouver, BC, Denver, CO and more before wrapping up on Tuesday, April 11th in his hometown of Toronto, ON with a special headline performance at Scotiabank Arena featuring Bryson Tiller. RealestK and SoFaygo will be joining NAV on all dates throughout North America.

TICKETS: Tickets go on sale starting Monday, December 12th at 10am local time at ticketmaster.com. All presales begin Thursday, December 8th at 10am local time and end Sunday, December 11th at 10pm local time. Fans can also purchase VIP Packages which may include premium tickets, meet and greets, commemorative merch, special entry and more. For more information, visit vipnation.com.

XO rapper and producer NAV recently released his fourth album Demons Protected By Angels. With features from Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, Future, Travis Scott and more, the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop and Rap charts, marking NAV’s third album to reach the top spot. Demons Protected By Angels received praise from Billboard, Complex, Hypebeast, Okayplayer, and more, while its single “Never Sleep” ft. Travis Scott and Lil Baby has amassed over 123 million global streams since release.

NAV NEVER SLEEP ‘23 TOUR DATES:

Tue Feb 14 – Minneapolis, MN – Fillmore Minneapolis *+

Wed Feb 15 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom *+

Fri Feb 17 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre *+

Sat Feb 18 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit *+

Tue Feb 21 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia *+

Wed Feb 22 – Washington, D.C. – Echostage *+

Fri Feb 24 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway *+

Sat Feb 25 – New York, NY – Manhattan Center Hammerstein Ballroom *+

Tue Feb 28 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz *+

Wed Mar 01 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy *+

Fri Mar 03 – Austin, TX – Emo’s *+

Sat Mar 04 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center *+

Mon Mar 06 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom *+

Thu Mar 09 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium *+

Fri Mar 10 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex *+

Sun Mar 12 – Vancouver, BC – UBC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre *+

Mon Mar 13 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Crystal Ballroom *+

Tue Mar 14 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre *+

Thu Mar 16 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic *+

Sat Mar 18 – San Diego, CA – SOMA *+

Mon Mar 20 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren *+

Tue Mar 21 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium *+

Tue Apr 11 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena *+^

Support Key

* RealestK

+ SoFaygo

^ Bryson Tiller

 

About NAV

Navraj Singh Goraya, known to the world as Nav, is a true renaissance man who has manifested a brilliant future for himself. As a Canadian-grown musician, he learned piano by ear, and later took lessons to further refine his song production abilities. It was a no-brainer that NAV would join the ranks at XO, with The Weeknd as its figurehead, becoming XO Records’ first official signee with 9 Billion Global streams, 11 Million RIAA-certified digital units, 4 RIAA Gold albums, and 11 Hot 100 Hits under his belt. The critically lauded rapper and producer recently released his fourth album Demons Protected By Angels featuring Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, Future, Travis Scott, debuting at #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop and Rap charts with over 275 million streams globally, marking Nav’s fifth consecutive top 10 album in the US. He made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform “One Time” with Don Toliver. Standout track “Never Sleep” ft. Travis Scott and Lil Baby also garnered over 40 million streams in the first month of its release. Prior to this, Nav shared Emergency Tsunami (2021) which racked up 580 million Global Streams to date and another show stopping Jimmy Kimmel Live! performance of “Young Wheezy” alongside Gunna. His previously celebrated albums Bad Habits (2019), which is RIAA-certified Gold, and Good Intentions (2020) each debuted at #1 on Billboard – totaling three #1 albums in a short period of time for Nav – while his certified Gold debut project Reckless (2018) continues to be a cultural force. The beloved XO superstar has received high praise from outlets including GQ, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Complex, Hypebeast, Okayplayer, and many more. His goal to show the world the breadth of his talent has paid off with consecutive #1 charting albums, and sold out shows worldwide.

Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube // Website

 




JIMMY CARR RETURNS TO VANCOUVER WITH HIS NEW SHOW JIMMY CARR: TERRIBLY FUNNY

JIMMY CARR

RETURNS TO VANCOUVER WITH HIS NEW SHOW JIMMY CARR: TERRIBLY FUNNY

Vancouver, BC ● DOUG MITCHELL THUNDERBIRD SPORTS CENTRE ● June 24

Tickets on-sale Thursday, November 10 at 10 AM

Montreal, QC – November 7, 2022 – Just For Laughs is thrilled to present the return of UK comedy superstar Jimmy Carr to Canada with his new show Jimmy Carr: Terribly Funny. A household name in UK television and star of the UK’s most streamed Netflix comedy special of 2021, His Dark Material, Jimmy will be in Vancouver, BC on June 24, 2023 at the UBC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre as part of his national Terribly Funny tour.

This is the third time that Jimmy will be back on the road in Canada following two sold out tours with Just For Laughs in 2016 and 2018. Featuring completely new material, the Terribly Funny tour is slated to be his most successful tour to date, with ticket sales expected to exceed 480,000 by the end of the year.

Tickets go on sale Thursday, November 10 at 10am at www.ticketmaster.ca

About Terribly Funny

Jimmy’s show contains jokes about all kinds of terrible things. Terrible things that might have affected you or people you know and love. But they’re just jokes – they are not the terrible things. Having political correctness at a comedy show is like having health and safety at a rodeo. Now you’ve been warned, buy a ticket.

About Jimmy Carr

One of the biggest-selling comedy acts in the world, Jimmy consistently performs stand-up to sell-out crowds across the globe. At the latest count he has taken tour shows over forty different countries, including two sold-out tours in Canada in 2016 and 2018. His last tour, Best Of Ultimate Gold Greatest Hits, sold over 480,000 tickets globally with current show, Terribly Funny, set to exceed that figure by the end of 2022. In 2023 the tour continues in to 2023 with shows in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and beyond.

Jimmy is a household name in UK television, well known for hosting Channel 4’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats, 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Big Fat Quiz Of The Year in addition to presenting Comedy Central’s Roast Battle UK and Your Face Or Mine. He is a regular on all the top panel shows, including QI and A League Of Their Own, has performed as part of The Royal Variety Performance three times, is a judge on hit BBC1 entertainment series I Can See Your Voice and the host of brand-new Channel 4 gameshow I Literally Just Told You.

Jimmy is also a high-profile name in North America. He was the first UK comedian to sign a stand-up deal with streaming behemoth Netflix in 2015, releasing three specials on the platform, Funny Business (2016) and Best Of Ultimate Gold Greatest Hits (2017) and His Dark Material (2021) which was Netflix’s most watched stand-up comedy special in the UK that year. He also presented and exec-produced an original panel show format for Netflix, The Fix, and has been a guest multiple times on US staples such The Tonight Show, The Late, Late Show and Late Night With Conan O’Brien. He has performed at the Montreal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival since 2003 with more appearances than any other UK act in that time.

Jimmy is also a published author. He co-wrote The Naked Jape: Uncovering the Hidden World of Jokes in 2007 and his highly anticipated memoir Before & Laughter was released in September 2021, making The Sunday Times Bestsellers list.

About Just For Laughs

Global leader in comedy and home to the #1 Comedy Festival in the World, Just for Laughs Group has been launching and championing top comedic talent – including Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Burr, Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer, Ali Wong, Hannah Gadsby, Hasan Minhaj, Jo Koy, Canada’s very own Rick Mercer and Russell Peters – for close to 40 years. Founded in 1983, the company is an international powerhouse in the creation of multiplatform comedic content. Every year, millions of spectators are entertained at its worldwide festivals, from Montréal – the biggest comedy event in the world – to Toronto and Vancouver, Canada; Austin, U.S.A.; London, UK; and Sydney, Australia; featuring thousands of Canadian and international comedians – from well-established artists to aspiring up-and-comers. With concentrated growth on television development and production, the Group’s digital and televised content is shown in over 150 countries and followed by an online audience of over 14 million. In addition, the Group produces touring shows, stages its own musicals and is the originator of the ComedyPRO industry conference along with the daytime, fan centric, ComedyCON event.

 

The Jimmy Carr: Terribly Funny tour will visit:

DAY DATE CITY VENUE TIME
Tuesday 23-May-23 London, ON Centennial Hall 7:00 PM
Wednesday 24-May-23 Toronto, ON Meridian Hall 7:00 PM
Friday 26-May-23 Kitchener, ON Centre in the Square 7:00 PM
Saturday 27-May-23 Hamilton, ON FirstOntario Concert Hall 7:00 PM
Sunday 28-May-23 Ottawa, ON TD Place 7:00 PM
Tuesday 30-May-23 Moncton, ON Avenir Centre 7:00 PM
Wednesday 31-May-23 Halifax, NS Scotiabank Centre 7:00 PM
Thursday 01-Jun-23 St. John’s, NL Mary Brown’s Centre 7:00 PM
Thursday 15-Jun-23 Winnipeg, MB Burton Cummings 7:00 PM
Friday 16-Jun-23 Edmonton, AB Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium 7:00 PM
Saturday 17-Jun-23 Calgary, AB Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium 7:00 PM
Sunday 18-Jun-23 Saskatoon, SK TCU Place 7:00 PM
Monday 19-Jun-23 Regina, SK Capital Auto Theatre at the Conexus Arts Centre 7:00 PM
Friday 23-Jun-23 Victoria, BC Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre 7:00 PM
Saturday 24-Jun-23 Vancouver, BC Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre

7:00 PM

 

 

Follow Jimmy Carr:
Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook


KESHI ANNOUNCES HELL & BACK TOUR

KESHI ANNOUNCES HELL & BACK TOUR

WITH DEB NEVER AND JAMES IVY

TICKETS GO ON SALE TO PUBLIC FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28

 

 

keshi is the moniker of Casey Luong, a singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist whose immersive and introspective songs have drawn in millions of fans worldwide. First releasing music on SoundCloud in 2017, the 28-year-old from Houston, Texas could only share his sonically textured confessionals about love and loneliness under the anonymous veil of his stage name. Now with over 4.4 billion global streams, Luong has grown to live as the otherworldly “keshi” persona everyday. He ascended to popstar status with 2022’s GABRIEL, his sonically adventurous project that earned him the year’s Billboard Top New Artist Debut at the time. A hypnotizing performer with an arresting falsetto, he subsequently sold out almost every single night across more than 60 shows on his debut headlining tour, HELL/HEAVEN, throughout Europe, North America, Australia and Asia.
 

With GABRIEL, keshi evolved into an all-encompassing artist who builds “worlds for someone to listen to and live inside,” he explains. On the album released by Island Records, he explores his internal struggles around newfound fame and success through biblical imagery and versatile production—from dark, hard-hitting beats to lush string and piano production—to express his warring emotions. “I realized that the trades that I made were permanent,” keshi says of co-writing and co-producing the project alongside Baltimore songwriter-producer Elie Rizk. “‘Having your dreams come true, I had to ask myself, is it everything that I ever wanted? Success, fame, money, and other material things, those are nice, but they’re not the things that make you happy at the end of the day.” It peaked at No. 4 on the Top Album Sales chart and debuted at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart.
 

Raised by Vietnamese immigrant parents in the suburbs of Houston, keshi also nods to familial lineage on GABRIEL with “PÈRE,” a spoken-word interlude that features his father opening up about leaving his home country of Vietnam at age 18. “I wanted to acknowledge that I’m not the only one who’s gone through these sort of monumental, young adult struggles,” keshi adds. “My dad’s been through it, and my son will go through it.

 

“A self-described “studio rat,” keshi first started producing while attending college in 2016, a time when the boom of lo-fi hip-hop and Frank Ocean’s Blonde encouraged a generation of DIY artists. This hazy, washed-out sound felt freeing to the emerging artist because “it didn’t stress sonic clarity,” so he fell into a wormhole of YouTube tutorials. With all his early SoundCloud tracks, he strived to build enveloping soundscapes of hip-hop, acoustic pop, and smoldering R&B as the sole writer, producer, and instrumentalist. He quickly started to draw in a steadfast audience, especially after releasing his breakthrough 2018 EP THE REAPER, which got a co-sign from RM of BTS and has since amassed over 600 million total streams.
 

After signing to Island Records in 2019, keshi elevated his sound with his acclaimed trilogy of EPs, starting with 2019’s skeletons, whose title track now has over 463M total streams. He carried that momentum with 2020’s bandaids, which brought the smash hit “right here” (649 million streams) and 2020’s always, which boasts favorites like “always” (314 million streams) and “drunk” (178 million streams). His 2021 brought even more accomplishments with the release of “War With Heaven,” his groovy contribution to Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album, as well his Madeon collaboration, “beside you” (182 million streams).
keshi has since confidently stepped into his new identity of global heartthrob who has collaborated with major brands like Microsoft, Fender, and Amazon Music. He is also an emerging fashion icon, who has worked with designers including Saint Laurent, Peter Do, Dion Lee, Private Policy, Fendi and Barragán. Even as he reaches new heights of fame and visibility, he still holes himself up in his home studio to work on the new ambitious material for his next era. “When I want to dig deep and get to the bottom of my heart, I really have to be alone and wrangle with myself.”

 

Follow keshi:
Twitter | InstagramYouTube | SoundCloud