A first-generation young man from his native Kosovo, KADIRI blends his honeyed croon with dark instrumentation and devastating effect in order to dramatically explore the themes of mental health, lost love, and intimacy in his songs.
Recording and writing with producers based out of LA, NYC, and his hometown of Toronto, KADIRI is currently hard at work refining his vibrant, R&B influence that trickles into Pop melodies.
Zoning in on the extremely laid-back essence that drips charismatically from his latest release, “Like It or U Don’t,” the sizzle gets kicked up a notch as we recline in our seats and grasp the warm rays sent out by KADIRI’s eternal passion.
The instrumentation blends a miscellany of Jazz fused guitar riffs that chime in with an opulent zest, as the enticing hi-hats ease you into the tempo solidified by the sporadic drum hits carving out the infectious grooves heard.
With lyrical motifs such as, “either you like it or you don’t, won’t change me for you no more,“ playing upon a seamless concoction of time and space, the artistic concoction that is “Like It or U Don’t,” takes the driver’s seat as we let the arrangement navigate our emotions only steering us to spiral out of control. The prevailing timbres that KADIRI emits have us swarming in a reverberated pool of a sultry intimacy that drips from his fervent persona.
Lyrically the songwriting techniques on display illuminate the soundscape as we are drenched in the elusive narrative pulling you into a simultaneous sense of anonymity and urgency. KADIRI continues to implicate his glistening spirit through the pieces of work he creates, and with each creation, he dives deeper into an exhibition of his own talents.
We love the personal narrative that you explore in this single! How was the writing process when crafting this body of work? Did you find this theme remotely easy to write about?
Thank you BuzzMusic for having me, and I’m ecstatic to hear that you enjoyed my new release. The writing process was fairly easy compared to my other songs. Felix (my producer) and I wrote the hook the moment he laid down the beat, and I think that’s mainly because I was just spewing words out of my mouth based on how I was feeling at the time. I was in a strange predicament with someone where it seemed like the relationship was going somewhere but ultimately wasn’t feeling right because I wasn’t able to be myself. I happened to walk into the studio at the right moment to get those feelings out.
What are you hoping that your listeners take away from the brooding intensity in this track that allows your musical spirit to dive into the deep?
What I’m hoping my listeners would take from this track is to always remember your dignity and who you are as an individual amidst a confusing or toxic relationship. Never be afraid to express how you feel to someone and keep open lines of communication. Sometimes love can make us blind, so just remember the person you are, the beliefs and values you hold, etc. But it’s also that fine balance of putting your energy into trying to make a relationship work and understanding the value of the person you’re with as well, which I also make appearances in my song.
Were there any memorable moments from the creative process or studio session that you would like to share with your audience? Did anyone assist you in achieving the desired sound of “Like It or U Don’t?"
The most memorable part of creating this record is when Felix, Nick Ianno, Dan Goodman and I were in the studio wrapping up this song this past February. Dan and Nick had just recorded their guitar solos and it felt so great to hear it blend so well with the rest of the song which Felix and Harmonics both produced. The synergy in that room was real.
Your sound is so unique and at the same time, we feel it appeals to the masses. Who would your dream collaboration be outside of the direct genre that would allow you to enhance one another’s sounds?
I’ve been a huge fan of reggaeton music since 2012 when Daddy Yankee released his “Prestige” album. That being said, collaborating with someone like J Balvin or Rosalia would be a dream not only because of my interest in Latin music but also because I feel like our sounds would somehow mesh together quite well.
What would you like new listeners and fans to know about your music?
What I would like my fans to know about my music is that I’m not afraid to be vulnerable and honest in my music. If you want to understand who Kadiri is, then dive deep into my music. My first single is about a dark ending to a love story I once had, my second single is about my strong attraction towards people who share similar taste in music. My third and most recent single “Like It Or U Don’t” is about that moment I found my dignity in a toxic relationship. I always try to be transparent in my music because that’s the only medium I can fully express myself. I’m no longer afraid to step outside my comfort zone and try sounds, song concepts, lyrics that I never thought I’d use. At the end of the day, I try to make my music a story, in hopes that even just one fan would be able to understand.