Based in Columbus, Ohio, and Los Angeles, California, the wide-ranging sounds of artist and producer K. Tones are restricted to no particular styling.
In his teen years, he spent his free time writing poems and creating instrumentals as a hobby, with the influences for these early works ranging from hip-hop, R&B and gospel, to classical, electronica, alternative rock, and highlife. Becoming serious about producing music during college and when the world shut down in early 2020, K. Tones took time in seclusion to develop a unique, versatile sound.
Dipping us into his witty pond of creative self-expression, his most recent single, "Love Doesn't Exist (Same Old Ways)," proves a more profound sense of artistry at the helm. As we unveil the atmospheric offering that K. Tones instills into this masterpiece, we're immersed in an eclectic conveyance that allows his reverberated timbres to echo through your sound system. Touring us into a realm of compelling narratives that foreshadow his artistic worlds to come, there's an intriguing brilliance that resides within "Love Doesn't Exist (Same Old Ways)."
There's an emotive nature that evokes thoughts and opens your curiosity to newfound heights. With a myriad of sounds that trickle into your mind in an elusive fashion, what we admire the most has to be the overwhelming sense of exclusivity that stems from a unique dreamscape like "Love Doesn't Exist (Same Old Ways)." As we digest lyrical motifs such as, 'And now you know I wanted you to be with me. Your mate, your soul, you brushed it off and said another day,' we place ourselves into the longing that K. Tones has set out for us to feel.
One intoxicating track at a time, the tales of K. Tones get brought to life that much more as we get swept away by the luxury of his unique universe.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, K. Tones! Congratulations on the release of "Love Doesn't Exist (Same Old Ways)." With such a bold statement for the title of the song, what series of events inspired the blatant messaging present?
Thank you for having me. I appreciate the opportunity. The song started with the production. It was right before the world shut down when I was still living in my college dorm. One particular night I became aware that I wasn't so close with the people I lived with that I had gotten to know that year; we spent all this time together, but they had their own thing going on, and I was more of an outsider. That feeling of isolation while being in the presence of many people was weighing down on me that night. I didn't have the intention to make a song until I was lying in bed, later on, scrolling through my friends' Snapchat stories, and I found the video that ends with that statement: "Love doesn't fucking exist." It resonated with me so much because this feeling that I was experiencing for the first time was just put into words. So the first thing the next day, I got permission to use that video as an intro to a song, and by the end of the day, the production was done. The lyrics came to me later, but hearing that statement while I was feeling it for the first time was what set off the creation of the song.
Are you always this direct with your lyricism? Do any particular artists influence the way that you write your carefully crafted words?
My writing process has been very insular, almost like writing journal entries, so I write with no audience in mind, and at no point do I feel the need to dilute the meaning of a song in that process. I allow myself to be honest with myself. I've become very used to saving face in my interactions with people, so I like to look at my music as an opportunity to practice expressing myself more fully. Because of the nature of my writing process, and also my tendency to focus on production when I listen to music, I have trouble pinpointing any specific influences for my lyrical style, but I would say I've been influenced by anyone that is unapologetically themselves in their words because they've let me know that it's okay to be myself in mine.
How does it feel to have a piece of yourself out into the world as you're vulnerable with your expressions? Do you believe this is the key to obtaining a more loyal following?
Although my writing style is what it is, as someone who is very quiet and reserved, I was reluctant to present a side of myself to the world that people may have never seen. But, beyond my reluctance, I wanted more to share the experience of that moment of clarity that I had when I was able to put words to the cloud of emotion I was having. My writing process allows me to be myself in my music, to present situations that many may experience but with the unique ways that I navigate them. I feel that as long as I do that, there will be people that give credence to what I have to say.
Does your mission statement as an artist tie into the way you express yourself through your music?
My goal as an artist is to uplift people spiritually, so I am very intentional about the music I release being able to serve that purpose. Sometimes that uplifting comes from being able to take a step back from reality for a second; sometimes, that comes from having a reality check. For me, "Love Doesnt Exist" is a reality check. I don't believe that love doesn't exist; in fact, I believe that love is the strongest force that exists. But I was able to acknowledge that I had that feeling, stop myself from acting on it, and do what I could to remove myself from the situation that made me develop that feeling. If I can help someone come to terms with a situation in their own life by showing them what that moment of clarity can look like, then I am fulfilling my purpose.
What's next for you?
I have a lot of music that I want to share with the world. I plan to continue navigating my expression as a vocalist and a lyricist in my work. As a producer, I have a few different sounds that I've curated, both on my own and in collaboration with other artists, so I'm excited to share those soon. For right now, I have a set of music to go with "Love Doesn't Exist" that I plan on releasing as an EP early next year, so stay tuned.
