Kle’an Serenades His Listener With A Nuanced Delivery In “9.1.1”
BUZZ LA- Jan 22, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 11, 2020
Kle’an is bringing back real R&B with his latest single titled “9.1.1”. Nowadays, R&B has crossed paths with hip-hop and has transformed into a computerized production. Although change is great, and essentially needed for the growth of music, Kle’an showed us that he’s still a diamond of the classics! He has a timeless voice and it’s naturally skilled. The harmonies he gives in the hook of “9.1.1” while being able to take his voice into multiple registers including the soft but piercing falsettos were elegantly done. His poignant vocal quality was mesmerizing to hear. He serenaded his listener with each note he delivered in “9.1.1”. This song has a contemporary vibe in the production of the song, which will easily cater to the current lovers of R&B while remaining classic enough to compete with the early 2000’s love bops! Kle’an’s nuanced but passionate expression of the lyrics in “9.1.1” helps you enjoy the song much fuller. You’re able to easily become intrigued by the harmonically rich atmosphere that Kle’ a creates in this song. The bewitching vocal resonance is just one component to “9.1.1” that makes you fall immensely in love with this single.
You can listen to “9.1.1” by Kle’an here.
Welcome to BuzzMusic Kle'an! Tell us, how did you get your start in music?
Thank you! I appreciate BuzzMusic for having me! Oh man, that question I could write a novel on. Honestly, there was a whole lot of series of unfortunate yet fortunate events that kinda paved my road. First of all, if it wasn't for my high school girlfriend telling my uncle I could sing, I probably would never have tried to pursue music. I've always admired songwriters like Brian Michael Cox and NeYo and wanted to emulate them. Back then, (like the early 2000s) I thought the only way to break into the music scene was as a songwriter first. (I.E. Luther Vandross, Babyface, even my favorite artist Joe) they were all songwriters first that became artists second. So (around 2005) I met this guy in Houston who was looking for songs for his album. He was signed to a major and rubbed shoulders with some big names, but he liked my writing. He ended up recording a song I wrote called "audition 4 u" (fortunate) which ended up shelved (unfortunate) but I started gaining confidence in my writing. Then (around 2007), I met a guy that had a working relationship with Teddy Riley. This guy told me Teddy was looking for songs, so I submitted some new stuff I wrote. The feedback I got from Teddy was what made me continue to pursue perfecting my craft. He liked my songs and my style of writing (fortunate) but couldn't use them for what he was looking for. (unfortunate) Teddy Riley liked my songs I mean how much higher could you get than that!!! The rest of the story leading up to now is a bit more complicated but the takeaway lesson is, each encounter I had made me believe in myself that much more. But yeah, that's pretty much how I got started lol!
What was it like having your voice discovered by your uncle? What was that moment like for you? LMAO! Well considering that up until that point, the only people that knew I could sing were the girls I was trying to impress, I'd say it was pretty awkward. It went down kinda like this, my girlfriend at the time and I went to visit my aunt and uncle. Well, I had no idea he had an entire recording studio set up in his spare room. And he had no idea I could sing at all until my girlfriend opened her big mouth lol. "YOU KNOW HE CAN SING RIGHT??" So in a sense, we learned alot about each other that day (and the years to follow) my uncle and me, and we developed a deep bond because of it.
We really enjoyed your single “9.1.1”. How would you describe your creative process behind this song? Thank you! That means alot to me! Honestly, I write, record, produce and mix a majority of my own music. My process always starts with an idea that I got from my uncle that I still use today. He told me to record my idea and save it or else it will go to someone else. Back then we had those handheld voice recorders with the little mini tapes, then it evolved into digital recorders and now we have smartphones lol. So my phone is filled with hundreds of little ideas or riffs or phrases that I sing on the phone so I won't forget it later. “9.1.1” started off just like that, an idea I had saved as a voice recorder note.
What inspired you to write this single? Do you draw any musical inspiration from any other artists? Yes, of course, I draw inspiration from other artists. When I was writing “9.1.1” and putting together the music bed, I found myself listening to alot of Trey Songz and Tank, which are two of my favorite artists. Inspiration huh? Well, this is going to be a little embarrassing but I'll tell you anyway. So one of the ladies I was dating a few months ago told me she had some really bad experiences with other men. She had always been attracted to older men and I was the youngest man she had dated so far. But she told me that sometimes the "little blue pill" didn't always work for her ex's. Or sometimes it just took too long to work and the mood was over. Well, I am the complete opposite, I take care of myself, have a very healthy libido and (here is the embarrassing part) I can go for hours. So, “9.1.1” started with the line " I never get tired and I don't need no fking pills either" and just developed a mind of its own. Overall, “9.1.1” is about if you can't fulfill your woman, she always has an emergency contingency plan. And in this scenario, all she has to do is call “9.1.1” for the 3 - 4 - 5-hour sessions. LOL!
Thank you for talking with us Kle'an! What are you looking forward to the most out of this year? What can we expect to hear from you? You can expect to hear alot more adult-themed R&B like it's supposed to be! I'm prepping an EP to be released late summer 2020. My next two singles to drop are titled: "drowning" and "calm your tits". "Drowning is about the struggle you go through internally when you are missing someone and trying not to pick up the phone and call them. A true R&B classic, can't wait for you guys to hear it. Calm your tits is about telling your girl, "Hey, I love you but you acting like a real B!@tch right now!" This one has Pop and alternative all over it.
