Continuing to generate buzz, viral sensation Kanii (pronounced Ka-Nee) shares the music video for his new single “I Know” today. It notably serves as his major label debut track for Masked Records/Warner Records.
The visual evokes the track’s spirit; with ear-worm melodies matching its uncontainable and unpredictable momentum. At the same time, Kanii takes center stage. As he alternates between Jersey Club and alt-R&B vibes, he exudes confidence and charisma on-screen, asserting himself as a generational-talent. The clip pulls audiences deeper into his world. It also sets the stage for much more to come.
Last week, “I Know” dropped, and it has already begun to gain traction on streaming platforms and picks up where Kanii's previously viral heaters “companion” and “attachment” left off: with a wholly original, addictive sound. Built around a simple and regretful refrain (“I fucked up girl, I know”), the 17-year-old sings over thumping bass, choir samples, and dreamy synths. Instead of drowning in heartbreak, he learns from the painful experience and it shows.
Kanii's appeal is immediate: Club bass, effortless melodies, and a singular voice.
Hailing from Washington DC, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts student has amassed nearly 1 million streams on Spotify and built a loyal social media following. Currently wrapping up his senior year of high school, the teen honed his craft in an intensive after school program. With “I Know,” it’s abundantly clear why Kanii is capturing a new generation of audiences. With his upbeat production and raw, emotional lyrics, he’s creating a sonic universe all his own.
Photo Credit: rylblonde
ABOUT KANII:
In his bedroom, Kanii learned how to turn his voice into magic. The 17-year-old artist and singer from Washington, D.C., who started out making music just feet from where he slept, spent his childhood dabbling in various recording software and capturing his preternaturally brilliant voice. With an alchemical combination of club rhythms, sticky pop melodies, and a post-everything approach to maximal electronic music, he’s already shown his brilliance to millions around the world. He’s had multiple songs on TikTok go viral, including 2022’s “Attachment,” which has more than 70,000 creates across multiple sounds and catapulted him from a word-of-mouth prospect to an artist major labels were fighting over. Masked Gorilla founder Roger Gengo loved “Attachment” and signed Kanii to his label, and now the singer/songwriter is ready to continue refining his craft. Kanii has a keen pop sense that nuzzles its way into each of his songs. That can be traced back to his childhood and growing up in a house full of music. A rich tradition of vocal excellence seeped into Kanii’s songwriting, updating the sounds of classic stars for the online era. Listening to his favorites, Kanii took the logical next step and asked himself: How can I do that? With Kanii’s forthcoming Masked Records/Warner Records debut, he wants to show how he’s grown as an artist in the past year. “I’m just better lyrically, melodically, and rhythmically than ever before. I’m just so excited with where I’m going,” he says.
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