Casey Luong, more popularly known as keshi, is going to be your new low-fi hip-hop obsession.
I was lucky to catch his set at Manhattan’s Mercury Lounge on September 4th, and saying I was blown away was an understatement. The first thing I noticed was how dedicated and passionate kehsi’s fan base is. The 250-capacity room was packed wall-to-wall with fans who knew every word. Although his fanbase may not be incredibly large, it’s certainly powerful.
The most impressive thing about keshi’s act is the way his smooth, sweet vocals juxtapose the low-fi trap beats. His songs make you want to sit back and relax or jump up and dance at the same time. Most everyone in the room opted for the latter, and who’s to blame them? keshi’s stage presence is captivating, but more importantly, it’s obvious that he’s enjoying the show just as much as his fans are. He jumps around on the incredibly small stage, takes fans’ phones to take videos, and interacts with the crowd. The simple production compared with his high energy was a perfect balance, much like his lyrics relationship with the beats. Most of the show had short loops from animes or other similar visuals, adding to the ambience.
There was never a dull moment during keshi’s set. Besides playing his more popular songs like “just friends” and “over u,” keshi also played two new, unreleased songs. These songs had more instrumentals, including keshi bringing out a guitar, than the previous songs, hinting at a potential new direction for the singer. However, each song still had the bittersweet, signature lyrics that makes him so memorable.
Overall, keshi is certainly an artist to keep an eye on as his career grows and evolves. It’s still in the beginning stages, but if things continue the way they are now, he’s bound for greatness. Check out photos from the NYC show below, and check out dates for his upcoming shows here.
keshi
