Words by Natalie Weiner
If there’s room for one more in 2014’s league of extraordinary alt-R&B singers (see also Hollie Cook, FKA Twigs, Lianne La Havas…just to name some of our faves), it’s 20 year-old Kali Uchis. A Colombiana hailing from the DMV, Uchis has a voice that falls somewhere between Amy Winehouse and Erykah Badu, but with a distinctly tropical lilt, and her vintage-flavored tracks have already caught the attention of Diplo, Tyler the Creator, and Snoop Dogg (hear their duet—yes, she’s already done a track with Snoop—here).
After getting some hype with a great video, her latest track, “I Know What I Want,” is now available on iTunes and Spotify. As Eddie STATS put it, this is “hipster lover’s rock,” complete with laments about guys who won’t text back, and the priceless line “should have left your ass in the friend zone.” The floating, easy vibe comes courtesy of NYC-via-West-Indies producer Bunx—with all that empty space, this tune is ripe for remixes. Case in point: here’s the cumbia treatment, complete with Super Beagle sample. Uchis’ EP Por Vida is due out early next year, and will hopefully be filled with even more addictive tropical pop tracks.
What do you think of her take on lovers rock? Let us know in the comments.