Kamal. makes it permanent in his “free flow” video

The 20-year-old Londoner shares a new visual and chats with The FADER ahead of the arrival of new mixtape so here you are, drowning.

February 16, 2023
Kamal. makes it permanent in his “free flow” video

Born in North West London to Caribbean-British parents, 20-year-old Kamal. is the kind of versatile artist equally at home leaning into his pop, R&B, or rap influences. Breakout song “homebody” arrived during the early lockdown days of the pandemic, but the then-teen didn’t simply have good timing. He followed it up with the sweet and tender “Blue” as well as the more upbeat, cocksure “about the party.” Next up came a big look when Dave recruited him for his We’re All Alone In This Together track “Mercury.” Today (February 16), he moves a step closer to the March 17 release of his debut mixtape, so here you are, drowning, by sharing its third single, “free flow.”

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The track comes with a video in which Kamal. and his significant other, in a blur of young love, tattoo one another with his lyrics. It’s a sugar-sweet portrait of a couple rushing head first into their emotions, feeling unmoored from anything that could ever weigh them down. Kamal.’s storytelling shines throughout the track, his soft lyrical touch complimenting his sweet vocals. He spoke to The FADER about the song, his upcoming project, and his ambitions to be a better friend in a Q+A you can read below.

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The FADER: What does ‘free flow’ mean to you and what was going through your head when you wrote it?

Kamal: It is an expression of joy, and the anxious enjoyment of an early stage relationship, where you’re still trying to figure each other out. I was writing quite candidly about how I felt at the time, in the intensity of a blossoming relationship with all of its hopes and fears.

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In the video we see you getting a DIY stick ’n’ poke tattoo. Is that something you have done outside of a video setting? If so, what did you/would you get tatted?

I’m yet to get a stick ’n’ poke tattoo, but if I do, it will probably be something related to the mixtape, almost as a celebration. I’ve got a few friends who can do them, so maybe i’ll ask.

The song will appear on your new mixtape, so here you are, drowning. What is the significance of that title?

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It’s a quote from Caleb Azumah Nelson’s novel Open Water which resonated with me. I loved the book and thought there were parallels to the mixtape’s themes — both stories on love in London, with the metaphor of water present.

When you think of “staying afloat,” what are you thinking of?

It’s easy to drown in your thoughts or your trauma, both in and out of relationships. Staying afloat for me is keeping your head above those currents, maintaining a view of the horizon. Sometimes this comes hand in hand with love, and you find yourself keeping each other from being submerged, treading water co-dependently.

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As an artist who first emerged during the pandemic period, how are you finding the shift back to something more like normal?

I’m adjusting in the same way the rest of the world is, finding my voice amongst the outside again. I’m definitely enjoying being able to see evidence of my music in the flesh; meeting supporters and playing live has been the most rewarding change. Apart from that, I’m embracing the richness of life, and how that influences and nourishes my writing.

What are you ambitions for 2023?

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I’m focused on the delivery of the mixtape and making sure I do it right so that it resonates as it should. I’m planning another headline show and have some festival shows coming up in Thailand and Korea, which I’m really excited for. Separately of my career, I want to end the year a better friend and become more involved in the things i care about, as vague as that sounds.

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Kamal. makes it permanent in his “free flow” video