Zimbabwe born, Hull raised alternative R&B artist Downtown Kayoto invites listeners back into the fold with ‘Hello World’, his first release emerging after a long lockdown.

Releasing his first single in 2019, Downtown Kayoto has quickly established himself, with co-signs from Jessie Ware, Zane Lowe and Nick Grimshaw as well as being Radio 1’s Future Artist. With this he landed the MOBO Help Musicians and PPL Momentum Accelerator Funds.

Following his latest single ‘ROX’, Downtown takes a darker sound with first single of 2021, ‘Hello World’. It acts as a musical reset: “It’s a phrase typed into a new computer program to initiate, before more code is written. It symbolises me placing my flag down into the ground and marking a new starting point both from an artistic and a visual standpoint.”

Like many artists, he found his music shaped by the pandemic: “in the midst of it I found out that I was lonely and didn’t know how to articulate it, usually I try and be vague about my feelings when making music, but I say it confidently in the pre-chorus of this song (“Hello world, I been feeling kinda lonely and I won’t lie.”)”

The track also marks his continuation into authentically blending genres, with his inner conflict represented by the switch between R&B and DnB elements. It’s paired with an equally chaotic visual following Downtown as he spins out, directed by Louis Lincoln-Bottcher.

Marking the beginning of a string of releases, Downtown Kayoto is bringing the alternative R&B sound from across the pond and blending it with UK influences effortlessly.

‘Hello World’ is available on all online platforms via Songular.