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KANII RETURNS WITH SOARING ALT-POP SINGLE “SKIN”

May 23, 2025 (Los Angeles, CA) – Today, D.C. alt-pop provocateur Kanii kickstarts a new era with his propulsive new single “skin.” Listen HERE via Warner Records. On the indie-tinged cut, fuzzy synths and guitars create a striking backdrop for vulnerable lyrics that emit a deep sense of longing. That bittersweet tone is reflected in a blurry-eyed video that finds the singer, songwriter, and artist sorting through the aftermath of a rager. Watch HERE.

“skin” carves out new sonic territory for Kanii, but whether he’s exploring R&B, club beats, or something closer to pop punk, his songs remain youthful, restless, and undeniably catchy. Over driving percussion and vibrant chords, he lets loose the emotional poetry that’s become his trademark: “Do you feel my veins and arteries? The shortness in my lungs when you’re in my skin? / The blood it flows inside of me, your heart is just enough when you’re in my skin.”

The full extent of Kanii’s vision comes across in the “skin” video, which opens on him dozing on the floor of a cozy room, flashing back to the night before. In the same space, we see teens jumping on furniture, shooting silly string and bubble guns, and dancing with abandon. Other moments are more hallucinatory, with the kids faded or fading in a parked car while he sings, or Kanii and a friendly dalmatian exploring a field full of flowers. It all feels like a fever dream.

Kanii kicked off 2024 with “hate me” featuring wolfacejoeyy and The Heart Racers EP, a joint project with Riovaz and Nimstarr, that includes the retro-leaning singles “tell me” and “lost without you.” His swelling discography also boasts streaming hits like “nightcrawler,” “it was nice knowing u,” and “pretty photos.” His ascent first began in 2023 with the RIAA Gold-certified earworm “I Know,” which cracked the Billboard Hot 100.

The result of his sonic explorations is a global streaming tally that amasses nearly one billion streams. Now, with “skin,” the stage is set for an ambitious new phase that demonstrates the full scope of Kanii’s ever-evolving artistry.

ABOUT KANII:

No one makes heartbreak sound as sweet as Kanii. The 19-year-old from D.C. has earned around 3 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone by turning his romantic ups and downs into uniquely catchy songs — a mix of shadowy R&B and electronic beats that invites us to dance away the pain. His writing’s always been personal, but its relatability lies in his sticky melodies and ability to craft hooks for both the stadium and the drive home. In 2025, Kanii is parlaying that gift into new music that moves from his signature sound into electro-infused pop, darkwave dreamscapes, and something closer to punk. The change might be momentarily jarring for fans who got hooked on 2023’s Gold-certified, jersey club-inflected “I Know”; beloved past projects like exiit and it was nice knowing you; or his collabs with the likes of Trippie Redd, wolfacejoeyy, Riovaz, and Nimstarr. But for Kanii — who aims to be as boundless as the icons he grew up admiring — it’s the next step toward his definition of success. The palette may have shifted but the strokes are familiar: bittersweet longing, a need to move, undeniable catchiness. His latest songs also illustrate how much Kanii’s grown. As he works through powerful themes — love, loss, things we do to protect ourselves, those who get hurt along the way — he’s more sure of what he wants to say and the best way to say it. “I’m there with my fans,” he says. “I’m helping them fight their battles by letting them know I’ve been there, too.”

Follow Kanii:

 Instagram  | YouTube | TikTok

Vic

Editor / Writer / Producer For Drop the Spotlight

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