Khmari live at The Lower Third review

Los Angeles-based, Boston-raised songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist artist Khamari has landed in London to begin his first tour with a couple of nights at The Lower Third in Denmark Street, steeped in musical history. What better place to kick things off?

Khamari. Photo by Rachel Blackman.

Khamari’s rise debuted with a trio of Spotify New Music Friday placements. With over 10 million cumulative streams in his first 3 songs - including 500k in “The Heat” first week on Spotify alone Khamari was also nominated for R&B Artist of the Year at the Boston Music Awards and has now reached an exciting new chapter  with the release of his debut album A Brief Nirvana via RCA Records last year in May. An 11-track project that reflects his personal journey as well as his artistic growth.

Originally from the East Coast, Khmari studied at the Berklee School of Music, but once his musical career started to take shape, he relocated to LA to be closer to the industry. Part of the creative process for this album was birthed from his personal experiences during a period of stillness from Lockdown when the world stopped moving. And the experience of moving and finding his way in a new place.

The idea of the album’s title A Brief Nirvana explained by Khamari:

“Imagine what it would be like without all of those anxieties that weigh on you. So, for me ‘A Brief Nirvana’ is a moment without all the things that make you anxious, that makes you worry, drags you down and feel that you’re kind of lagging with life.”

Khamari’s remarks between songs hinted at his struggles with periods of doubt and how to follow up the success of his singles and what he wanted to say. He expressed the satisfaction of getting back to a creative period of producing a lot of music including this album and even playing a couple of new songs during this set at The Lower Third.  His strength comes from his relatable lyrics with many of his fans in the room singing along word for word not in the “catchy tune” kind of way but with deep understanding and emotion. The crowd gathered here sit in the Gen Z age group, the generation who can identify most with his lyrics having also been through Lockdown and a forced period of introspection.

Doctor, My Eyes, about being overwhelmed by the pressure of pursuing his dreams. Cherry Picking is a seductive song, a realisation to embrace all of love’s moments – not just the good ones. These Four Walls, hears Khamari finding solace in solitude.

He has been compared to Frank Ocean, I could hear a touch of D’Angelo. When he sings you sense he is an old soul. He is gifted with a lusciously smooth voice with the ability to express himself well in his lyrics. There is no doubt we will be hearing more of him.

Words by Natascha Milsom