When it comes to an introduction, this genius doesn’t need one. Six years ago, exalted singer, songwriter, and producer Kevin Ross talked to us about the audacity it has taken to maintain his decade-plus career. This time, the DMV hitmaker has re-emerged with an even greater message on keeping love in the middle of it all. See our Kevin Ross interview below!
From penning platinum records to pushing prolific hits of his own, Ross has never had to chase a chart-topper. While wilding out on one of BET’s 106 & Park’s famous Wednesday competitions may have put the once-budding creative on the map, his tenacious approach to mastering the music industry set eyes and ears on him globally. Be it through loaning lyrics to legendary artists like Jamie Foxx, Johnny Gill, SWV, and Toni Braxton or magnificently merging vibe-worthy vocals with soulful sounds, Ross’ multidimensional gift spoke for itself. Undoubtedly, he’d earned the title as R&B’s golden child.
However, these days, the Art Society Music Group CEO is a man on a mission, reassuring his audience that he’s more than the crooner serving up captivating covers. Instead, he’s a melodic engine, evoking emotion through unforgettable tunes that hug your heart and stick to your spirit. Our last one-on-one with the iconic soloist was on the brink of his acclaimed project, Audacity, and his journey to claiming his musical independence after parting ways with his former label, Motown.
Having previously spoiled us with earlier works like Dialogue in the Grey (2014), Drive Vol. 1 & 2 (2017/2021), Audacity Vol. 1 & 2 + Complete (2020), and Midnight Microdose Vol. 1 & 2 (2023), Ross’ latest endeavor is proof that he isn’t letting up yet! He recently returned with his new EP, Love Uptempo Vol. 1, an infectious collection of Ross’ perspective on love and how the time around it transcends all. With this unveiling, listeners are taken through the songster’s transformative experience of life and everything within it. Along with Ross, Love Uptempo Vol. 1 features writing and production from Claude Kelly, Chuck Harmony, Yaahn Hunter Jr., and Kheilstone.
“This project is much deeper than love. It’s based on time. Time is the most valuable currency we have in this human experience,” Ross shared in a press release to Parlé Magazine. “Time we can kill, times we regret, time well spent, and most times, we are bound to forget. Time is tempo. The question is… at what pace are you living your life?”
Before the reveal, Ross led us with his uber-successful single “Love in the Middle,” an energetically infused bop reminding us of the importance of the four-letter word remaining at the core of any relationship. Following the groovy track, he came with “Back 4 More.” Additionally, Ross Vets Only: The Mash Up performances alongside 112’s Slim and Case have been making waves on social media.
Ross is currently on a nationwide run for Love Uptempo. While touring, we had the opportunity to catch up with him to talk about the new music, industry things, and more! Check out our conversation below.
Kevin Ross Interview — The Making of His New EP, Love Uptempo, How He’s Separated the Art from the Artist, & His Thoughts on Being Called ‘Underrated’
Parlé Mag: So, the last time we spoke with you… it was around 2019. You had recently launched your label, Art Society Music Group, and I think you were on the brink of independently releasing your album, Audacity.
Kevin Ross: That’s right!
Parlé Mag: Yes! Looking back on that point in your career, what message would you have given yourself during that creative transition today?
Kevin Ross: Remain diligent and remain disciplined. It’ll all pan out. Trust your instincts. Trust your ability. And it’ll all pan out. Make sure you keep people [who] are smarter than you and greater than you–in their respective fields–around you.
Here’s the full version of the Kevin Ross interview:
Parlé Mag: Mm-hmm! So, looking back, also, on that major career leap that you made, how do you feel about it now… starting your label?
Kevin Ross: Oh, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made!
Parlé Mag: Okay.
Kevin Ross: Best decision I’ve ever made. I’m more fruitful, in the sense of career-wise, than ever before. So, I’m super grateful that God trusted me to take the leap… and, yeah, it’s panning out! We’ve got four top tens under our belt.
Parlé Mag: Wow!
Kevin Ross: [I’m] in the history as the only indie R&B artist to have two records in the top ten simultaneously. So, you know, to me, I don’t think I would have been able to do that in a major label system, you know?
Parlé Mag: Right.
Kevin Ross: And so… to play by my own rules, to understand my worth, my value, who are my real partners and champions, the money that I’m putting in, what type of ROI am I getting from off of that and doubling down or backing off of certain things… it’s been amazing.
Parlé Mag: And I’m sure there’s a sense of freedom that comes with that, like you feel more liberated musically, too.
Kevin Ross: Oh, yeah, for sure. You know, but also at the same time, too, look, I’m running a business.
Parlé Mag: Right!
Kevin Ross: And so, you know, you’ve got to give the people what they want. Your audience… what they want and what they deserve. Right? So, I think that’s the beauty of an album, where you can express yourself and you can have them cuts where you’re like, “Man, I hope they really rocking with this.” And then, you know, you had them joints where you know–or you feel like you know–your audience to say, “Okay, they’re going to love this.” You know? From previous history or from the last record that I did. [Like], “Ah, man, this is just the evolution of what they love about me.” And so that’s a freeing thing. But, also, [it’s about] being intentional about the records that you create because you want to sustain a career from off of it. You want to make money from off of the stuff that you do. So, it does become more business-driven… in that sense to say, “I need to make enough money to see the next album.” You know what I’m saying? [laughs]
Parlé Mag: Right. [laughs]
Kevin Ross: You know, just putting stuff out and hoping that it catches and goes viral. You’ll never be prepared for that moment… and that moment will consume you. So, there’s that. [laughs]
Parlé Mag: Okay! So, a lot has happened for you musically since the release of Audacity. And I’m sure with every project, there’s growth in your craft. So, how do you feel your new EP, Love Uptempo, displays your artistic evolution?
Kevin Ross: I’m super excited about it because of the fact that this is something that was a challenge for me. Right? Like… I wanted to do a record that was all mids and uptempos. You know, I feel like doing ballads or vibes [is] easy. Right? And it allows you for to express yourself more, and you get to do a little bit more like rhythmic stuff or whatever. But when you’re trying to do straight-ahead records that can be radio-dominant or DSP-friendly or whatever, it becomes a challenge.
Just like… for a lot of artists, they’ll have a whole bunch of songs on their album, but they’ll only have two singles. I’m like, “Alright, what if I did a record that was very like, you know, either single-dominant or just more midtempo, uptempo?” So, it was definitely a challenge for me, and I rose to the occasion. So, I’m very proud of myself for making this project, and it’s been a couple of years in the making. I’ve had that concept, I think, right around the time that I had the concept for Audacity.
Parlé Mag: Wow!
Kevin Ross: So, I knew that I wanted to do Love Uptempo for quite a while now. When I went into the studio, it was always like, “Well, I have these two records. This is easier for me to do Drive 2 or Midnight Microdose.” So, I was like, “I’m still going to, I’m going to do it.” Thank God this concept is finally coming to life. So, I’m very grateful.
Parlé Mag: Just to expand on that, you led us with your single, “Love in the Middle.”
Kevin Ross: Yes!
Parlé Mag: Listening to the song gives me this feel-good, soulful, it’s summertime, so… let’s throw some ribs on the grill. [laughs] Get Uncle and Auntie back together!
Kevin Ross: [laughs]
Parlé Mag: Amazing vibes and vocals! What was the most exciting aspect of putting this record together?
Kevin Ross: You know what? I was collaborating with two people [whom I’ve] never collaborated with before… and that’s Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony, based out of Nashville, Tennessee.
Parlé Mag: Okay.
Kevin Ross: Claude Kelly is responsible for writing “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus, a whole bunch of Britney Spears songs. [His and Chuck Harmony’s catalogs] run deep. They produced and wrote “Bittersweet” Fantasia together. They’ve done a lot of stuff. So, you know, me even trying to name it wouldn’t do them any just due or service. However, these guys decided to take their stake in independence as well. And that’s what I feel like kind of allowed for us to come together. So, it was a very natural thing. They asked me what I wanted to do, I told them the concept. [I said], “This is Love Uptempo” [and] gave them the rules and the guidelines. But the most important thing that I think they took from it was when I said, “I represent the blue-collar lover.”
So, they [were] like, “Hmm.” They were like, “Expound on that.” I was like, “Well, blue collar meaning, you know, your everyday worker. Your nurses, your teachers, your UPS workers, your bus drivers–everyone under the sun that wakes up every morning to go and get it to provide for their families or for themselves.” I said, “That community, I feel like it’s underserved and overlooked as it pertains to R&B music.” I said, “The climate has changed.” Everything now is more the antithesis of that and of love, for that matter. Everybody’s cool with situationships or just kind of being in the gray. And, so, for me, I’m like… that group of people, they want clarity. They want love, or they want for their love to improve. They want to stay together.
They want to work things out because life is already difficult, as it is, you know, as a blue-collar society. So, I wanted to make sure that my music reflected that, that my music says, “I see you, I see what you’re going through. I see, I see that. And I want you to feel good. I want you, while you’re on your drive to work, to throw this on and to just have a little bit of peace before you go in to work or as you decompress.” So, that was my intention behind the record and collaborating with these two great producers and writers.
Parlé Mag: So, are you nervous when you work with like new producers and things of that sort? Or is it just like… you feed off of energy?
Kevin Ross: I definitely feed off energy. I get more, like, anxious.
Parlé Mag: Okay.
Kevin Ross: Because… you never know how the chemistry is going to work. You never know what you’re going to come out with in the session. Right? And just making sure that I’m presenting the best version of myself. Right? So, when I meet new people, I show up as Kevin Ross. Like, you know, my family knows me as Kev or whatever. Like… little nicknames. But when I meet new people in the industry, producers or whatever, I have to show up as Kevin Ross. Just so that they can understand… when we’re making music, they can look at my style, they can look at certain things that I’ve chosen to wear or how I walk in, whatever, to help them create music better. So, it’s all of that, but [I’m] never nervous. It’s just more so like just making sure that I’m presenting myself in the best light so we can create the best music that we can.
Parlé Mag: Well, you guys definitely created magic with that song!
Kevin Ross: Thank you!
Parlé Mag: In the song, you talk about how appreciative you are for the special lady in your life sticking beside you, even when you don’t always make her feel like a priority. That’s sort of what I got from it.
Kevin Ross: Yes!
Parlé Mag: And not only is it that area of acknowledgement, but it’s also like, “Let me remind you of the love that initially brought us together at the core of it all.”
Kevin Ross: Absolutely!
Parlé Mag: So, in an era where emotional availability is hard to come by, why do you think people, in general, struggle with vulnerability in relationships? And have you been guilty of it yourself before?
Kevin Ross: Oh, yeah, absolutely. I’ve definitely been guilty of emotionally being closed off. Because no one wants to fail. Right? Like, everyone has a fear of failing or a fear of being shot down. You know what I mean? [laughs] Or being unowned or unwanted or whatever the case may be. But, you know, I had to get up out of that real quick.
Parlé Mag: Right.
Kevin Ross: You know, especially just within the line of work that we do within entertainment. We fail all the time.
Parlé Mag: Yes.
Kevin Ross: So, that’s just a part of it. And even in love, it’s like, [I say], “Look, every day is not going to be perfect. Every day, I’m not going to rise up to the occasion and be the man that you expect for me to be. I’m human.” You know what I mean? But what I will be is present. What I will be is someone that can hold themselves accountable to say, “You know what? Today wasn’t a good day for me.” [Or], “Dang, I could have handled the situation of asking you to get something a little better. I could have watched my tone, my bad, baby.” So, I feel like those things matter. Those things count… as far as being vulnerable to even admit that you’re sorry.
Parlé Mag: Yes.
Kevin Ross: Being vulnerable enough, within this day and age, to say that you want or need someone. That “need” word now is crazy work for people, where they’re like, “I don’t know if I need anybody besides God. I don’t need nobody!”
Parlé Mag: [laughs]
Kevin Ross: [laughs] But the truth is this, right? Like, whether it’s a significant other or not, we need each other. We need each other as a community. Like, life was not meant to be lived alone.
Parlé Mag: Exactly.
Kevin Ross: That doesn’t mean that you have to have an intimate partner to do it with. But, you know, studies show that when you live alone, you work alone, you do all these things alone, you die alone, and you die quicker. I mean, I hate to sound morbid like that, but that’s the truth of the matter. We are built for community. We’re built for fellowship. That’s on a spiritual level and just on a plain surface, just as the carnal level, whatever. So, yeah, I definitely think that we need to open up more as a generation. But we can hide behind our phones, too. We can be whoever we want to be… as far as on social media. And it makes it hard for you to unveil the mask. You know? Because.. it’s like, can you love me behind my mask? Can you love me from behind the camera? Can you love me from where I’m at?
Parlé Mag: Especially since we’re in an age where on social media, there’s always this debate about, you know, men against women and dating rules nowadays. So, I totally get where you’re coming from.
Kevin Ross: Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah, we definitely need more love. More love. And it ain’t got to be sappy or corny. But we definitely got to put love in the middle of the things that matter most to us. So, as long as that passion in our heart is there, we’ll be okay as a society. But we got to be more intentional about the things that we put out there, too. I’m just doing my part! I’m trying to do my part!
Parlé Mag: Yes! [laughs] You speak candidly about romance and intimacy in your music, which is interesting because, outside of that, you’re relatively private about your personal life. And I find that very commendable, especially in this age of oversharing where entertainers are blurring the lines of transparency and doing too much. So, is that something you’ve intentionally done to separate the art from the artist?
Kevin Ross: Absolutely! Because I know the things that I love, I take that personally. Being Kevin Ross, the artist, that’s business. But when you start to mix the two, somebody tries to say something about my son, or my mom, or my loved ones. I would take that personal because they’re not in the business. It’d be different if they signed up for it, but they didn’t. I did. And, so, I try to protect them and keep them out of harm’s way… in a sense of unnecessary critics and opinions. The more that you put out there, the more people will critique.
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Parlé Mag: Yes.
Kevin Ross: The more people will judge. I’m built for it. Others may not be. So, I don’t think it’s fair for me to try to drag my family into something that they didn’t choose. I really try to protect that because that’s my sanity! That’s my peace. When it’s all said and done, when the lights go off or when the show is over, what I have is my family. You know? Those are the people that call me to be like, “I heard your song on the radio. I’m so proud of you. I remember when you were in that little room, trying to crank out songs, screaming to the top of your lungs, trying to get this note right.” So, that’s my motive. That’s my motivation that keeps me going. So, I’ma protect it and keep that as far away as I possibly can from [the] public eye. It doesn’t mean that I’m ashamed. It just means that I love them that much to create boundaries. I got to keep that boundary there.
Parlé Mag: So, switching gears, you previously mentioned on your social media that this year made eleven years that you’ve been full-time in music, if I’m correct.
Kevin Ross: Yes! You better do your research! Love it! [laughs]
Parlé Mag: [laughs] I had to stalk a little bit! So, reflecting on everything you’ve propelled through, any regrets so far?
Kevin Ross: Regrets? Nah, everything that I’ve gone through allowed me to be at this point. So, I’m grateful. And so, of course, there [are] things where I’m like, “Dang, did I have to go through that God?” Obviously, I did. You know what I mean? In order for me to learn the lessons that I needed to learn. I think it’s a rapper–I forget the rapper’s name–[who’s] like, “You got to turn them Ls into lucky sevens.” That’s the way I look at it.
Parlé Mag: You’ve done so many honorable things throughout your success and honestly built an unparalleled lane for yourself. Your level of talent is insane, I must say.
Kevin Ross: Thank you!
Parlé Mag: However, that being said, whenever I see your comment section, there’s always this argument [about] whether you’re underrated or not. So, do you feel like you are, or do you feel that you’re exactly where God wants you to be?
Kevin Ross: [laughs] You’re really good! I just want to say that.
Parlé Mag: Thank you!
Kevin Ross: That was a great question.
Parlé Mag: Thank you!
Kevin Ross: My flesh, my carnal side–sometimes–feels a certain type of way. It feels like I get overlooked. However, the spiritual side is what you just said. [It] is God has me in a place where He needs me to be. Like… if I needed to be anywhere else, I would have been there. So, I live by the mantra of, “If I live to see it, I was made to do it.” Any opportunity that I’m given, I have to execute. I have to give what I have. So, I made that post, like you said, of eleven years showing gratitude to be like, “Man!” It’s one thing to say, “I want to do music,” and then you get a couple of records and then you just disappear from the scene. And it’s another thing for it to then become your career. Right? So, then… you just become a name that’s just there.
It may not be at the top of the list. When you’re just always just kind of there, just in the ether of the industry or entertainment for ten years, then… congratulations, you have made a career! For me to have lived off of music, purely, for ten years is insane!
Parlé Mag: Amazing!
Kevin Ross: Yeah, when I think about it… I’m just like, “This is wild to me.” Me singing songs, writing songs, producing songs, performing, all this stuff! I don’t have to do anything else, and… so, for that, if God didn’t do anything else, that, I’m grateful for, for sure.
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Parlé Mag: During our 2019 interview, you expressed that you felt like the industry was dark, demented, and twisted. When it comes to current to the current climate of the [music] field, are those your sentiments… still? And, if so, why?
Kevin Ross: Ah, yeah, for sure! [laughs]
Parlé Mag: Really? Six years later, Kevin?! [laughs]
Kevin Ross: [laughs] Look, here’s the thing, the industry is predatory. Right? It’s perverted in nature, and that’s the unfortunate part. And we’re seeing a lot of that come to light, unfortunately, with Diddy, with a lot of people that stood side by side with Diddy. I don’t know who stood side by side with Diddy, but I’m just saying that, if you went to the playground to play, you ain’t go to the playground not to get sand on you.
Parlé Mag: Mhm-hmm!
Kevin Ross: So, there’s a lot of sandy people, sand in their boots, that’s trying to hide. But the truth of the matter is that… that is what this industry has been built off of. It’s just predatory business tactics that have been dark and demented, but that doesn’t mean that you become the darkness. You don’t get consumed by the darkness. You try to be a beacon of light and a beacon of hope to say that doing what you love to do is speaking positive messages about love [and] that there is success there. No, you may not get the Super Bowl performance halftime show immediately or whatever.
Parlé Mag: [laughs]
Kevin Ross: But you can still have a career doing what you love to do. There [are] so many people out here doing music that don’t even believe that they can live off of music. You know what I mean? They don’t even believe that that’s possible. They think that it’s all or nothing. [I have] conversations with people, and they’re just like, “Yeah, I just want to make it.” And [I’m like], “What is making it?” [They say], “Well, you know, like, make it.” [I say], “I don’t know. I don’t know what you mean by ‘make it.’ What is making it for you?” [They respond], “I mean, you know, records on the radio, and this, this, and that.” And I [say], “God can give you all that, and you can still be broke.”
Parlé Mag: Yes!
Kevin Ross: You can still be in debt. You can still be depressed. So, what is making it? I’m like, “Does making it include happiness?” [They’re like], “Yeah, of course!” I’m like, “Nah, nah, nah! You got to be specific.” That’s what I learned dealing with, even with whether you believe in God or the universe or whatever, you got to be careful what you speak into the world.
Parlé Mag: So true!
Kevin Ross: You reap what you sow. And, even though, like, I’m not saying that, like, in an ominous way or whatever, but it’s just saying that… just don’t give blanket statements and then expect more detailed gifts and rewards. You know what I mean? What I wanted, starting off, was, “I just want to be heard and respected by my peers and for people to respect me and to appreciate my music and to listen to my music and love my music.” And… then, God was like, “Here you go.” And I was like, “Well, it’s got to be more.” He was like, “Well, this is what you asked for.” I was like, “Well, I thought that, you know, like you would give me more.” He was like, “Well, you didn’t say that. You didn’t speak that. Now, I need for you to go back, and I want you to be more specific in what you ask of me. What you ask for, what you ask for your life. You never even asked me what your purpose is, Mr. Ross.”
Parlé Mag: Whew! That’s a good one.
Kevin Ross: [laughs] I was like, “I did.” He was like, “I brought you this far and gave you these gifts. Now, I want you to refine. I want you to fine-tune things now. I want you to be more purposeful and intentional about these things.” So, I have to respect that. To go back to your question, yes, I do believe that the industry is still dark and demented and yada, yada, yada. But there are beacons of light that are out there that’s doing great work… and that’s what we need. And that’s what we’re going to continue to do.
Parlé Mag: Being in such a mentally-taxing line of work, there’s always this talk of sellouts. Unfortunately, many people believe the music game is cursed, which we sort of just touched on before. So, what has helped you to keep the love in the middle and remember who you are and why you started?
Kevin Ross: [laughs] Oh, my gosh! Like I said, family, friends, and having a purpose that’s higher than you! This is bigger! Like… when I go out here and I perform or when I’m doing interviews, it’s not just for the brand of Kevin Ross. This is for the future of a genre that is at a very interesting crossroads right now. If we’re not careful, we’re going to be as obscure as jazz music. That’s not a poke at jazz. It’s just the fact that I’ve seen it and studied the history of it to be like, “We got to be careful.”
The future of R&B is not within one artist. It’s not within one song. It’s not within one album. The future of R&B is within independence. Until we can understand that within every publication that does R&B music or covers R&B music, we have to hold ourselves accountable to say, like, in order for the genre that we love that people made babies by, that we’ll scream or holler to the top of our lungs, songs that we love, we got to keep that tradition intact and make sure that we’re looking at this genre that we love from the widest lens that we possibly can in order to keep it alive and healthy. So, those are the things that motivate me. Those are the things that keep me upbeat and mentally intact.
Parlé Mag: With that said, how do you hope your contributions will change the trajectory of R&B?
Kevin Ross: I hope that more R&B artists take the independent route, that they understand their worth and their value more, that people begin to scale their brands and their business for themselves. I think that’s going to be a really exciting time for everybody to see, because if we don’t, what’ll happen and what we’ll see is theaters will start shutting down. Venues that people loved and that have supported R&B or genres that are like that will go out of business because there won’t be any artists within the next generation to carry the torch.
So, when you don’t have enough artists to put butts in seats or fill in those dates, then a lot of venues will go out of business. We just have to be mindful of that and understand that there’s a difference between the world of social media and then real life. You can have followers on social media–that’s fine and dandy–but can you sell a ticket? Can you fill a room? Do you have the skill set to move a room once you get those people in the room? Those are the things that I want for people to take away as it pertains to my contribution… to say he scaled his business for the benefit of the future of the genre.
Parlé Mag: I love that. Well, I must say you’re doing a great job. If you could send a quick love note to your fans, what would you say to your supporters out there?
Kevin Ross: Ahhhh! To all of my supporters, that means the @officialkevinrossmusicfanpage [on Instagram], to my Rossters, to every person that rock with me, that purchased my music, that’s bought a ticket, I’m forever grateful for you. You guys are the motivation behind everything that I do.
Parlé Mag: What’s next for you? What can they expect to come in the following months?
Kevin Ross: Well, look, we got the Love Uptempo EP, we got the Love Uptempo Tour, brought to you by SiriusXM Heart & Soul that I’m super excited about, [and] we got more music. Yeah, it’s going to be a busy year for me as far as being outside. And, like I said, I’m just grateful. I’m grateful to be outside and to be working. So, yeah, it’s going to be fun!
Parlé Mag: Awesome. Well, Kevin, it has been such an honor to speak with you. [I] really enjoyed it and hope we can speak again soon.
Kevin Ross: Absolutely! Let’s not make it six years from now!
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