GRAMMY nominated singer-songwriter Kenyon Dixon is here to stay! Having already flexed his pen game as a writer for the likes of Mary J Blige, Tyrese and Ginuwine, among others, he’s already proven he is a one of the one’s in this industry. Additionally, he has served as a supporting tour vocalist for Nick Jonas, Jill Scott and Kelly Rowland, as he continues to cement his place in this space as an artist and that voice! Our Kenyon Dixon interview dives into the R&B crooner’s long history of paying his dues and finding success at every turn.
With his latest tour-de-force, THE R&B YOU LOVE, Dixon is both showing and proving that despite what has been said, the genre is still very much alive and well.
Parlé Mag: How did it all begin for Kenyon Dixon? How did you get into music?
Kenyon Dixon: I come from a super musician family. My pops was a guitarist and a vocalist. My mother was also a vocalist. I am the youngest of seven, with everyone musically inclined. It was family! I was born into it. I’m not the first generation of music in my family. This was something my family did. Growing up in church, my brother played keys and the organ, I played drums, and my parents and siblings sang. Everyone was already in the industry before I started. I was born with the inclination. I tried to run away from it for a second, but it brought me back here.
Parlé Mag: You’re a native of Watts, California. Growing up in South Los Angeles, who do you consider your strongest musical influences?
Kenyon Dixon: One of my biggest was Tyrese. He’s from Watts. As a young kid from the Watts, I was able to see someone from the area do something that I found interesting. He, for sure, was my biggest inspiration. He contributed the most. There weren’t many R&B influences from the ‘hood, men and R&B isn’t the thing. If you do music, everyone expects you to Rap. That was different when I got to work with Tyrese, tour with him, and write much of his music. The manifestation was something I saw early on; it inspired me. It was incredible to be able to collaborate with him in those ways.
Parlé Mag: And how do you classify your own sound?
Kenyon Dixon: I am as R&B Soul as possible! If you look up modern R&B Soul… my picture should be right there. I don’t go too far into subgenres. I like to think my music is traditional R&B Soul and faithful to those who have influenced me.
Parlé Mag: What would you say that you want people to get from your music?
Kenyon Dixon: More than anything, I want the takeaway to be that quality music still exists. There are people, musicians, and creators who care about music. That’s Important; society now only cares about what drives the culture, and quality isn’t promoted. A considerable part of my mission is to help people understand that if you are interested in quality music, you have the option of something to listen to. One of my main goals is to keep traditional R&B music alive.
Parlé Mag: Let’s hop into this single, “2000s R&B.” — Kenyon Dixon: Tell me about this particular track and that feature!
It’s my ode to 2000’s R&B. I tried to think about what a 2000’s R&B record would sound like in 2023, and this is it. My sole inspiration for this was The Underdogs who produced classic records we love from artists like Mario, Joe, and Tyrese. They were a massive part of the production inspiration. It’s also a homage to my favorite era, the 2000’s era of R&B. My goal was to update the track sonically, but still have that nostalgia from the early 2000’s. Regarding its feature, I felt it was right to bring in someone from that era to drive the point. I contacted RL, and without hesitation, he sent me something in less than 24 hours. He showed a lot of love and killed it the only way he could: the magic of creating a vibe from that era. It was dope to have someone who lived that era be a part of the song.
Parlé Mag: The single is off your latest LP, THE R&B YOU LOVE. Talk to me about that album title.
Kenyon Dixon: The R&B You Love… is in the title. It’s about the classic R&B that we all love. What we grew up on and say is missing from R&B, from lyrics to vulnerability to vocal ability. It’s not to try to recreate the era, but to show today’s listeners that those feelings can still exist in modern music. This is what The R&B You Love represents – to show that modern artists can still make sustainable music today, and that it is not a lost or dying art. We can make the same inspiring music today from the music we love and are inspired by.
Parlé Mag: How does THE R&B YOU LOVE differ and compare to previous Kenyon Dixon efforts?
There are similarities and differences. The parallel from other projects comes from the pocket that I am in as an artist. The work is actual to me and my sound. This one is different in terms of how I leaned into my influences. Another personal purpose of this album was to introduce modern listeners to those who have inspired us. This is an art piece for me. The album was a conversation starter. I wanted people to listen and understand my artistic and production influences. This allows educational exchanges to happen. With “2000’s R&B,” Every other day, someone says, “Oh, this reminds me of this or this…” I love it because we get to talk about and breathe new life into the creatives that enabled us to create many things we build today. This was a huge difference. This album was intentionally crafted to pay homage and open conversations about our influences.
Parlé Mag: When you sit down to pen your lyrics as a songwriter, where do you draw inspiration from?
Kenyon Dixon: Everything, from life, from my surroundings. A considerable part of my inspiration comes from the music itself. I’m very tapped in when making music and well connected to my music. If you are writing to production, the production is already telling a story if you are open to listening to what it’s giving you. I believe in only putting lyrics to what is already put into the track. However, anyone listening will probably feel that same way when they feel and hear the music. If I can detail that feeling, by writing it out and making a song that describes why I feel that way, that’s where the connection is in music.
Parlé Mag: If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Kenyon Dixon: I’m a vast Anita Baker fan; she’s a masterclass in love songs, poise, and class as a real R&B Soul artist. She’s one of my top three dream collaborators. It would be amazing to learn from her. She’s the last of that era. It was something different there. I would love to work with her on something and bring her into my world of modern-day R&B. I would want to honor that correctly and create something where our worlds could coexist, heighten the legacy, and not take away from it. Many times, legacy artists try to tap into newer music, or we try to force them into a sound different from what they’re known for. I would love to figure out how to make our worlds successfully collide and it add value to our catalogs.
Parlé Mag: If you could play any venue worldwide, which one would you choose and why?
Kenyon Dixon: The Forum in Inglewood. L.A.’s home. I’ve played there before, but not by myself. I would come to headline The Forum for the city. Or the Staples Center, that’s on my bucket list. Being from L.A., it would be amazing to have that opportunity.
Parlé Mag: On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of R&B?
Kenyon Dixon: I love R&B. I love that modern artists are also different – It’s talked about a little in this genre; there is always contrast. There’s an idea today that all R&B is supposed to sound a certain way, but R&B has never been that. That’s the beauty of it, because of everyone’s unique story to tell, but it all being harmonious. I think modern R&B is great. I love creatives who now dare to pursue their musical aspirations instead of being forced into a box of what outside views are telling them to sound like. I like how there’s something out there for whatever interests you.
Parlé Mag: What do you feel has been and will continue to be the key to your longevity?
Kenyon Dixon: Consistency – I don’t bend on the quality of music. For every project, I’m intentional about what I want to create and how to make it. I don’t generate music for a reception, but for music, I want to hear. I have fans who are also interested in the same thing. That’s a massive part of where I can be consistent in what I’m creating. That in itself lends to longevity.
Parlé Mag: Do you have any other outside aspirations, maybe even entirely away from music?
Kenyon Dixon: Aside from music, I’m very tapped into community and social work, especially in education. I dream to continue working with educational organizations that provide valuable opportunities to inner-city students, specifically L.A. Unified, which is the district I grew up in. I want to give these students resources for creative development. Access to different domes such as recording programs, microphones, engineering, and show running. I’m really passionate about that, hoping to one day start my own organization that allows students to have legit high-level experiences that prepare them to get into the industry, coming from where we come from.
Parlé Mag: What has been your most significant career moment thus far?
Kenyon Dixon: By default, an artist Grammy Nomination – I’ve been nominated as a writer before, but seeing and hearing my name called for a Grammy nomination was amazing. It was for a record called “Bring It on Home to Me,” a remake of a Sam Cooke classic that I, BJ The Chicago Kid, and PJ Morton collaborated on with my brother Charlie Bereal as guitarist. Getting that Grammy nomination was a massive moment for me.
Parlé Mag: What’s an average day like for you?
Kenyon Dixon: Ironically, a lot of it doesn’t revolve around music. I’m a father, so when I wake up, I drop my little one off at school, work out, and may or may not work on music. I’m very chill. I often hang out with my friends and back to the little one. Most of my life revolves around parenthood vs. music; I mostly fit music in where I can. Fatherhood, self-care, quality time with friends. My day-to-day is very chill.
Parlé Mag: Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans.
Kenyon Dixon: “The KenFolk” is my fanbase; shoutout to them for the name. We’re just like a family. There is no better name, ironically. We understand each other; they ride or die for me, and I’m the same way about them. We all love and respect each other like one big family. I love how many of them have become friends and family because of their love for my music from concert meet-ups. It’s all love with us. I’m grateful for them because we’ve built our brand together. It’s mutual love and respect.
Parlé Mag: What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And why?
Kenyon Dixon: My least favorite part is traveling. Traveling gets exhausting. I know everyone assumes that traveling is super fun, but I travel so much to points where sometimes you need to know what city you’re in, where you don’t get to explore or experience anything. You only know where you are based on the airports.
…The part I love about working is connecting with fans at shows and meet and greets, talking to them, and hearing how music has played a role in their lives. It’s important to hear how the music has gotten them through hard times and a soundtrack to some incredible moments in their life. Listening to this is fulfilling and my favorite part of everything.
Parlé Mag: What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Kenyon Dixon: Please don’t follow in my footsteps; you can identify inspiration, but work towards finding your thing and what makes you feel validated. I think that’s what’s important. If you follow me, you may get lost. Life is real-time navigation, and you have to pivot in real time, all the time. I’m still learning what works for me. I’ve had some great moments, but as we grow, we learn to navigate life as a student. Be open to your journey and understand what works for you.
Parlé Mag: Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?
Kenyon Dixon: I see myself with an even stronger catalog of R&B. Still playing shows and reaching goals. I want to feel content to the point that I have new aspirations. I plan to knock out my goals so quickly that I continue to reach for new ones. Hopefully, I’m somewhere playing in an arena, with the world understanding and tapping into authentic R&B.
Parlé Mag: As for the immediate, what’s next for you, Kenyon?
Kenyon Dixon: My tour is coming up at the top of 2024. I’m excited to get out on the road and perform The R&B You Love.
Image Credits: Gordan Price
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