In 2019, Khalid was named one of Time Magazine’s most influential people, and his influence has not slowed down since. The 23-year-old R&B artist recently released his new single “Present” on Oct. 22, and it showed fans just how much he has been working on his music since the pandemic started.
The multi-platinum-selling superstar exploded into the music scene in 2017 with his hit song “Location,” which came from his debut album “American Teen.” “American Teen” went on to go double-platinum and set the tone for Khalid’s pop/R&B style soon after. His second album “Free Spirit” continued his legacy of creating music that is catchy, relatable and has great beats.
Khalid fans have been waiting for him to release music on his own after spending a lot of time doing features during the past two years. In July, he dropped a futuristic type single called “New Normal” which set up a series of more singles to be released before his third album drops.
“Present” was released with a lot of anticipation leading up to it. On Instagram, Khalid could be seen promoting the new single before the release of its coupled music video. Contrary to the former drop of “New Normal,” “Present” offers a melodic R&B flow, carried by guitar strums and Khalid’s distinct voice/sound. It sounds very similar to his previous music from “American Teen,” but instead carries a mature tone, a sign of the times of him ageing into a new and more mature artist.
“It feels good to be more present after such a trying year in the pandemic, and it’s also a present for my fans that have been with me every step of the way,” Khalid explained in an interview with Complex about the duality of the new song.
As a kid, Khalid was always inspired by R&B music because of the influence of his mother. The harmonies and melodies that his fans often hear on each of his tracks are reminiscent of his love for the R&B style.
Khalid says he feels like a kid again while writing this new album, “Everything is Changing.” By taking it back to the basics and zoning in on his creativity as an artist, fans can only hope that his new music continues to have the same effect that “Present” does.
