keshi is back and he’s bringing the groove with him. The alt-R&B Vietnamese prince retakes his throne with “Say,” the lead single from his forthcoming sophomore project, REQUIEM.
A lightweight love ballad with a bounce impossible not to dance to, “Say” leans into a keshi classic yearning but this time, he’s keeping it light. The track is a prayer put to work, a cadence informed by a moody stealth, an urban-poppy dazzle. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to move first, think later a new area for the artist, who’s going for a more instinctual, feel-good take on his sound.
“With all my effort in making meaningful music, I neglected songs meant to just make people move,” keshi says. “I remember when I was touring and wanting to play songs that were just enjoyable to groove to. ‘Say’ is my answer to that.”
With its buttery melodies and brittle push-and-pull, “Say” is a perfect reintroduction to keshi evidence that he may have taken his time, but he hasn’t lost a beat. If this is merely a taste of what’s to come, though, REQUIEM is a welcome homecoming.