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Take a voyage somewhere free, grown up and sexy. Break away from the
formulaic. Go somewhere pleasant, peaceful and soulful, where true love and
lazy afternoons reign supreme. That's where Detroit native and singer/musician KEM takes you on his sophomore LP KEM Album II. Filled with songs
you can really ride to, he sticks to the critically praised R&B/jazz sound
that made his debut album Kemistry, a certified gold hit.
"To me, this album is better than the last one, because I feel better as an
artist," KEM admits. "I stayed in the vibe of the first CD. I took the production up a notch. And I had more time to develop my songs."
KEM knows singing songs for adult contemporary listeners is what drives his
success. "I am not trying to market to that get naked crowd. My primary
purpose is to serve people who like what I am doing."
It's precisely this crowd that the musician sings to on KEM Album II. With
the lead single "I Can't Stop Loving You," KEM sets himself apart from his
contemporaries with raw and unselfish emotion. He believes his honesty is
one of the main reasons he's garnered such a devoted fan base.
"I toured with songs from the album and I did about 15 or 20 cities. And the
crowd sung the words of the new songs like they had heard them before. After
I noticed the audience's reaction, I went back in the studio and changed
some of the songs. Now it's more lyrical. I talk about love. I talk about
walking in faith. I talk about God. Mostly, my songs are about the human
condition."
Frustrated with the glut of tired songs he heard on the radio and determined
to breathe some fresh air into the scene, KEM wrote, produced and financed
his debut album by waiting tables and singing Top 40 covers in a wedding
band. Motown later signed KEM and re-released the Kemistry album which went
on to sell over 500,000 copies nationally.
And though hip-hop dominates and most R&B is a hybrid, KEM kept the MC's on
the sideline. "There is no rapping on my album. I feel like there are a lot
of people who already do that."
KEM Album II is jam-packed with hot tracks. On "I Can't Stop Loving You,"
KEM pens a classic love story that pulls no punches. "I deal with the
struggle of relationships and how hard it is to love someone. It's something
adults can relate to."
His label mate Stevie Wonder plays the harmonica on "You Might Win," an
upbeat message about giving your all. "The song is about stepping out and
taking a chance. Go for it. Chances are that if you put your heart in it,
you'll get whatever you are seeking in life."
Other standouts include "Heaven," where KEM sings about finding his zenith
in a woman and how it transformed him.
Some might decry him too religious, but KEM insists that the most high is
why his life is soaring. "My career didn't take off until I connected with
my spirituality. That's why I take time on stage and on the album to
administer spirituality to people. That's one of the things that I am most
proud of."
If you ask KEM, that's the reason he wrote the song "Each Other." "It's a
conversation between God and me," he says. "I'm talking about our need for
more of him in our lives. I made this song because I feel like we are
destroying each other. I'm telling God: please show us the way. It's a
testament to the times we are living in. More people need to be able to
express that freely."
KEM especially dug recording "I'm Into You," a trumpet-laden jam where a man
falls head first for a woman. "It's a really fun tune. It's funky. I'm
singing in a falsetto voice and telling a woman that I'm into her everything: toes, heart, soul, everything. I even like the way she says my
name."
He might be a long way from Detroit street benches and being isolated from
his family, like he was at one time, but the hardworking and humble KEM
never forgets what the journey has taught him. That's why the music on KEM
Album II reflects a performer comfortable in his own skin. And while some
performers are spoiled and often complain about certain perks, KEM is simply
overjoyed to perform and play music for a living. Everything else is just
icing on the cake. "Every day I reflect on where I've come from. Right now,
I don't have any problems compared to sleeping outside or dealing with
addiction. Thankfully, I've been equipped by a higher power to battle those
things."
Finally, there's s a soul singer who concentrates on nothing but the music.
"There is no gimmick," KEM says with a mischievous grin. "Just a cat and his
keyboard and that's good for me."
* * *
Motown Record's critically-acclaimed
singer/songwriter KEM is storming up the albums chart with his sophomore CD,
KEM Album II. The album bows at #5 on the Pop Albums chart and #1 on the R&B
Albums chart this week putting the talented newcomer in the company of Mariah Carey, Toby Keith and other top-notch artists. His unprecedented
sales streak proves that listeners have embraced his soulful talent, sensual
lyrics, and contagious beats and melodies.
People Magazine joins the chorus of praise for Album II, awarding 3 out of 4
stars to the record: "Kem displays vocal versatility from his scat skills to
a creamy, gender-bending falsetto." In describing Kem's smash hit single,
the publication raves: "The ultra-romantic 'I Can't Stop Loving You' [is]
tailor-made for a night of lovemaking."
KEM Album II was self-produced by the multi-talented artist, and is the
highly-anticipated follow-up to Kem's 2004 certified gold debut, Kemistry,
which delivered the sleeper hit, "Love Calls." The single stayed in the Top
20 of radio airplay for more than a year and USA Today hailed his first
album as a "Motown classic."
Motown's new President (and Executive Vice President of Universal Records),
Sylvia Rhone, who spear-headed the promotion and marketing campaign for this
project states, "This is only the tip of the iceberg for Kem. His success is
a testament to his dedication to his craft, and his willingness to go beyond
any preconceived boundaries of what an R&B singer can be."
Although the Detroit native rose to national attention with his poignant
love songs, his personal story is one of victory and triumph: Kem was once
homeless, struggling to support himself and his family by waiting tables and
singing Top 40 cover songs for weddings. Once on his feet, he independently
financed and released his first album before signing with Motown Records in
2002. The story of Kem inspires audiences in the same moving way his sultry
music does. Kem represents a shift in the R&B paradigm and fans are taking
to it at an astonishingly fast pace.
KEM's new album features 11 mesmerizing songs, including "Find Your Way,"
"Into You," and "You Might Win," featuring the legendary Stevie Wonder on
harmonica.
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ON KEM
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