Interview with rising artist Kansah

Refusing to be confined by a single genre, Kansah has built his sound around the seamless fusion of Afrobeats, Afro house, UK rap, and R&B. With millions of streams, performances across UK festivals and international stages, and a reputation for creating music that feels just as at home in headphones as it does on the dancefloor, he continues to push his sound in new directions.

Flex caught up with Kansah to discuss the evolution of his latest single "Sexy", blending genres without compromise, writing for movement and confidence, and why following the right vibe has always mattered more than staying in one lane.

• You move between Afrobeats, Afro house, UK rap and R&B. Do you ever feel pressure to “pick a lane” or has blending genres always felt like the most natural way to represent your sound?

Being able to diversify and cross genre feels very natural to me. I tend to create music based on my mood and what vibe I’m feeling at the time. 

• You’ve built a strong live reputation across UK festivals and now international stages in Spain and Kenya. How does your music change when you’re thinking about a crowd in front of you versus people streaming it at home?

I wouldn’t say my music changes at all. I feel my music caters for both those steaming at home and on stage. The difference is the interaction during a live show. 

• “Sexy” was written with summer, clubs and festivals in mind from the beginning. When you start a track with that kind of intention, does it make the writing easier or more restrictive creatively?

It varies. Sometimes it just clicks and I can make a song without an hour or even minutes. That how it was when I initially recorded sexy. 

• The song originally leaned more toward pure Afrobeats before being rebuilt into an Afro house fusion. What changed in your thinking that made you feel it needed that shift in sound?

I originally wrote and created the track some years ago when Afrobeats was becoming noticed in the UK however I now wanted to create something modern and have elements of both a smooth Afro feel with a fusion feel for hitting clubs and getting people moving.

• The title is direct, but the track is really about energy, confidence and movement. What does “sexy” mean to you in this context? Sound, attitude or the way a crowd feels when the music hits right?

For me the title Sexy is about feeling good, feeling confident and wanting to just have fun. Simple but effective, something which those who have heard the song agree with.