The moniker of Keekai is worn by Robert Sy, a queer Filipinx singer and songwriter. Fearless expression, energy, heartbreak and acceptance are key to his powerhouse R&B style, weaving emotion within his tales of unspoken woes. Making his way to the status of the idols that came before him, his sound is a constantly evolving excitement.
Keekai‘s new single ‘Thunder’ is ethereal from the first moment, the subtle pulses of the synth pad and dreamlike arpeggios opening up a world of pensive vocal poetry. The notes emerge from Keekai, drenched in a passion he cannot contain, steadily flourishing into a brighter light amongst the haze. The kicks cut through some prominently, and the electronic arrangements constantly grow, but neither are able to cover the innate power of Keekai’s melodies, fighting back with a growing backdrop of harmony, reaching a utopian climax of emotion and tonality before falling away once again.
On his upcoming EP, Keekai shares, “This EP coexists with trauma and love. It is fabulous, broken, funny, triumphant. All the in-betweens. At once, lost in the understanding of love, but now finding power in its grand capacity to love. To be able to exist in these two modes and to find power in them is what makes this new iteration of my music so alluring and true. It is intentional in its practice of self-love and the romance of others. It is a voice that giggles, swoons, begs, cries, and yearns. A voice that wants love and is surrounded by it.”