An R&B anthem for beer

KESHIA & Tom may be singing about extra-low-carb beer but their debut song is full-fat. With its easy summer vibe, it’s easy to imagine the relaxed R&B of I’m Drinking This

For You soundtracking Saturday afternoon barbecues up and down the country.

The pair seemingly sprang from nowhere but, as is often the case, getting a song on the radio has been a long time coming.

“I was born into music and entertaining and have been doing it ever since,” says Tom, a welltravelled veteran of the pub circuit.

Keshia, however, started much later than birth.

“I was 3 when I started singing, just around family and friends,” she says. “From there I started singing in church, school talent shows and, eventually, productions.”

If you’re not listening closely it’s easy to miss that I’m Drinking This

For You is a tongue-in-cheek homage — although the wailing sax solo near the end is a winking clue for those missing the gag. Though the lyrics are played for laughs, the duo’s vocal gifts are no joke.

Their voices weave in and out of each other effortlessly. Tom is in possession of a soaring falsetto while Keshia’s sultry low register can heat up a room. The way they naturally complement each other you’d think they’d been singing together for years. But you’d be wrong.

“I auditioned for this DB Export commercial and it turned into this amazing music project,” Keshia reveals.

Tom says he, too, had multiple auditions. “I was paired with Keshia and she blew the roof off. I’m very lucky to be singing alongside her. I get goosebumps every time she sings.”

Yes auditions, because that’s the other thing you may have missed. The song was put together by DB Export as a fun way to spread the word about their new beer, DB Export Gold Extra Low Carb.

So call it serendipity but what started off as one thing quickly took on a life of its own as Keshia and Tom got to work and stamped their personalities on the song.

For these musical up-andcomers it’s been something of a roller coaster, recording the song, making a music video, posing for photoshoots and then being discovered by ZM’s Bree and Clint, who were left gobsmacked by the pair’s undeniable talent.

“I didn’t imagine it would be the kind of project it’s turned into,” Keshia says. “I definitely could not have imagined it would be a massive project.”

But why do they think that it’s hitting off with people? Tom has a theory. “I think the world has been waiting for an R&B beer anthem.

I’m Drinking It For You could well be the answer.”