Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Prince Keanan to drop third single at debut live show
THE International Presentation of Performers (iPop!) opened doors for Malmesbury artist Keanan Swartz, otherwise known as Prince Keanan.
iPop! is aimed at promoting emerging talent. Swartz’s journey started in August 2018 when he auditioned in Camps Bay and blew the directors of Diverse Management House (DMH) Talent Agency and iPop! talent scouts away.
He was chosen out of a number of contestants to represent DMH Talent Agency at the iPOP! Convention in the US a few months later.
Swartz finished in the top three in the singing and dancing sections of the event and came home with more than five awards. He said this was by far the best experience of his life.
“You get to meet amazing people from all over the world of different ages and get to see how they perform and do things. I experienced this when I was only 18 and it was life-changing. I am so appreciative.
“I received 22 callbacks from agents, managers and record labels that wanted to work with me. I chose to sign with an independent record label called Jaded Records. This was a dream come true,” he said.
Swartz, 21, will drop his third single, LOCO, at his debut live show in Johannesburg on May 27. The afrobeat track, which will be available on all music platforms, is about a guy who tries to tell a woman how much he likes her by using his charming and fun personality.
“It’s a fun Afro-beat driven song and I can’t wait to share the rest of my tracks with my fans. It’s one thing to have and listen to a hit song, but to perform and entertain a crowd is a whole different thing.
“I’ll be performing a variety of songs that are still unreleased so it’ll be special to see people listening to them for the first time and see how they react to my music.
“Music is such a creative process. Every artist has a story to tell through their music and every song tells a different story, regardless of the genre.
“I love writing about love, living life to the fullest and relationships, even my own situations. This makes the creating process more special and personal, I can be honest with myself and share my emotions with listeners.”
Swartz is inspired by many artists, especially Ne-Yo.
“Ne-Yo has always been part of my journey. Whenever I need a song to cover or a song to practise dancing to, I go to Ne-Yo. Not only is he incredibly talented but he has a creative way of telling stories through his music and videos. He’s been around a long time and so has his music – we still listen to his music 10 to 20 years later.
“I love travelling and meeting new people and exploring new places. I’ve had the privilege of visiting Las Vegas, Atlanta, Dallas and the Dominican Republic,” he said.
His booking agent, Chantal Bezuidenhout, said Swartz was passionate about his career.
“Keanan prioritises his education in his chosen field and finds every opportunity to make sure that he learns as much as he can. He’s proven that he’s prepared to put in the work to be a success and he’s clearly on track to making that happen.
“Keanan has achieved a remarkable amount of experience since his trip to iPop! in the US. There aren’t many 21-year-olds who can lay claim to the opportunities and learning that he’s had,” she said.