Rising star Rapper Keanan making a name for himself in music industry
AMAN from Cheltenham is proving his doubters wrong by making a name for himself as a rapper. Keanan was laughed at by some for having a dream of becoming a mainstream singing star.
But the 24-year-old is the one laughing now as he revels in the success he is having in his music career.
Having being identified as one to watch by the BBC and as a rising star by Gay Times, he was invited to perform at the latter’s prestigious honours awards event on Friday.
It was a huge moment for him. After rapping his way down the catwalk, in front of various famous faces he was buzzing.
He said: “It was amazing. It was a room full of celebrities. It was kind of surreal.
“It was confirmation for me that I’m on the right path.”
Keanan, whose full name is Keanan Sayce, has been viewed more than two million times on Tik Tok and he has high hopes for his new song, Country Boy.
Rap music is often associated with big cities, gangs and alpha male aggression.
Softly spoken Keanan bucks the trend, singing about his personal experiences and heartbreak rather than gang violence.
It led to him being branded as a country boy, with some who felt he didn’t fit in with the scene mocking his attempt to become a part of it.
And that followed him being bullied at school after he came out as gay.
But instead of rejecting his roots and trying to be something that he’s not, Keanan has embraced the label attached to him and used it to create his own identity.
He said: “I’ve been labelled in this way and it’s kind of worked.
“People mock the fact that I’m a rapper from Cheltenham.
“Well, they did. Now I want to switch it up. It’s a small town, big dream story.
“The industry is accepting me now – my views and my performances.”
Cheltenham born and bred, he went to Gardners Lane Primary School, Pittville School, Bournside School’s sixth form and studied criminology at the University of Gloucestershire. He lives in Swindon Village but commutes a lot
The progression is happening very fast. I’ve got a lot of industry people pushing out to work with me.
Keanan
to London for shows and performances.
He added: “The progression is happening very fast. I’ve got a lot of industry people pushing out to work with me.”
Keanan, who featured at the Cheltenham 7s Festival this year when he headlined alongside Tinchy Stryder, aims to become a mainstream artist and right now he’s confident he will make it.