Photo Credit: Aerin Moreno (@aerinmoreno)
By Alissa Arunarsirakul // April 16, 2021
2021 may be a year of ups and downs for you, but it’s also the year you discover the best left pop newcomer to exist: Keni. This 19-year-old only has a few singles out so far, but her charisma and musical talent will take her exceptionally far. Without further ado, we’re pleased to present Keni’s otherworldly new single, “Proximity.”
On “Proximity,” Keni shared,
“Proximity: noun; nearness or closeness in space. I love this word so much. I wrote this song about being infatuated with someone who literally isn’t aware of your existence. The feelings I was having writing it started to feel very high school to me so there’s a lot of references directly related to experiences I had at that time; specifically with boys who didn’t know my name (heehee). The verses describe chance encounters with the boys of my dreams in the hallways of my high school. The chorus is more of a call to let me in. I was trying to communicate that desperate—yet exciting—feeling of wanting to get inside someone’s head but seemingly having no chance of doing so. I remember just wanting to be as close as I could to this person I didn’t know anything about. I think there is also definitely a fantasy aspect to the song, which seems to be a theme with me.”
Whether you’re still in high school or you graduated a while back, “Proximity” shares a familiar tale of hallway crushes. As Keni longs to be as in sync with someone as humanly possible, “Proximity” hears pulsating beats and soul stirring electronics. As for the accompanying visual, you can expect to have flashbacks of your carefree days by way of Keni and company’s lighthearted dance routine.
“The video directed by my right hand girl boss Aerin Moreno takes place in a high school and encompasses all of those hopeless, awkward and honestly sickening crushes that made the day worth it. My best friends and I choreographed an entire dance to this song, which also represents the playfulness of the lyrics. You can see us in the videooooo! ‘Proximity’ is one of the most lighthearted and fun songs I’ve ever written. I can’t promise next time, but this time you can dance…”
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