Black Music/Pride Month Spotlight: Kaytranada
Music producer and DJ Kaytranada allows his talent to speak for itself. Louis Kevin Celestin was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti before his family relocated to Montreal, CAN. At age 14, his parents divorced. His brother Lou Phelps introduced him to a digital audio workstation, FL STUDIO. This introduction forged his production career. Music production was a light in his life after dropping out of high school.
Originally going under the name Kaytradamus, he released two independent projects. After taking on his current moniker, the DJ released more projects under various labels before breaking through with his remix of Janet Jackson’s “If.” This period also saw him form the hip-hop duo The Celestics with his brother, releasing two projects. His profile increased after signing with XL Recordings and DJing for Madonna’s Rebel Heart Tour. He even worked with music superproducer Rick Rubin.
Kaytranada hit his stride with the release of 2016’s 99.9%. The high-profile debut garnered fanfare and acclaim, leading it to win the prestigious Polaris Prize. He continued this streak with 2019’s Bubba, which garnered him two Grammys and a Juno Award. This timeframe saw him work with notable music stars, including Kali Uchis, Craig David, and Victoria Monet.
Kaytranda expanded into joint projects with artists like rapper Buddy. In 2023, he produced the collaborative album Kaytraminé with rapper Anime to much acclaim.
Kaytranada channeled his gifts into crafting trendsetting music. He took back a lane in a space crafted by Black culture and blazed a trail. So, I say, “Kaytranada, we thank you for making music for the masses and the underground.”
You just definitely [have to] learn things. Learn how to play the keys, learn some instruments, just practice and practice. Remake your favourite producers’ beats. That definitely unlocks a lot of things. Watch a lot of tutorials… it’s kind of like the basic stuff but it’s going to make you unstoppable, honestly.
Kaytranada
Originally published at http://adreonpatterson.net on June 13, 2024.
