Imagine a person who makes their presence felt as soon as they step into the room. Pair that with an instantly recognizable charisma and an unrelenting drive to be the best version of themself. All of these traits culminate together to make up Eugene-based rapper and super-producer Andrew Kai. I sat down with him to get a better understanding of who he is not only as a musician, but as a person.
Born in Oakland, Calif., but spending the majority of his adolescence in Bear Valley, Calif., Kai was able to spend lots of time honing his craft. He started making beats at 12, but his love for music didn’t start there. He started piano lessons at a young age, but he didn’t learn how to tickle the ivories in a way you’d expect.
Kai has Peters Anomaly, which “is a rare congenital disorder characterized by central corneal opacity with a relatively clear peripheral cornea.” Kai credits his “great ears” for his natural musical ability.
“I took piano lessons when I was 3 or 4,” Kai said. “I was just mimicking my piano teacher because I couldn’t read the sheet music.”
When Kai was 12, his dad gifted him a Numark turntable after downloading GarageBand onto his Mac.
“I remember that really sparked something for me,” Kai said. “I downloaded Serato and started mixing some stuff. It was cool because that led to me becoming my middle school and high school DJ … One time in particular I did a bass drop with the ‘Deez Nuts’ meme and all of the kids freaked out but the teachers hated me for it. That just spoke to my love for making music.”
Since Kai has been making beats for half of his life, he’s had a lot of time to grow as an artist. His latest album, “Everybody’s at the Party,” sees Kai operating in a concept album, with the first half written from his perspective and the second half as vignettes from the other party attendees.
A personal highlight from the second half is “Tales,” where Kai showcases remarkably detailed and personal storytelling backed by spacey production. “Confessionism” is another strong track, this time from the first half. Kai especially shines in the chorus, with layered vocals and soaring synth drones supporting the introspective lyrics, “Ego in control / Consume me whole / Pipe down pipe down / Check yourself.”
Later in this calendar year, Kai will release his third album of the decade, and he feels his growth has increased upon the release of each project.
“The difference between the last project and the next project is insane,” Kai said. “If I leveled up on the last project, then this time I leveled up twice. I had more to say on the melodies, I’ve caught pockets better and was able to find more interesting chords. But lyrically I’m more myself.”
Kai is an artist who has recently begun to see the value in collaboration as well. While he thinks he is at his best as a writer when he’s working by himself, he has also made some of his most meaningful songs with other artists.
“For my new song ‘Whatever,’ I remember after coming back from a trip saying ‘f*ck it, I’m back, let’s go,’” Kai said. “Studio sessions, all day. I blew up like half of the Eugene scene. I had like 15-20 artists come through throughout the whole day. I went from noon-4 a.m.” You can tell while listening to the song how much of a communal effort it was. It features Asher Loewenstern on the synths, Amiia Nectar’s backup vocals, a trumpet intro and another verse from Chapstick. “It came together so organically. When I think back on it I just think ‘man, it was fun making this song.’ I value those things really highly.”
Andrew Kai is determined to make a name for himself as a rapper and as a producer. He can seamlessly transition between soulful, introspective ballads to energetic, speaker-blasting bangers with the best of them, and his two latest releases showcase that ability perfectly. Whether you check his music out online or in concert, Kai’s music will not fail to leave a mark.
