A Star is Born: Khalid & His Silent Rise to Fame
Characterised by a voice like molasses, a discography of dazzling back-to-back hits, and enough awards to fill a room, Khalid is an unmissable presence in the pop music scene today. The young star has seen a meteoric rise to fame in the past two years. And, while there are no clouds of doubt that follow his star trajectory, there seems to be one ever-looming question: “How does he do it?”
The ‘Talk’ hitmaker, it would seem, has never released a bad song. Now, every pop musician has at least one hit that made it big, but had to face the criticism of many. But, Khalid’s presence on the scene seems untouched by that phenomenon. From his debut hits, ‘Location’ and ‘Young, Dumb & Broke’, to his latest chart-topper, ‘Know Your Worth’, his musical roster boats the ability to draw in audiences far and wide. Everyone likes Khalid’s sound. Don’t get me wrong, there’s always a spectrum – but even if you don’t love it, you don’t hate it. And, that, it would seem, is the most intriguing quality that accompanies Khalid.
Where it All Began
Born to parents in the army, Khalid travelled all over the country and was always deeply influenced by his mother. And, even today, he quotes her as his biggest musical influence. With a voice like his, and a nurturing environment, the only thing left to do was: bloom. And, bloom he did. But, not in the sunlight of a manufactured pop star in-the-making. In fact, Khalid’s rise to fame has been almost as organic as he is.
Fresh out of high school, the singer-songwriter began posting his original music to SoundCloud – the origin story of every indie-pop musician out there, and for good reason, too. What came next was a moment of near-scripted foreshadowing. His music reached the Billboard Young & Emerging Artists chart. And, from then on began his steady growth into the lovable R&B superstar he is today.
As ‘Location’ and ‘Young, Dumb & Broke’ took over the Billboard Airplay charts, Pop Songs Charts and singles charts, his grain as a musician began getting recognised. And, so came his feature on the Logic track, ‘1-800-273-8255’, featuring Alessia Cara. The track went on to get nominated for Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards that year. And, with that feature, Khalid didn’t just cement his place on the map; he prophesised the artist he would soon become. Today, Khalid doesn’t just represent the slick, R&B groove of a generation; or a feel-good pop discography. Yes, it’s all that; but, it’s more.
The Silent Star
Today, Khalid represents pop music defined by vulnerability, raw and sometimes, painful honesty. And, the best reflection of that was his last studio album, ‘Free Spirit’. Debuting atop the Billboard 200 Albums chart, the project sold over 200,000 units in its debut week. But, numbers and records aside, this album delivered Khalid at his peak. And, also brought to light a definitive quality of the ‘Better hitmaker’ – everything you need to know about him is in his music.
And, unlike many of his peers, Khalid’s time in the spotlight is only accompanied by the sound of applause. Luckily for him, his music doesn’t feature the noise of celebrity, his Wikipedia page doesn’t feature the Personal Life tab, and his brand of celebrity is not marketable. In fact, all that the world really knows about Khalid is from his music.
It’s All in The Music
If you want to know Khalid’s biggest fears, listen to ‘Alive’. Ever wondered what what attracts him about a prospective partner? Listen to ‘Love Lies’. If you’ve ever thought about what he feels under the exposure lights and the lens of fame, hit play on ‘Hundred’. And, if you want a glimpse of what his broken heart sounds like, tune into ‘Intro’.
Khalid began an unprecedented journey into global superstardom back in 2017. And, within the span of a few hit singles and start-studded collaborations, he found himself primed for success. Cut to 2020, and he’s who everyone wants to collaborate with. Today, topping charts is the norm for Khalid. A No.1 Hot 100 single is the prediction, off the bat. But, one thing hasn’t changed.
You’ll never really need sound bytes from pop culture publications and “get to know Khalid” interviews that give you an insight into his world. His music always stood on its own. And, today as he shines as a commercially successful, radio favourite, that fact still stands true. If Khalid is an open book, it’s because his music is the writing on the pages.
By: Ahalya Narayanan
