R&B Rookie of the Month
On Valentine’s Day 2025 (Feb. 14), a music video clip featuring an impossibly long and undeniably sensual makeout session instantly dominated social media. The video featured two artists: five-time Grammy-nominee Kehlani and one of R&B’s most arresting new voices — kwn.
Hailing from Walthamstow, East London, kwn (pronounced kay-one) grew up in a musical household soundtracked by selections from her mother, two older sisters and former-DJ father. While her parents introduced her to “old-school garage and house,” her sisters’ love for early-‘00s R&B heartthrobs ended up having an outsized impact on her current sound. “When I shared a room with my middle sister, she would have Chris Brown posters all over the wall, and my eldest sister was in love with Justin Timberlake,” the artist born K. Wilson reflects with a slight chuckle. “We had loads of R&B going throughout the house. A lot of Pharrell and stuff like that. I think it’s definitely following me now.”
Around 13 years old, kwn made a decision between football and music that would completely change her life. Building on her background on drums and keys, she began learning her way around at-home studio setups with some help from her sisters and their friends. She calls “So High,” one of the first songs she ever wrote, “terrible and really bad,” but she’s open to the idea of potentially sampling it in a brand-new record. By 16, she enrolled in East London Arts & Music, where she enjoyed a thorough music education, covering everything from music theory to reading contracts. Her time at East London gave her space to find her sonic pocket – a moody amalgam of trap, soulful vocal stacks and splashes of dark electronic music that both captures and reimagines the post-Bryson Tiller R&B landscape – with early tracks like “Tell Me” (with Natrell).
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In 2019, she connected with manager Carlyn Calder, who founded artist management company Vibeout Limited that same year, joining a roster that included Jvck Jones and Grammy-nominated producer Scribz Riley. “Nothing goes without Carlyn’s permission. We’re on the phone probably 50 times a day,” remarks kwn. “She’s my best friend; it’s a really good relationship that allows us to level up together without any pressure or ego.”
After taking some time to regain her motivation following COVID-19 lockdown, kwn launched her debut single, “Wn Way or Another,” in 2022. The song introduced her debut EP, Episode Wn, which arrived later that year. Kwn’s momentum continued in 2023 with “No Cinderella” and “Eyes Wide Open,” but the following year proved to be the tipping point for her burgeoning career. In 2024, she guested on “Clothes Off,” a cut from Kehlani’s While We Wait 2 mixtape, and later opened the European leg of the “After Hours” singer’s Crash world tour at the top of 2025.
“Worst Behavior,” the song that soundtracks that heated music video, arrived last November, instantly becoming kwn’s most-streamed song on Spotify – only to be surpassed by the Kehlani-assisted remix that landed three months later. According to Luminate, kwn’s breakthrough hit has amassed over 16 million official on-demand U.S. streams through March 6.
Billboard spoke with March’s R&B Rookie of the Month about what she learned from touring with Kehlani, how the steamy “Worst Behaviour” music video came together, collaborating with ROTM alum Jordan Adetunji, and how she views the U.K. R&B scene.
When did you decide to use a stage name, and how did you land on kwn?
It kind of came out of a nickname; it used to be K with a #1. My manager tried to make me change my name completely, but I liked the way it sounded — it just didn’t look cool on paper. So, I mushed all my initials together, since my last name is Wilson. If people don’t know how to pronounce it [yet], it’s fine. They’ll catch on soon.
How would you describe the evolution of the “kwn” sound?
I don’t really think I could pinpoint a sound; I just do whatever feels good. I love creating, and I don’t think there’s a limit to what we can do. I love the thought of waking up in the morning knowing that what I’m gonna come out with at the end of the day doesn’t exist in the morning. Even if it’s not something that eventually gets released, it’s still a beautiful process.
Do you find yourself getting drawn to certain chords or textures?
Yes, definitely. R&B influences are a consistency throughout my music, but I try to push the boundaries to see what I can do differently with it.
What elements from traditional R&B do you try to keep in your style?
I love traditional R&B background vocals and vocal production. I study that quite a lot and have been for the past year or so. Every time I go into the studio, I’m like, “Let’s make something that doesn’t sound like anything anybody’s heard.” Even if that means sitting there for the next 12 hours and we bang out 15-20 ideas. And if we don’t make anything, we don’t make anything. That’s what it’s all about.
What’s your favorite part of the music-making process?
The thing I find tedious is also the thing I love the most, and that’s doing background vocals. It takes so long, but I love it. The end product is always so amazing when you hear it. I’m always recording myself; I just prefer it.
Who were some of the producers or engineers that you find yourself drawn to?
Joel Compass is amazing – we work really well together. Scribz Riley is amazing. I’ve been working a lot with FaxOnly, too.
How did “Worst Behaviour” come together?
I was at home in my bedroom, and my mom was out that night. She never usually goes out, so I was like, “Alright, I’m gonna bump the music as loud as I can.” I made the song on Instagram Live in maybe 10 minutes. It was quick. I can’t remember what the inspiration was. I had the space and time to create, so I did. After I made the beat, I started coming up with melody ideas, and then I had the first verse and the chorus done.
I’m still on Instagram Live at this point, like, “Where’s my mum?” Somebody in the comments was like, “Oh, your mum commented that she’s already home!” I was like, “Huh?” I went into her room, and she was fast asleep. I said, “Oh my goodness. I’ve been blasting the music this whole time, and she’s been sleeping!” [Laughs.]
I wrote the second verse with Sasha Keable and finished it. Obviously, I worked hard on it, but it doesn’t feel like it was one of those ones where I had to take my time with it and revisit it a few times. It was super organic.
When did you start to realize that this was growing into a hit?
When I made it, I was like, “Oh, I think I got something here.” I always kind of know when I’m working on a song, whether it’s gonna be something that I keep. If I wake up the next morning and wanna listen to it straight away, it’s probably a good one.
Has your mom finally heard the full version of the song?
Oh yeah, she loves my music! She’s my biggest fan. I love my mum.
Did you always envision a remix?
No, I didn’t. Me and Kehlani have been friends for a minute now, so once I put out “Worst Behaviour,” she told me I should do a remix because it was kinda going off. I was like, “Why don’t you jump on the remix?” — I had to! — and then she jumped on it. She sent me the verse back within a day, she’s super fast.
What were some of the biggest takeaways you got from opening for Kehlani’s tour?
The biggest takeaway was that I can actually do this. Obviously, I know how to make music in my bedroom and do take after take until it’s perfect. But standing up there onstage and doing it without stopping… it’s a bit daunting. After the Crash [World] Tour, I now know I am ready to do this as a full-time career. I’m doing that already, but it taught me what kind of levels I can reach.
To perform at the O2 in my hometown – just my second hometown show after popping out for Destin Conrad at Koko, which was amazing – at this stage in my career is cool. I’ve only been putting out music for the last two or three years.
“Clothes Off” or “Worst Behaviour” remix?
I love both, but “Clothes Off.” It’s something about the sonics of it.
You know we need to talk about the “Worst Behaviour” video.
I knew you was gonna ask me about that. [Laughs.] We shot the video the day after the London show, which was crazy. Both me and Kehlani were sick; it was a tough one to get through, but we did it. We already had the idea of me being in front of the car, and one-take videos are a running theme for me, so we went from there. My director, Chris Chance, wanted it to be sexy and feel like you’re stuck in this moment with the eye contact and the Shibari model. We wanted you to be distracted, but not too distracted.
And then the kiss, man. We decided to shake the Internet a bit and get this song really popping off – and that’s what we did.
Where did the one-take video aesthetic come from?
I watched a lot of cool videos that were going around on TikTok, and they were like 10-second, one-shot things that were super cinematic and in slow motion. I also watched [the 2021 British drama] Boiling Point, which is a whole one-shot film. I think it’s a cool way to tell a story, and it worked straight away. I’m super involved in the editing process; it’s more me and my manager sitting down and coming up with an idea, then taking it to Chris, and he’ll elevate it. It’s a proper collaboration.
We did it for “Lord, I’ve Tried,” and that worked amazingly, so we did it for “Eyes Wide Open” and now “Worst Behaviour.” The hardest part about the “Worst Behaviour” video was the Shibari model because you can’t control how she spun on the rope.
You linked with Jordan Adetunji for his song “Too Many Women.” How did you two cross paths?
He was teasing it on TikTok, and then he hit me like, “Yo, we gotta get one.” I told him the song he was teasing was fire, and a few months later, he sent over an open verse. I did it for him, and that was that. Another bedroom banger that I did in my room. I think he did his parts in L.A.
How would you characterize the U.K. R&B scene?
There’s a lot of good talent coming out of the U.K. If I’m being totally honest, we should do more things to uplift U.K. R&B as a whole, rather than individually. There’s a lot of talent that I think is overlooked, but we’ll soon get our time.
Do I see myself as a part of U.K. R&B? I rep London heavy, but I’m also just here. My name is Kay, and I’m just doing my thing, going around this world, trying to live my life.
Who’s on your Mount Rushmore of producers you’d like to lock in with for a whole project?
Pharrell, Timbaland, Finneas and Anderson .Paak.
How are you handling how quickly things are moving?
I’m so overwhelmed right now. Somebody asked me the other day, if there was a theme track to your life right now, what would it be? I said it would be like 50 songs all at once — that’s how my brain feels. There’s a lot going on, but I’m so grateful. It’s a good problem to have, but a lot to adapt to. I’m just trying to remain grounded and keep myself focused.
What else do you have planned for 2025?
My project is dropping this year. I’ve been working on it for the last nine months to a year. I’m super proud of it. I’ve produced quite a few on there too, which is super exciting for me as a personal goal. I hope to do more shows as well. I want to travel more and make more music in different countries.
What does rest look like for you in this kind of moment?
Yeah, I do be resting; don’t worry about it. [Laughs.] I always wanna keep the love and passion I had for music from the start. The studio is my safe space. I love spending time with my family; that’s probably the most important thing for me. I got a niece and nephew whom I love spending time with, and they’re a big part of my life.
When Regina George asked Cady Heron if she thought Aaron Samuels’ hair “looks sexy pushed back” in the 2004 teen comedy classic Mean Girls, Lindsay Lohan’s reserved character graphically imagined handling the situation how they would “in the animal world” – by leaping across the cafeteria table and tackling, growling and clawing at Rachel McAdams’ queen bee role. But of course, that didn’t actually happen. “Your hair looks sexy pushed back,” Heron responded defeatedly.
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That level of crashing out is what 26-year-old Vietnamese-American singer SAILORR believes “music is for,” she tells Billboard from her producer Adam Krevlin’s Los Angeles crib. As a “retired crash out” herself, SAILORR (real name Kayla Le) has prioritized preserving her peace over staying pressed in real life. But on her 2024 breakout hit and post-breakup anthem, “POOKIE’S REQUIEM,” she rips apart her ex for moving on “to whatever b–ch you got in Bushwick,” while revealing she still feels torn up, even hyperventilating in the outro.
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Summer Walker reiterates that while she wishes her ex the best, she knows the worst is yet to come for his new girl on the remix of “POOKIE’S REQUIEM,” which peaked at No. 10 on Hot R&B Songs and No. 8 on Bubbling Under Hot 100, and acted as a lookout while SAILORR trashed her ex’s house in the official music video. “She was like, ‘OK, SAILORR, what do you have me doing?’ And I’m like, ‘Here’s the treatment.’ She was down with all of my shenanigans!” says SAILORR, adding that directing the music video with Walker in it is the biggest “pinch me” moment of her career so far.
SAILORR’s histrionics are a remnant from her musical theater days, when she dreamed of performing on Broadway while attending an art school in her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. Prior to graduating high school, she started auditioning for various conservatories around the country, and on her way to a callback at The Theatre School at DePaul University, SAILORR decided acting wasn’t worth getting into debt for – but that music was worth pursuing.
While working a series of odd jobs from florist to lash tech, she released a handful of indie R&B singles and uploaded eclectic DJ mixes to SoundCloud under the alias Sailor Goon, inspired by the Japanese manga series Sailor Moon that she grew up watching. She built her own music community by befriending neighborhood “gear nerds” who taught her how to chop beats, and by virtually connecting with people from SoundCloud, including Adam Kain and AJ Roth of the psychedelic R&B band Cruza, who introduced her to their manager (and now SAILORR’s manager) Zach Migdal. Fast forward a few years later, SAILORR’s new biting, bass-heavy ballad “Cut Up” was SoundCloud’s track of the day last week.
Billboard spoke with February’s R&B Rookie of the Month about paying homage to her Vietnamese heritage with her moniker and blackened grillz, being a “retired crash out,” her ex’s response to “POOKIE’S REQUIEM” and being inspired by Nikki Giovanni on “W1LL U L13?”
What kind of music did you grow up listening to, and how does that influence the music you currently make?
My first introduction to any sort of music was getting my sister’s iPod Nano — I would take that s—t and see what she had downloaded from Limewire. It was mainly ‘90s R&B and hip-hop and 2000s R&B and hip-hop. When I was in middle school, that’s when I decided I wanted to explore music. I was always an avid listener. At that early stage, it was Destiny’s Child and Lauryn Hill, later I discovered Erykah Badu and André 3000. In middle school, I went through a huge alt phase. I was listening to a lot of indie music.
I read that you were a musical theatre kid, and just like me, you’re a child of immigrant parents. How do those aspects of your background affect the storytelling and aesthetics of your music?
It’s funny ‘cause deep down in my soul, I wanted to be on Broadway. I knew I wanted to be a performer. But of course, my family was like, “So what are you actually gonna do? What’s the vibes?” In general, that area of my life gave me the tools to learn how to survive out in the real world. After I graduated high school, I was like, “What am I gonna do with my life? Am I actually gonna audition for conservatories?” I was like, “No, I’m not going into debt for that. F—k that.” I started making music and hustling that way. In the same way you grow up in a family of immigrants, it teaches you ingenuity and your drive to go further. It motivated me, my parents not really being fully supportive of me doing music. It was just like, “I’m gonna do this s–t forreal and I’mma show you.”
If we’re really being frank, it’s kind of unprecedented. I don’t see anybody else like me making music like me. That territory of truly being myself and being able to present that to people and then have people connect with that, that s—t is still crazy as f—k to me. My life has completely changed because of that one song, and it goes to show that I had it in me. I just had to keep trusting it.
And what kind of music do you listen to now?
Mainly I listen to underground rap. Skaiwater is my s—t. The3 Sacred Souls. SahBabii. Prettifun. TisaKorean. There’s a girl named Nali, she’s hard as f—k.
How did you come up with the name SAILORR?
Growing up watching Sailor Moon — but also my finsta used to be @sailorg00n. I used to go by Sailor Goon when I was releasing music back then and little DJ mixes on SoundCloud. I had to drop it because I was like, “Sailor just rings so well. That’s me.” And to tie it back into my culture and heritage, there was a mass exodus of [Vietnamese] refugees that came [to America] after the war, and they were all sailors essentially. I came from a bunch of fishermen. My grandma, the first thing she did here when she came to America was peel shrimp on a boat.
Where did the inspiration come from to wear blackened grillz?
Way back when, a lot of Southeast Asian women would dye their teeth black using various things, it depends on where you come from. My grandma had black teeth. The very formative years of my life, when my parents were working, I was being watched by my grandma. She was my first look at what femininity is. It was an homage to her, but also, growing up in Florida, everybody has grillz. It’s a perfect intersection of where I come from and then where I come from.
Take me back through the making of “POOKIE’S REQUIEM.” I read you were inspired by the 2000s film Requiem of a Dream.
First of all, it’s a very f—king sad movie. That whole movie represents addiction, I feel like you can tie that into love, relationships. Specifically with that relationship, it was like, “Ah I know this isn’t going anywhere, but we’re here. I’m gonna keep coming back because I love that validation.” During that period of time when I made that song, we had just gone no contact, me and my ex. S—t was weird and off. I really had to take personal inventory and be like, “What is important to me right now?” And during that moment of time, it was me taking back myself. When you’re feeling yourself, you feel like you’re f—king 10 feet tall! A lot of what I said in that song is silly, like, “I’m gonna read you to filth, I’m gonna read her to filth and I’m gonna read me to filth. We’re all going down, b–ch!”
Has your ex reached out to you about the song?
Yeah definitely tried to spin back a couple times. It’s been weird, it’s been awkward. I don’t engage because I have to preserve my energy and my mental health. I can’t do it, it’s too much going on. I hope he’s doing well genuinely, it’s no beef over here. I just use it for source material, but in real life, I’m not a crash out forreal. I used to be, but now I’m just like, “It’s too much at stake here. I can’t f—k my s—t up over anybody.”
It must be nice to release those emotions through music like, “Let me not crash out in real life, but at least I can crash out through the song. In a different world, this is how I might’ve reacted.”
It’s like Mean Girls whenever they play out the scene and it’s super intrusive but then it doesn’t actually happen. But genuinely, that’s what music is for. I think it is funny that he has heard the song ‘cause know he knows what I know, I peeped game. A lot of the sh— is literal, but it’s also me popping my sh—.
What’s the best way to get through a breakup?
Cry, and then go do s—t that you actually really love to do. During that time, I was keeping myself busy going back and forth to LA from Florida. When I would be at home, I would go to the beach, go to the gym, smoke a blunt with my homegirls. And giving yourself time to really process everything.
Explain the significance behind the fan dance during your From the Block performance last November.
During Lunar Year, there’s a whole ceremony. The lions come out, the fan dancers. A lot of what I do in my music or my performance or my art in general is [a] nod to the things that I grew up with, things that are nostalgic to me. For From the Block, there was a Rush Hour 2 reference.
And what compelled you to hang upside down during your On The Radar performance?! How did you pull that off?
For that concept, I was like, “OK, play on the word ‘sailor.’ I’m going overboard. I’m trying to dock the boat.” It was just funny. I didn’t want to give a regular performance. We want to give it some story, some life. Hanging upside down was the “wow” factor.
That s–t was f—ked up, though. The type of harness you have to get into, all the pressure is in your chest and in your head. I wanted to try doing live vocals, and I probably could have, but because it was the second live performance of “POOKIE’S REQUIEM,” I felt like people were gonna come down on me and be like, “D–n, that’s how she sings?” I’m also upside down, b–ch!
How did you get Summer Walker on the “POOKIE’S REQUIEM” remix?
We met at a studio in LA. She’s so, so sweet. I literally love her music. I used to bump that s—t so, so, so, so heavy, still do. But for any artist to get some sort of props or cosign from my peers – your peers are people that you really, really, really look up to and respect – that s—t was wild.
This song literally opened up connections with people I’ll be able to call as part of my community. The biggest thing about music for me is being able to build with other people, collaborating is my biggest thing. I’m excited that it gets to be with people that I’ve loved and respected for the longest time.
At the end of the remix’s title, you wrote in brackets, “hehe look y’all I made it longer.” Were fans telling you the original song was too short?
Yes, of course. Everybody on TikTok, all the comments were like, “Why the f—k is this s—t only a minute long?” I hear y’all. I do read through them comments now! I hate to admit that…. At the beginning, it was hella hate so I really used to be reading through that shade, trying to restrain myself from responding to everybody. I’m a retired crash out now. [Laughs.] I’m excited to connect with the fans more. I’m so excited to perform live, I’m so excited to start a Discord and actually get to know them.
Do you have a name for your fanbase?
I call them the Fleet, like Sailor’s Fleet!
What did you think of Halle’s cover of “POOKIE’S REQUIEM”?
It was so good, she’s great. I love her.
Who else would you love to collaborate with this year?
I could throw so many people out there. Dream? Doechii, f—king SZA of course. I definitely want to make a song with Skaiwater. Random as f—k, King Krule. The ball could f—king go into any court at this point, who’s trying to work?
The “It’s because I love you/ I’mma get the least of you” lyrics from the bridge of “W1LL U L13?” comes from the televised sit-down conversation between Nikki Giovanni and James Baldwin in 1971. How did you find inspiration from that?
First of all, she’s an amazing person, RIP. I had picked a day to release it, and then she literally passed like two or three days before. I was like, “What the f—k?” In a way, it was a tribute to her because she’s one of the people that really influences me in all of this, as a person outside of the music.
“W1LL U L13?” is about knowing that this person can only give you so much, but you’re still here for it and going through the motions with this person. From that conversation, she was talking about “Why can’t you f—king fake it for me like you fake it with everybody else? Why do I always get the worst parts of you? Aren’t I the one that you love the most?” That whole song is [about how] it’s always often the people that are closest to you that you take for granted.
At the end of last year, you posted two truths and a lie on Instagram. “Before I dropped “POOKIE’S REQUIEM,” I had to get 3 different sets of gold fronts made because I broke 2 of them, and for majority of the videos I’ve been seen in, I wear my Invisalign trays painted black. Before music, I was a bartender, florist, and lash tech and reached out to Chief Keef’s team to be a professional blunt roller (they never got back to me). And I have a forklift certification.” The people still want to know: Which one was the lie? Was it the forklift one?
Yup. [Regarding the first truth], there’s stage makeup by Ben Nye, that’s a makeup brand, that makes tooth paint, and I used to paint [my Invisalign trays] black.
Could you take it off?
Well, I had to change my trays every week anyway, so I was like, “F—k it.” I’m sure I could sit there and scrub it off. I had to literally get three sets of grillz made because I was so irresponsible. The first two months after I dropped “POOKIE’S REQUIEM,” I just kept f—king losing them. I broke them at one point. I was like, “You know what? I’m just gonna paint my Invisalign trays black and go from there.”
So you really did reach out to Chief Keef’s team to be his professional blunt roller?
I did. They never got back to me.
Why him specifically?
[Sings.] These b–ches love Sosa! The offer is still on the table. I don’t care how busy I am, I’ll come kick it with Chief Keef anytime.
What more can we expect from SAILORR in 2025? Are we getting a debut project?
EP for sure. I’m thinking right now like eight songs — but I don’t know, we’ll see.
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