- country:Argentina
- style(s):Latin, Pop
- label:Sony Music
- artist posted by:Booking & Management
Links
Kevin was born in Alaska (yes, in Fairbanks), but was raised in
Argentina since the age of 12. Born of Argentine mother and
American father, Kevin became part of the local rock scene with
his argentine band “Instrucción Cívica” ("Obediencia Debida",
recorded in 1985, achieved gold record status in Peru). On
October 12, 1990 he set out to New York to “rediscover” the
North America of his childhood. Kevin felt right at home in the
Big Apple, where he settled for almost ten years, with its
mixtures of cultures and cosmopolitan flair. As he often says
“New York is not the United States” which is probably why he
lived there for so long. Soon after his arrival he met Hilly Krystol,
owner of legendary CBGB’s, who invited him to participate in his
future record company. During the 90’s he recorded and played
there as a “house band” every Saturday, and played also at the
Knitting Factory and the Mercury Lounge, among others. In
2000, Kevin decided to return to Buenos Aires, where he settled
once again.
“The Nada” is the name of the band founded by Kevin Johansen
in New York, where he recorded his first album, also called “The
Nada”. The record was later released in Argentina by
independent label Los Años Luz, and in Spain by K Industrias.
The album explores various rhythms and elements of the
Americas, from cumbia to milonga and Cuban sounds, all
handled with a ‘”almost” pop sound. “Mixture is the Future” is
the album’s mantra. “The Nada” surprises constantly due to its
eclectisism, bilingual lyrics and the subtleness of its songs.
Slowly but surely the record began to conquer critics and
audiences, becoming a clear representative of the Buenos Aires
alternative music circuit. This record also attracted interest in
Spain, where Kevin participated in Septembre 2002 in the Vic
Music Market and offered concerts in Madrid and Barcelona.
In late 2002, Kevin went back to the studios and recorded “Sur o
no Sur” in Buenos Aires, which was also released by Los Años
Luz in Argentina and by Sony Music in the remaining Spanish
speaking countries. His privileged voice, ranging from deep
Barry White style, to high-pitched Hindu, invades every song and
manages to mesmerize from the first track. Cumbias flamencas,
Celtic Sambarera, Hip pop, are just a few of the names with
which Kevin himself defines the style of his songs. Because he
cannot be defined into one specific style, he often likes to define
himself as “de-genreate”.
2003 is the year Kevin Johansen took off. The soundtrack of a
successful Argentinean TV show with his songs, brought him
closer to a broader audience. Tours around Argentina, Uruguay,
the U.S., and Spain confirm this great moment. The peak arrived
in June 2003, when he performed at the Gran Rex theatre, the
largest concert theatre in Buenos Aires. In July he arrived in
Spain once again with concerts in Madrid, Barcelona and a
performance at the Pirineos Sur Festival, where he received
raving reviews. In October, Kevin traveled to the U.S., where he
performed at the Latin MTV awards, and toured Miami, New
York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, to promote the
release of his album Sur o no Sur. Finally, Kevin rounded up the
year with another successful performance at the Gran Rex in
Buenos Aires on December 12.
In 2004, the album “Sur o no Sur”, was released in México, Spain
and Chile, so February and March found Kevin promoting his
new production. In Spain he offered full house concerts in
Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia that had great repercussion
among the press.
Between July and August Kevin continued his “Tour o no Tour”
for “Sur o no Sur”, in Spain (La Mar de Musicas, Madrid,
Barcelona Forum 2004, Gijón, and Zaragoza), Belgium (Sfinks
Festival), and the United States (LAMC and Joe’s Pub in NYC). In
October, Kevin and his band The Nada, visited Chile for the first
time, where they played at the Theatre “Oriente”, packed with
new fans.
The final surprise for the album “Sur o no Sur”, was its
nomination for three Latin Grammys Awards in essential
categories, such as “Album of the Year”, “Song of the Year”, and
“Best Video”.
During these trips, Kevin began working on his third album,
which he later named “City Zen”. As he says, “it’s about putting
up with the chaos of the city, where the music is always
present”. Music works as Zen for the city, and the album reflects
the urban spirit of the many cities Kevin has lived in throughout
his life. The album was presented with great success during two
days in December 2004, at the Opera Theatre in Buenos Aires.
Fun, deep, playful, smart, thoughtful, are just a few of the
adjectives we could use to define his lyrics. Kevin Johansen
deliberately plays with his bilingualism and forces us into his
own private world. Let’s enjoy this breeze of fresh air made
music.
DISCOGRAPHY:
The Nada (2000) Los Años Luz
Sur o no Sur (2002) Los Años Luz / Sony Music
City Zen (2004) Los Años Luz / Sony Music