Keznamdi Set to Light Up New York and Los Angeles in May

By Robert White, Editor-In-Chief

Jamaican singer-songwriter Keznamdi is bringing his electrifying blend of reggae, soul, Afrobeats, and hip-hop to the U.S. this spring with two exclusive live performances. The rising artist will take the stage in New York City at Mercury Lounge on May 12 and in Los Angeles at Hotel Café on May 22. These intimate showcases will preview music from his highly anticipated new album Blood and Fyah, due out in June.

Known for his genre-blurring sound and lyrical depth, Keznamdi is anything but ordinary. With over 20 million global streams, collaborations with heavyweights like Zhu, A-Trak, and Mavado, and previous chart-topping success on both Billboard and iTunes reggae charts, Keznamdi’s momentum is undeniable. But for the artist, it’s never been just about numbers.

“Blood and Fyah is more than an album—it’s a calling, a message, and the beginning of a movement,” he says. “The ‘blood’ represents the sacrifice, the pain, the dedication. The ‘fyah’ is the transformation. It’s the burning away of the old to make room for growth.”

The son of legendary Rastafari musicians, Keznamdi was raised in Kingston in a home that doubled as a professional recording studio. “I thought every house had a studio growing up,” he laughs. “It wasn’t until I visited friends that I realized my upbringing was different.” Though music surrounded him from birth, it was his personal journey—and a growing social consciousness—that pulled him toward the mic.

His musical influences are wide-ranging, from Lauryn Hill and The Roots to Damian and Stephen Marley. “I’ve always wanted to make music with a message,” he says. “It’s easy to entertain people, but it’s a lot harder to move them with purpose.”

That ethos shines on his recent releases like Identity Crisis, which tackles the psychological effects of social media, and Pressure, a candid look at economic hardship both in Jamaica and around the world. His newest music continues that thread, marrying rich storytelling with global rhythms and melodies meant to connect across cultures. “I’ve lived in Ethiopia, Tanzania, the U.S., and of course Jamaica,” Keznamdi explains. “All of that experience is in my sound. It’s not just reggae—it’s a global sound now.”

Blood and Fyah also features a standout collaboration with dancehall superstar Mavado. The project was recorded at Keznamdi’s family’s Skyline Levels studio in Jamaica, mixed in Miami, and mastered at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. The album builds on the foundation of his acclaimed 2019 debut Bloodline, which Keznamdi calls “the first time what I heard in my head came out exactly right in the studio.”

His upcoming U.S. shows promise to be more than just performances—they’re curated experiences. “We’ve done big tours and festivals across the States, but this time we wanted something special,” he says. “These are smaller venues, and we’re bringing a full band of Jamaica’s top musicians. It’s going to be high-level musicality in an intimate setting.”

With fans already messaging from across the country to say they’re flying in for the shows, Keznamdi is focused on delivering something unforgettable. “We can’t miss. Anyone who comes needs to leave that room feeling revitalized. Like they’ve witnessed the beginning of a new movement.”

As the world becomes increasingly saturated with artificial and fast-moving content, Keznamdi offers something refreshingly real: music with soul, stories with weight, and performances that inspire. Blood and Fyah is not just his next chapter—it’s a bold new anthem for conscious music worldwide.