Canadian DJ/producer Kelland and Toronto-based talent Willa return to the release radar with ‘RIP TO US’, marking each artists’ first official release of the new year. The enticing track directly follows up he and Jay Isaiah’s hit ‘Lullaby’ from the tail end of last November, in addition to DJ Shaan and Willa’s critically acclaimed ‘Beacon’ from mid-September of last year. Out now via Physical Presents, ‘RIP TO US’ is available to listen to across all streaming platforms.
The tune begins with a pulsating bass, quickly followed by Willa’s hushed vocal which is heard ever-so faintly in the distance. It quickly takes front-and-center, providing an additional atmospheric touch that pairs perfectly with the heady production elements courtesy of Kelland. Warbly effects, glitchy sounds, and a four-on-the-floor rhythm characterize the majority of the lively release, in turn effortlessly instilling it with a unique, dancefloor-ready ambiance unlike anything heard before it. The emotional lyricism clearly boasts a subtle hint of playfulness, serving as a prime accompaniment to the tune’s catchy beat and melody.
ABOUT KELLAND — Vancouver-based, Jonah Kelland Radu, also known by his stage name Kelland, is a multifaceted Canadian artist, songwriter, and producer. Since emerging onto the Vancouver music scene back in 2018, Kelland has amassed over 15,000,000 streams on his projects. Featured in Narcity’s 2020 Top 10 Canadian Artists to Watch, Kelland continues to push the development of his unique sound through his writing and powerful releases, delivering versatile and dynamic production. Kelland’s impressive discography of both production credits and original works spans multiple genres and collaborators including Boslen, Turbo, Aria Ohlssen, Tails, and Snavs. Kelland has received support from tastemaker labels such as Capitol Music Group, bitbird, Lowly, 10K Projects, and more. Kelland’s recent 2021 artist releases ‘tic tac toe’ with Tails and ‘Lose Your Way‘ with Snavs both peaked in the top 100 electronic and dance charts. Now working alongside Physical Presents to release his highly anticipated debut EP, set to release mid-2022, Kelland has an arsenal of releases under his belt that fans can look forward to.
“Willa & I met for one of the last sessions I had when visiting Toronto on a writing trip. By then I had made most of the project and the theme was about relationships. The project didn’t have a clear breakup type track and we wanted to write something that flipped the narrative that there is always a lose-lose situation after a breakup. Instead, you can be empowered and experience positive personal growth. The lyrics are playful and cheeky while referring to something that is always associated with sadness. We had an absolute blast writing this song from start to finish in a single session and are so excited to share what it grew into.”– Kelland
ABOUT WILLA — Willa is an artist and songwriter who sharpens the lyrics and melody of any room and elevates any topline with her undeniably unique voice. Her innate ability to work with an artist and deliver their message in a fresh way has led to her being among the top songwriters and voices in Toronto and Canada at large. After reaching upwards of 10 million streams with her two independently released EP’s (one of which is co-written with Mother Mother’s Ryan Guldemond), Willa has also had her co-writes garner over 50 million streams with artists such as Simon Fuller‘s Now United, Neil Frances, Alex Sampson, Grae, Brazilian DJ’s Diskover, KVSH, and LOthief, and European dance legends DJ Antoine and John Dahlback. All eyes are on upcoming releases with The Knocks, Grae, Kelland, and more.
“I genuinely believe Kelland has it. Working with him on ‘RIP TO US’ was an absolute pleasure. In the session, he worked quickly and was extremely skilled technically and musically. After the session, he truly impressed me with his creativity and hard work. He flipped the song a number of times to make sure the production and progression were absolutely right. He also is clearly committed to the after-work (socials) to honor the song and give it its best chance. Kelland is going to do big things, I have no doubt.”– Willa
In all, the latest from Kelland and Willa is a stellar addition to both established musician’s respective back-catalogs.
