Strange Ké

It's been forever since I've last updated. Shame on me I know. Today I wanted to write about one of my fave no-hit artists. I remember finding the promo CD single Strange World at a used cd store. I immediately loved it and found out that the singer Ké had just released an album. The album was titled I Am [ ] . Released in 1995, the single didn't fare well on the Billboard charts, it did however become a top 5 dance hit thanks to remixes by Junior Vasquez. It did however go on to become a huge European hit. It became the #1 single of 1996 in Italy. A second single came and went, Someday. Ké's real name is Kevin Grivois. He looked like a 90s Calvin Klein model and kinda sounded like a chick when he sang. But that was what made him so appealing. The album is probably one of my faves of the mid-90s. If you've never heard it, give it a try (come on it's only 1¢ on amazon used).

A follow up was released in Europe in 1998 entitled Shine. Two singles were released, You Don't Know Me and Believer. I am guessing a US release was planned and then shelved as I own an advance promo copy of it. What was w/ RCA shelving albums left and right in the late 90s (Danielle Brisebois, Wild Orchid, etc.)? A third album came and went in 2001 entitled Better Way of Living. Released on the indie label Schizo Music, it now goes for big bucks on eBay. Not much has been heard from Kevin since then.

Or so I thought. While writing for this piece I found a brilliant profile done back in 2008 where Ké/Kevin talks about everything from his failed big label music career, to being too gay for the mainstream America and the new found audience his single Strange World has found. Check it out here! You can also check out what he's doing now by visiting his myspace page. From what I can see he seems to be going by the monkier onetribe. Glad to see he's still doing his thing, as a talent like his needs to be heard.

I leave you with the video for Strange World...





and Someday...