{"id":2086350,"date":"2026-08-10T15:03:19","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T12:03:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2086350"},"modified":"2026-08-10T15:03:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T12:03:19","slug":"kenyon-dixon-talks-being-a-grammy-darling-evoking-jodeci-disrupting-my-normal-catalog-with-new-album-ego-ruins-everything","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2086350","title":{"rendered":"Kenyon Dixon Talks Being a Grammy Darling, Evoking Jodeci & \u2018Disrupting My Normal Catalog\u2019 With New Album \u2018Ego Ruins Everything\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\tTrending on Billboard\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tKenyon Dixon has earned five Grammy nominations in as many years, and with most of those nods coming from the best traditional R&B performance category, the acclaimed singer-songwriter hopes his new Ego Ruins Everything <\/em>LP cements him as an unignorable force in the genre\u2019s contemporary wing.<\/p>\n
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\n\tReleased independently last month (July 24), Ego Ruins Everything<\/em> finds the Los Angeles-born artist delivering a nuanced take on modern masculinity through semi-autobiographical vignettes that build an immersive concept album, tied together by an ever-evolving series of \u201cRunning\u201d interludes. From the gospel-inflected \u201cReal Good\u201d and the swaggering, cavalier \u201cThe Man\u201d to the scene-setting pre-release singles \u201cTalk You Through It\u201d and \u201cNo Jodeci,\u201d Ego<\/em> fuses pieces of all of Dixon\u2019s past efforts. But this specific convergence of his penchant for \u201890s\/early \u201800s R&B nostalgia with emotional self-awareness reminiscent of Comeback Season<\/em>-era Drake makes Ego <\/em>a particularly ambitious project for Dixon.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cInstead of going right into the ego of it all, I wanted this to be a journey,\u201d he tells Billboard<\/em>. \u201cI wanted to talk about how we got here, so I start with a good memory and use the sonics to warp that feeling and take us into [the world] of Ego Ruins Everything. <\/em>And tone-wise, this is very different from the rest of my music. My fans are used to love songs, so I thought it was important to start [in a familiar] place and then go somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tBetween releases like 2022\u2019s Closer<\/em> and last year\u2019s Come as You Are<\/em> collaborative album with Terrace Martin, Dixon has established himself as the go-to guy for smooth, traditional R&B that transports you to backseat car rides and Saturday morning house cleaning sessions. The 21-track set finds Dixon embarking on an emotional odyssey through ego, its construction and keeping it under control.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe new LP also marks a conscious step into a more contemporary, hip-hop-inflected space, complete with flashes of a rap-sung cadence and relatively murkier production. Nonetheless, he navigates his expanded sound with enviable ease. By positioning the \u201cRunning\u201d interludes as a recurring sonic motif, Dixon doesn\u2019t just elevate the LP\u2019s cinematic feel; he also offers a built-in throughline for the album\u2019s lyrical narrative, which finds him exploring more fraught, morally ambiguous territory on standouts like \u201cFHOMM.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tBelow, Dixon walks Billboard<\/em> through his artistry-evolving new album, teases a few potential remixes and reflects on navigating the modern R&B landscape as an independent artist.<\/p>\n\n
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Why was now the time for a new solo project?<\/strong><\/p>\n
Ego Ruins Everything<\/em> was going to come first. I was already working on it when Terrace [Martin] approached me about doing a collaborative album together. I put Ego Ruins Everything<\/em> to the side to finish that album, but I was already in that headspace. And I technically hadn\u2019t released a full solo project since The R&B You Love<\/em>, which was in 2023, so it was time.<\/p>\n
What was the first song you knew was going to be on the album?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cShow & Prove.\u201d I teased that one over a year ago and [my fans] have been on me ever since. That was one of the ones I did early on that shaped the energy and sound I wanted for this album.<\/p>\n
The \u201cRunning\u201d interludes are almost like a film score.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tThat was literally my mindset. I was gonna go [the] traditional [route] and have G.G. Townson [who played Sheryl \u201cSalt\u201d James in Lifetime\u2019s 2021 Salt-N-Pepa<\/em> biopic] voice the interludes and make them conversations between her and me. But we kind of did that on the last album, so I wanted to do something new with \u201cRunning\u201d being this recurring sonic motif, just like how you constantly get familiar images in movies.<\/p>\n
How much of your concept album is fiction? How much of it is autobiographical?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tAll of this is truth in some aspect, whether it\u2019s my truth, your truth, the truth of my friends, or the truth of other people listening. A lot of this album came out of personal experience, just not necessarily in real time. I\u2019m big on working through feelings before putting them in songs because music lives forever. You don\u2019t want to create from an unhealed place and get triggered every time you hear it. I made sure that I did the work to get to that place.<\/p>\n
You worked with Frank Rose for most of this record. How has your creative partnership with him evolved over the years?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tFrank is one of the main producers I\u2019ve worked with ever since [2022\u2019s] Closer<\/em>. I haven\u2019t done a record without Frank since. And we\u2019ve toured together, so he can consider that energy when we make records. When it comes to the song \u201cBlah,\u201d that\u2019s a real voice memo at the beginning. I got a random idea while driving, sent him a voice memo of the melody I was hearing, and he sent me back the song with that same voice memo at the top.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe perfectionist in me almost didn\u2019t like it because I was singing casually, but it was an honest take, so we kept it. Sometimes I\u2019ll bring production ideas to Frank or just tell him what I\u2019m thinking, and he\u2019s always open to proper collaboration. Between him, Chris Blakk and Marqus Cutis, that\u2019s my team. \u201cThe Light\u201d was the only song I did without them \u2014 I worked with Chase Wav and Jay Century \u2014 and that was the first record I did for the album in an impromptu session.<\/p>\n
Where did you record this album? Do you feel physical location impacts your productivity?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tI record all of my solo music at home. \u201cRunning Away\u201d was the only song that I didn\u2019t record at home. When I sent the sessions to my engineer, I noticed some vocals were missing, and I couldn\u2019t find the most updated session. I drove out to San Diego to sit with my mixing engineer, and I had to pull out the mic to add the vocals we were missing. And I was so mad about it because I love the way that I [initially] laid [those vocals].<\/p>\n
\n\tI feel most comfortable to fail and to not execute things right the first time when I\u2019m recording at home. Nobody can judge me, and I get to take my time. I also notice that when I\u2019m in the studio, especially when I\u2019m writing for other people, I\u2019m racing against the clock because it\u2019s a job.<\/p>\n\n
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You\u2019ve always been really good at evoking nostalgia without making 1:1 copies of the \u201890s and \u201800s classics. How did \u201cNo Jodeci\u201d come together?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tI love nostalgia, but I don\u2019t need to recreate the records. I like to recreate the feeling. I wanted to figure out how I could pay homage to Jodeci and that era without incorporating their actual music. When I came up with the line, \u201cGirl, I can\u2019t cry for you\/ This ain\u2019t no Jodeci,\u201d I knew I wanted to call the song \u201cNo Jodeci.\u201d It just felt like a dope concept that could go anywhere because I could have picked any Jodeci song to riff off of. But considering the concept of \u201cNo Jodeci\u201d being about being performative, \u201cCry for Me\u201d made sense.<\/p>\n
What else was on the mood board for this album?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tI knew I wanted hip-hop influence on this album, and where that intersects [with R&B] for me is Comeback Season<\/em>-era Drake. That\u2019s the era of Drake I became a fan of, because he was still able to present as a tough guy, but with emotion. That\u2019s a space that I thrive in.<\/p>\n
When did you decide that this was going to be a featureless album?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tA month before I put it out. I was really dedicated to letting the music tell the story this time; it felt more powerful from solely my perspective. We\u2019ll use the deluxe for the features. I also wanted to prove that it\u2019s possible to make an album that people like without having a million features. I think a lot of artists are starting to feel like you have to have 50 features on an album to get people\u2019s attention, and I\u2019m going against that. As an independent artist, you always gotta find a different angle anyway.<\/p>\n
How has your creative process evolved since your very first project?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tOn a more tangible level, I think I\u2019m quicker, and I trust myself more. For a lot of these songs, I\u2019m now able to sit down, freestyle and go back in and fix certain stuff.<\/p>\n
\n\tBefore, I used to be so like just meticulous with every little thing, but if something doesn\u2019t feel perfect, I\u2019m okay with that now. I know what my capability is, and I\u2019ve realized that me not liking something doesn\u2019t necessarily mean it\u2019s bad. It\u2019s all about getting more efficient while maintaining what makes it magical.<\/p>\n
How do you strike the balance of honesty and empathy in your songwriting?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tI think navigating through friendships in life is probably what has helped me. I really do put that into my music. I\u2019m always exercising that duality when talking to my friends and trying to figure out where I can be better, if I could offer them anything that may help them be better, where I can champion them, or where they\u2019re taking responsibility for things that may not be their fault.<\/p>\n
When was the last time your ego helped you and the last time your ego hurt you?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tThe last time my ego helped me was to put this album out. I second-guessed it because I felt it was different than what everybody expected of me. When did my ego hurt me last? I don\u2019t know. I gotta think on that. But to be clear, there\u2019s for sure an answer!<\/p>\n
What did you think people expected of you?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tI think fans come to me expecting a certain type of R&B, and they don\u2019t expect me to ever make music that\u2019s comparable to my \u201cmainstream\u201d contemporaries. I don\u2019t think they realize how much that limits me. I almost didn\u2019t put out this album and changed the concept because I wasn\u2019t sure how my fans were going to feel hearing me talk about these things over these types of beats. I had to trust myself and understand that even if what you\u2019re presenting is different, it\u2019s still coming from your mind. Ultimately, the album is out because I said, \u201cCool, I\u2019m great at what I do.\u201d<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve been Grammy-nominated almost every year since 2022. What does that kind of consistent peer recognition mean to you, especially as an independent artist?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tIt\u2019s great because, as an independent artist, these aren\u2019t things that you would imagine becoming your norm. A lot of indie artists don\u2019t even think these are realistic goals. I appreciate the recognition, but I don\u2019t let it control how I make music. I know a lot of people make music specifically to get that recognition, and I refuse to do that because I don\u2019t ever want to not love what I do.<\/p>\n
Is the door closed on remixes?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tMy ideal feature for a \u201cReal Good\u201d remix \u2014 because it\u2019s a churchy one! \u2014 is Jazmine Sullivan. Tank and I also talked about a remix for \u201cTalk You Through It.\u201d<\/p>\n
What\u2019s your biggest hope for this record?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tI wanted Ego Ruins Everything<\/em> to disrupt my normal catalog, and I\u2019m seeing people like it, so that\u2019s success to me. I don\u2019t want this to be just another Kenyon Dixon album. I want you to remember that I put this album out.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kenyon-dixon-2026-press-forefront-cr-Gordan-Price-billboard-1800.jpg?w=1024″] Trending on Billboard Kenyon Dixon has earned five Grammy nominations in as many years, and with most of those nods coming from the best traditional R&B performance category, the acclaimed singer-songwriter hopes his new Ego Ruins Everything LP cements him as an unignorable force in the genre\u2019s contemporary wing. Related Why Did […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[48,226],"class_list":["post-2086350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-billboard-com","tag-crawlmanager"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2086350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086350\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2086350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2086350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2086350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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