// BBC ENTERTAINMENT & ARTS — MODA & SOCIETÀ
Rising singer Kamal on 'scary' moment he hit up Dave for debut album
The 24-year-old musician has just released his debut album after years of navigating the music industry
He's been backed by British rappers Dave and Central Cee, but rising singer-songwriter Kamal says he'll always focus on making music for the "real ones".
The 24-year-old musician from north-west London has just released his debut album after years of navigating the music industry, having signed to independent label Neighbourhood Recordings as a teenager.
Along the way, his 2020 breakout single Homebody became a lockdown hit and the R&B-tinged track Blue gained him further recognition, including reportedly from US superstar Billie Eilish.
"Apparently she [Billie] put me on a playlist that she'd curated for Spotify, so I mean I was gassed to be part of that sort of taste profile," Kamal tells BBC Newsbeat from his home garden studio in London.
He aims for "honesty" within his music, which also means admitting it was "scary" to ask Brit-award winner Dave to feature on his new album.
Award-winning rapper Dave features on Kamal's new track, The People That Saved Me
"Dave is such a humble guy and he doesn't feel too inaccessible because I feel like he really leads from a love of music, first and foremost," says Kamal.
Dave featuring on his album is a full circle moment as Kamal previously featured on the rapper's 2021 track Mercury.
"I feel like the connection was already established for the most part," Kamal says of their relationship.