Kyle Watson
{{short description|South African DJ and music producer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Kyle Watson
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Kyle Watson
| alias =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa
| origin = Gauteng, South Africa
| genre = {{flatlist|
| occupation = {{flatlist|
}}
| instrument = {{flatlist|
- Keyboards
- sampler
- percussion
- synthesizer
}}
| years_active = 2007–present
| label =
| associated_acts = {{hlist|Stace Cadet|The Sponges|Apple Gule|Pop Art Live|Kylah Jasmine}}
| website = {{URL|kylewatsonmusic.com}}
}}
Kyle Watson is a South African music producer and DJ. He creates house music containing elements of Electronic dance, Deep house and Techno.
Early life
Kyle Watson was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He studied music and played the piano when he was young and was influenced into making music due to his father being involved in the music industry.{{cite web|url=http://relentlessbeats.com/2018/05/rb-deep-in-the-mix-magnetic-magazine-exclusive-mix-kyle-watson/|title=RB Deep in the Mix: Magnetic Magazine Exclusive Mix – Kyle Watson|work=relentlessbeats.com |access-date=2 December 2020}}
Career
Kyle Watson began his career in 2007 with his first release.{{Cite web|url=https://riverbeats.life/interview-kyle-watson/|title=South African House Music Phenom Kyle Watson Shares His Story [Interview]|first=Katie|last=Estabrook|date=October 24, 2018}} In 2017, he was nominated in the Dance Music Awards South Africa 2017, for Best producer and Best Male DJ.{{cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/channel/the-juice/news/black-coffee-bucie-and-more-nominated-for-dance-music-awards-south-africa-20170907|title=Black Coffee, Bucie and more nominated for Dance Music Awards South Africa
|work=News24 |date=15 August 2017
|access-date=2 December 2020}} He began touring the United States in 2018, launching his 11-date New Ground Tour with a performance on The Palms stage at CRSSD.{{cite web|url=https://daily-beat.com/kyle-watson-crssd-spring-2018/|title=Kyle Watson Is Getting Us Hyped On CRSSD Spring 2018 With New Mix|work=daily-beat.com|date=28 February 2018|access-date=10 December 2020}} That same year, he released his debut album Into the Morning. Explaining his album:
Into The Morning is a pretty eclectic album for me. I played around in a few genres different to what people might usually expect, and this little mini mix of the album tracks should whet your appetite and hopefully get you excited for the whole package to drop!{{cite web|url=https://www.magneticmag.com/2018/08/magnetic-exclusive-kyle-watson-into-the-morning-mini-mix/|title=MAGNETIC EXCLUSIVE: KYLE WATSON 'INTO THE MORNING' ALBUM MIX & TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT|work=magneticmag.com|access-date=2 December 2020}}
Shortly after the album release, he launched his "Into the Morning" tour in the US to promote the album. The tour started in October, and included different regions in the United States.{{cite web|url=https://www.clubbingtv.com/kyle-watsons-into-the-morning-tour/|title=Kyle Watson's "Into The Morning" Tour|work=clubbingtv.com|access-date=2 December 2020}} His music has appeared on major dance labels including Ultra Music, Atlantic Records, Dirtybird Records and This Ain't Bristol.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/8526762/kyle-watson-stace-cadet-safe/|title=Kyle Watson and Stace Cadet Bring Wobbly-Bass Groove to 'Safe'|work=billboard.com |access-date=2 December 2020}} He has remixed for artists including Rudimental, Zhu and Oliver Heldens.{{Cite web|url=https://preludepress.com/news/2020/11/16/kyle-watson-enlists-j-worra-for-my-level-remix/|title=Kyle Watson Enlists J. Worra for "My Level" Remix|first=Dom|last=Vigil|date=16 November 2020 }}
In 2019, he released his EP titled Landmine.{{cite web|url=https://idmmag.com/news/kyle-watson-drops-ep-bomb-landmine-out-now/|title=Kyle Watson drops EP bomb 'Landmine,' out now|date=3 May 2019|access-date=2 December 2020}} Later that same year, he collaborated with Australian producer Stace Cadet on his single, Safe which was released on Parametric Records.{{cite web|url=https://www.youredm.com/2019/08/27/kyle-watson-and-stace-cadet-team-up-on-safe-parametric-records/|title=Kyle Watson and Stace Cadet Team Up on "Safe" [Parametric Records]|work=youredm.com |date=27 August 2019|access-date=2 December 2020}}
In 2020, he released his single The Ratchet Express which featured DJ duo The Sponges.{{cite web|url=https://www.edmsauce.com/2020/05/20/the-sponges-team-up-with-kyle-watson-on-the-ratchet-express/|title=The Sponges Team Up With Kyle Watson On "The Ratchet Express"|work=edmsauce.com |date=20 May 2020|access-date=2 December 2020}} His EP titled Major Games was signed by Diplo and released on his label Higher Ground{{cite web|url=https://dancingastronaut.com/2020/04/kyle-watson-gifts-two-left-field-bass-house-tracks-to-higher-ground-stream/|title=Kyle Watson gifts two left field bass-house tracks to Higher Ground [Stream]|work=dancingastronaut.com |date=17 April 2020|access-date=2 December 2020}} and his single My Level was signed to Gorgon City’s imprint REALM.{{cite web|url=https://edmidentity.com/2020/07/30/kyle-watson-my-level-exclusive-premiere/|title=kyle Watson My Level Exclusive Premier|work=edmidentity.com |date=30 July 2020|access-date=10 December 2020}} In that same year, he also released his single I Got You which featured Apple Gule and released through Universal Music NL and collaborated with warner case on I Don't Like Anyone for Spinnin' Deep.{{Cite web|url=https://spinninrecords.com/releases/i-dont-like-anyone/details|title=Kyle Watson & warner case - I Don't Like Anyone | Spinnin' Deep | Spinnin' Records|first=Spinnin'|last=Records|date=5 October 2020 |via=spinninrecords.com}}
He has performed at Ultra South Africa{{cite web|url=https://ultramusicfestival.com/worldwide/ultra-south-africa-finalizes-fifth-year-lineup/|title=ULTRA SOUTH AFRICA FINALIZES FIFTH YEAR LINEUP|work=Ultramusic Festival |access-date=2 December 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/channel/music/news/ultra-south-africa-announces-final-line-up-for-2018-20171208|title=Ultra South Africa announces final line-up for 2018|work=News24 |access-date=2 December 2020}} He has toured and performed in Brazil and the United States{{Cite web|url=https://www.theplayground.co.uk/in-conversation-with-south-african-house-producer-kyle-watson/|title = In conversation with South African house producer Kyle Watson | the Playground}} and has also featured at music festivals and venues such as Corona Sunsets Festival in Cape Town,{{cite web|url=https://www.iol.co.za/entertainment/whats-on/cape-town/corona-sunsets-festival-reveals-full-lineup-19124301|title=Corona SunSets Festival reveals full lineup|work=iol.co.za |access-date=2 December 2020}} The Lab Johannesburg,{{cite web|url=https://mixmag.net/feature/kyle-watson-and-das-kapital-in-the-lab-johannesburg|title=KYLE WATSON AND DAS KAPITAL IN THE LAB JOHANNESBURG|work=mixmag.net |access-date=2 December 2020}} Electric Forest, San Diego's CRSSD Fest,{{cite web|url=https://earmilk.com/news/20190924/5-cant-miss-acts-at-crssd-festival-2019-fall-festival-preview/|title=5 can't-miss acts at CRSSD Festival 2019 Fall [Festival Preview]|work=Earmilk |access-date=2 December 2020}} Shambhala Music Festival, and the Dirtybird Campout in San Francisco.{{cite web|url=https://www.freqmagazine.com/freq-hi-5-with-kyle-watson/|title=5 can't-miss acts at CRSSD Festival 2019 Fall [Festival Preview]|work=freqmagazine.com |date=29 September 2014 |access-date=2 December 2020}} He was also set to perform at the 2020 Coachella but due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the event was rescheduled to 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2020-01-03-the-return-of-the-king-black-coffee-to-perform-at-coachella-2020/|title=The return of the king! Black Coffee to perform at Coachella 2020|work=Times Live |access-date=2 December 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-06-10/coachella-stagecoach-canceled-coronavirus|title=Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals officially canceled for 2020|newspaper=LA Times |date=10 June 2020|access-date=2 December 2020}}
He is also one of the founders of the record label Box Of Cats which was launched in 2016 alongside Wongo, Jeff Doubleu, Tom EQ, Jak Z and Marc Spence.{{Cite web|url=https://edmidentity.com/2020/10/02/interview-jeff-doubleu/|title=Jeff Doubleu Reflects on Box Of Cats After Milestone Release|first=Grant|last=Gilmore|date=October 2, 2020}}
Awards and nominations
| class ="wikitable" |
| Year
!Award ceremony !Prize !Result |
|---|
| rowspan="2"|2017
|rowspan="2"=|Dance Music Awards South Africa |Best Producer |
| Best Male DJ |
Discography
- Doubting You (2009)
- Canned Music/I Don't Mind (2011)
- Detuned EP (2013)
- Throwback EP (2013)
- 35 Miles EP (2014)
- Cymbal Play EP (2015)
- Watermelons/Fly With Me (2015)
- Marshmallows EP (2016)
- Rhinoceros/The Cone EP (2016)
- Road Trips EP (2017)
- Pop Up/Camouflage Cat EP (2018)
- Into The Morning (2018)
- Landmine/The Sample EP (2019)
- Major Games/Radiate EP (2020)
- The Core EP (2021){{cite web|url=https://edmidentity.com/2021/05/03/kyle-watson-the-core-box-of-cats/ |title=Kyle Watson Takes Us to 'The Core' on New EP |work=edmidentity.com |date=3 May 2021 |accessdate=4 October 2021}}
Tours
- Brazil Tour 2018{{cite web|url=https://kylewatsonmusic.com/blog/|title=Kyle Watson tours|work=kylewatsonmusic.com|access-date=10 December 2020|archive-date=20 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120071531/http://kylewatsonmusic.com/blog/|url-status=dead}}
- The New Ground Tour{{cite web|url=http://chicago.floodmagazine.com/events/2018/3/10/kyle-watson-the-new-ground-tour-at-spybar|title=KYLE WATSON: THE NEW GROUND TOUR|work=chicago.floodmagazine.com |access-date=2 December 2020}}
- The New Ground Tour 2.0
- Into The Morning USA{{cite web|url=https://themusicessentials.com/news/kyle-watson-into-the-morning-us-tour-dates/|title=Kyle Watson announces US tour dates for his debut album – Into The Morning|work=themusicessentials.com |date=18 August 2018|access-date=2 December 2020}}
- Into The Morning South Africa{{cite web|url=https://reset.co.za/event/album-tour-kyle-watson-presents-into-the-morning/|title=ALBUM TOUR: Kyle Watson presents Into The Morning|work=reset.co.za |access-date=10 December 2020}}
- Australasia 2018
- Brazil 2019
- USA Summer ‘19
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Twitter|kylewatsonmusic|Kyle Watson}}
- [https://www.discogs.com/artist/1223781-Kyle-Watson Kyle Watson on Discogs]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Kyle}}
Category:South African house musicians
Category:Electronic dance music musicians
Category:South African electronic dance music DJs