Kosmo Kint brings together the grit and soul of his native New York with the free-spirited energy of Berlin’s house scene. Born to Trinidadian parents and raised in Brooklyn, he grew up surrounded by rhythm and performance, later attending New York’s Professional Performing Arts School and studying opera at Boston’s New England Conservatory.
Photo credit: Kosmo Kint – Facebook
His path has since moved through roles as vocalist, songwriter, live performer, and collaborator. Along the way, he has worked with artists and producers including Prospa, David Morales, Jerome Sydenham, Atjazz, Andres, COEO, Kai Alcé, and NIGHT manoeuvres, while developing a sound that connects house and disco with R&B, soul, and hip hop.
In this conversation, Kosmo Kint discusses his New York and Berlin roots, songwriting, collaboration, live performance, and the next phase of his career.
EG: Hi Kosmo Kint, welcome to Electronic Groove. It’s a pleasure to have you with us. How have you been lately, and what has been occupying most of your time and creative energy these days?
Kosmo Kint: It’s my pleasure to be here. EG is such a pivotal part of dance music journalism; it makes me feel like I’m doing something right (laughter). My energy and time go into singing and songwriting for all the dope artists, as well as trying to find inspiration for my own sound.
EG: You’ve become one of the most recognisable voices and collaborators in contemporary dance music. How would you describe the Kosmo Kint project today, and what originally inspired you to carve out this unique path between vocalist, songwriter, performer, and DJ?
Kosmo Kint: Thanks for saying that. I’m moving so fast at times; I didn’t even know (laughter). Inspiration? Well, it’s a mixture of culture, a sense of calling, and an ongoing duel with myself to become better and better. Then, lastly, who are we kidding? Wanting to have the most hits and money doing the thing I’ve loved since day one. Wait, I’ll add one more thing: I like when people are proud of me. I think, having busy divorced parents, I was always trying to appease them somehow. That’s stuck a bit with my personality.
EG: Born in New York and now based in Berlin, you’ve experienced two of the world’s most influential music cities. How have those environments shaped your artistic identity and creative approach?
Kosmo Kint: Funnily, I can say New York was Burning Man and Berlin was Berghain. If you know the attributes of each, you can apply them to my experiences in culture and life growing up. But really, from being a kid attending the Professional Performing Arts School just off Times Square every day, that school had me singing backup with Elton John, Alicia Keys, and lots of other notables, as well as studying classical music. Then I would go home to a Trinidadian household where rhythm and percussion of calypso were non-stop (especially as my grandfather was one of the pioneers of the steel pan), within a warm Hasidic neighborhood in Brooklyn. Funny enough, my street means song with a different spelling: Carroll Street. Yeah, New York laid the foundation without a doubt. Berlin took the foundation and added spikes: all black, hard 4/4, and some ripped shirts to the equation. Berlin also allowed me to give more zero f’s. Love that place, a metropolis of FREEDOMS.
EG: Your collaborations often feel deeply woven into the records themselves rather than simply adding vocals on top. What do you look for in a collaboration, and how do you make sure your contribution becomes part of a track’s DNA?
Kosmo Kint: Thank you for noticing. I think my ADHD-spectrum way of writing music might sound crazy, but I feel like the keys and sounds invite the topic or mood, then the keys and chords welcome the phrasing with the wording, and I just follow it. I also turn down a lot of songs if I don’t feel them.
“I feel like the rush of nerves and anxiety is really a tool; it’s a wave you can’t get anywhere else”
EG: ‘Love Songs’ and ‘Body Heat’ with Prospa connected with audiences on a massive scale, with ‘Love Songs’ surpassing 25 million Spotify streams. What made those records special, and what did you learn from seeing them resonate so widely?
Kosmo Kint: What made it special was just having so much fun with the boys naturally; that allowed a layer of trust to play around and be free from the first day. When that happens in my collabs, the potential is endless.
EG: Beyond your own releases, you’ve written for acclaimed artists and GRAMMY-winning producers and nominees, such as Alex Metric, Michael Malih, David Morales, and Dot Major, to name a few. How does writing for someone else’s vision differ from creating music under your own name?
Kosmo Kint: Love to all those guys. It’s different, but I still have an anchor to my soul. But yeah, some people have simpler themes. I try to be good with talking about life moments that I’ve learnt from, where some don’t need to go too deep, just fun. That’s how it differs; you’ll hear next year when my originals start to drop.
EG: There seems to be a growing appreciation for strong songwriting within electronic music. Do you feel the role of the vocalist and songwriter is evolving in today’s dance music landscape?
Kosmo Kint: Not including Suno in the mix, yes. I feel like, thankfully, electronic music has won the battle against hip-hop. We have notable rappers showing up to dance venues, having fun trying to blend in, whether Quavo and Hugel, or recently Ye at CircoLoco watching Prospa do their thing. It’s all coming together in the vessel of dance and house; therefore, the songwriting aspect of soul, R&B, and pop is also making its way there, and for that I AM EXCITED!
EG: Live performance remains a major part of your identity. What does performing bring you that the studio can’t, and how has your relationship with the stage evolved over the years?
Kosmo Kint: I feel like the rush of nerves and anxiety is really a tool; it’s a wave you can’t get anywhere else. That fight, once won, is somehow related to diving into a cold body of water that becomes enjoyable once you’re in. First, you’re scared to get in because it’s so cold, but once you’re in, it’s fun.
In the studio, you also have so many tools to fake good vocals, but live, it comes down to skill, luck, and nature if you’re a real singer (laughter).
EG: You have an impressive list of collaborations lined up this year and next, including projects with Silva Bumpa, Eats Everything, Carlita, Josh Baker, SG Lewis, Armand Van Helden, Sub Focus and others. What excites you most about this next chapter of your career?
Kosmo Kint: I’m literally working off a list that feels partly like my preteen iPod playlist. So cool, I used to shuffle through some of these names, and now they’re texting me, like, “When are you gonna send the vocals?” Lol, kidding. But no, it’s an amazing feeling, and I’m excited to try and bring my essence to their quality. Hopefully, we’ll get a plaque someday together.
EG: Having worked with such a diverse range of artists, what qualities do you value most in a creative partner, and what makes a collaboration truly memorable?
Kosmo Kint: Similar to what I said with Prospa, if we’re joking around and playing like old friends, then it’s game over. I have two recent collaborators, Xoro from London and Giacomo from Italy. When we’re in the studio, there’s not a second my cheeks aren’t hurting, either from laughter or lightbulb moments. The same goes with Meduza in Ibiza, or talking about Jamaican jerk seasoning with Silva Bumpa. Once I feel these moments of brotherhood, it’s gonna be a TRACK!
EG: Looking beyond individual releases, what goals and ambitions are driving you forward at this stage of your career?
Kosmo Kint: I want to be the best. I want to leave a mark on the industry that will be remembered when I’m gone, hopefully lifting people’s moods and being a helpful voice for generations to come. I want to create a live experience that will be refreshing in the DJ-controlled world.
“I want to leave a mark on the industry that will be remembered when I’m gone”
EG: Finally, what can fans expect from Kosmo Kint over the coming months? Is there anything you’re particularly excited to share with the world?
Kosmo Kint: A lot of notable collabs between this year and next, but really look and listen out for my new music next year. I’ll be channelling an orchestra of energy and vibration, euphoric, dynamic, verbally stimulating, but cooked up with a dance mood familiar to your favourites. Then after that, there will be lots more. Thank you, it’s been an honour and a pleasure. Also, big love to my manager Terry Turbo and my bestie Marek, both of whom play a pivotal role in my happiness and success.
EG: Thank you so much for your time. We wish you all the best with your upcoming projects and everything ahead. Take care!
Kosmo Kint: Thanks for having me!
Kosmo Kint’s ‘Fantasy / Baby If U Know Me (Extended)’ is available via Room Two Recordings. Stream and download your copy here.
Follow Kosmo Kint: Spotify | Instagram | SoundCloud
