London-based neo-soul singer Kwabs went from posting covers on YouTube to a… Read Full Bio ↴London-based neo-soul singer Kwabs went from posting covers on YouTube to a contract with Atlantic in three short years, thanks to tips from the media and the willingness of some hot producers to believe in his talent. Born Kwabena Sarkodee Adjepong in Ghana in 1990, he grew up in Bermondsey in central London, spending part of his childhood in the foster care system. Raised on a combination of soul, electronica, rock, classical and jazz, he was first noticed by his school music teacher, who introduced him to the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, where he was a lead vocalist for three years. After finishing school, he went on to study jazz at the Royal Academy of Music, and then was chosen to appear in the 2011 reality TV series Goldie's Band, in which '90s drum 'n' bass star Goldie put together a band of kids from troubled upbringings for a royal performance at Buckingham Palace.

Nonetheless, Kwabs never had any notion of seriously pursuing music as a career until his unadorned YouTube cover of Corinne Bailey Rae's "Like a Star" became a massive viral hit, racking up 100,000 views. He was approached with a management contract, and decided to take music farther. He released a few original songs on YouTube, leading to his being hotly tipped by MTV and BBC radio and securing a deal with Atlantic. On his 2014 debut EP, Wrong or Right, he collaborated with London-born, Vienna-based producer Sohn. The melancholy songs on the EP set his smooth, powerful baritone voice to a minimalist, synthesized backing somewhat reminiscent of the Human League. The style was dubbed "Synth&B," and the collaboration drew comparisons to that between Seal and Adamski back in the '90s. A second EP, Pray for Love, and a more upbeat single, "Walk," followed. Kwabs also worked with Plan B and Dave Okumu on his debut album, which was expected to be released in 2015. ~ John D. Buchanan, Rovi

Brother
Kwabs Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Say what, son of mine
Little thing you deny
Say what, son of mine
Anything you decide
I won't try to hold you
I'm not trying to own you
I'm just trying to know you
()

Better the man that you know
Better the one you can trust
And better the brother who loves you
()
Got stolen off the way until it breaks you
All the things you deny
Can't hide yourself away
And know it'll shift you to the core
All the things on your mind
You won't say I need to
I'm not here to preach to you
I've been trying to reach you
All their light
()
Better the man that you know
Better the one you can trust
And better the brother who loves you
(Interlude x2)
You can hide yourself away until it breaks you
You can hide yourself away
You can hide yourself away and know it'll shift you to the core
()
You can hide yourself away

Against all and on the way, yeah
You can hide yourself away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kwabs's song "Brother" are about a father trying to connect with his son and support him, even though the son is denying certain aspects of himself. The father is not trying to control his son but rather understand him and be there for him. The chorus emphasizes the importance of having a trustworthy and loving brother, suggesting that familial support can help one overcome challenges.

The father acknowledges that his son has been hurt in the past and is resistant to opening up. He encourages his son to speak up and not hide away, even if it may be difficult. The lyrics paint a picture of a family who cares for each other and wants to create a safe and supportive environment.

The song's powerful message resonates with many listeners and has received critical acclaim. Kwabs's soulful vocals, combined with the emotional lyrics and instrumentation, create a heartfelt and moving piece of music that touches on important themes of family and personal growth.

Line by Line Meaning

Say what, son of mine
What's on your mind, my dear child?

Little thing you deny
The small things you keep to yourself and refuse to express

Anything you decide
You have the freedom to make any decision you want

I won't try to hold you
I won't attempt to restrict you from doing what you want to do

I'm not trying to own you
I'm not trying to possess you

I'm just trying to know you
I'm just attempting to understand you better

Better the man that you know
It's more preferable to know a man well

Better the one you can trust
It's better to have someone you can rely on

And better the brother who loves you
It's better to have a sibling who cares about you

Got stolen off the way until it breaks you
Something that was taken from you can still hurt you deeply in the end

All the things you deny
All the things you're refusing to admit

Can't hide yourself away
You can't completely conceal yourself from the world

And know it'll shift you to the core
You know it'll shake you to your very foundation

All the things on your mind
All the thoughts that occupy your consciousness

You won't say I need to
You don't want to express what you truly need

I'm not here to preach to you
I'm not here to lecture you

I've been trying to reach you
I've been attempting to connect with you

All their light
All their attention and support

You can hide yourself away until it breaks you
You can prevent others from knowing the real you, even if it causes you harm

Against all and on the way, yeah
Despite everything that could go wrong, yeah

You can hide yourself away
You can continue to keep yourself hidden

Writer(s): Kwabena Adjepong Copyright: Emi Music Publishing Ltd., Temperamental Music

Contributed by Ellie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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