# Khamari

> Khamari is a Boston-raised, Los Angeles-based R&B and neo-soul singer-songwriter known for his deeply intimate, guitar-driven sound and confessional lyricism. A multi-instrumentalist who started violin at age 4 and briefly attended Berklee College of Music, he drove cross-country alone to chase his vision in LA. After releasing his debut EP 'Eldorado' in 2019 and signing to RCA Records, he dropped his critically acclaimed debut album 'A Brief Nirvana' in 2023 before leaving the major label over creative differences. His sophomore album 'To Dry a Tear' (2025) on independent Encore Recordings marked a major artistic breakthrough - earning him festival slots at Governors Ball 2026 and All Points East 2026, headlining tours across dozens of cities, and comparisons to Frank Ocean, D'Angelo, and Jeff Buckley.

- **Role:** Independent R&B Artist at Encore Recordings
- **Organizations:** Encore Recordings, RCA Records (formerly)
- **From:** Maryland, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** High School Diploma (via METCO program), Swampscott High School, Attended (did not complete degree), Berklee College of Music
- **Known for:** Vevo DSCVR Artist to Watch 2024, Spotify R&B Rising Artist to Watch 2024, Spotify Fresh Finds cover artist

## Career timeline

- **childhood** — Started playing violin at age 4; learned piano, French horn, guitar; made music in his grandfather's attic studio in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood
- **2015-2017** — Attended Berklee College of Music; left to pursue music independently, feeling the academic setting wasn't bridging art with mainstream culture
- **2017-2019** — Relocated to Los Angeles, driving cross-country alone with his debut EP and a suitcase; played The Beatles' 'Yesterday' on repeat for the journey
- **2019** — Released debut EP 'Eldorado'; featured on Spotify Fresh Finds, Amazon Music New Black and Breakthrough R&B, and Tidal Rising
- **2020** — Lead single 'That Girl' exceeded 1 million streams; 'The Heat' hit #10 on Spotify with 500k streams in its first week
- **2021** — Released 'Doctor, My Eyes' (featuring grandfather's voice in outro); signed to RCA Records
- **2022** — Released singles 'Drifting' and 'Tell Me'
- **2023** — Released debut album 'A Brief Nirvana' (May 26, RCA Records); performed at A COLORS SHOW; performed at Tyler, the Creator's Camp Flog Gnaw Festival at Dodger Stadium
- **2024** — Named Vevo DSCVR Artist to Watch 2024 and Spotify R&B Rising Artist to Watch 2024; launched first headlining 'A Brief Nirvana Tour' (near sold-out); left RCA Records over creative differences; signed to Encore Recordings
- **2025** — Released sophomore album 'To Dry a Tear' (August 22, Encore Recordings); completed 18-city North American headlining tour
- **2026** — Launched 'To Dry a Tear Tour: Part II' (24 dates); booked for Governors Ball 2026 (June 7, NYC) and All Points East 2026 (August 29, London)

## Achievements

- Vevo DSCVR Artist to Watch 2024
- Spotify R&B Rising Artist to Watch 2024
- Spotify Fresh Finds cover artist
- Apple Music FEELS playlist placement
- Amazon Music New Black and Breakthrough R&B section features
- Tidal Rising section feature
- A COLORS SHOW performance (2023)
- 10+ million streams across first three songs
- 2.5M+ monthly Spotify listeners
- 6 million TikTok likes, multiple videos exceeding 1 million views
- Performed at Tyler, the Creator's Camp Flog Gnaw Festival (Dodger Stadium, 2023)
- First headlining tour 'A Brief Nirvana Tour' (near sold-out, 2024)
- Booked for Governors Ball 2026 and All Points East 2026
- Debut album 'A Brief Nirvana' scored 80/100 on Album of the Year

## Latest updates

- **2026-02** — Launched 'To Dry a Tear Tour: Part II' - 24 dates across 23 new cities with Gabriel Jacoby opening, starting San Diego February 10, 2026
- **2026-06** — Scheduled to perform at Governors Ball 2026 (June 7, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, NYC)
- **2026-08** — Scheduled to perform at All Points East 2026 (August 29, London, supporting Tyler, the Creator)
- **2025-08** — Released sophomore album 'To Dry a Tear' on August 22, 2025 via Encore Recordings
- **2025-06** — Released single 'Sycamore Tree', which interpolates D'Angelo's 'Untitled (How Does It Feel)'
- **2024-01** — Named to Vevo DSCVR Artists to Watch 2024 and Spotify R&B Rising Artist to Watch 2024

## Links

- Website: https://www.khamari.online
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/khamari
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Khamari
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khamari/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@khamari

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/khamari
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-25