Nigerian born artist Houston X comes through with new single ‘SWYWS’ – a melodic and buoyant track in true Houston style, with dark and moody visuals to accompany the wavey vibe.
The highly anticipated instalment of a big year, this new track is as ethereal and dreamy as it is dark and menacing. As he continues to show his versatility, effortlessly switching from melodic singing to hard hitting rapping throughout, the intoxicating yet energetic and fiery offering is combined with an eye grabbing visual which shows Houston X perfectly embodying the vibe of the single – comfortably floating and gliding through the track. Taking inspiration from the recent works of Lyrical Lemonade’s Cole Bennet, this video is impressively shot entirely on an iPhone, highlighting Houston’s desire to create by all means necessary, and showcasing his exceptional directorial talent.
“Houston X is a young British rapper who is often referred to as London’s answer to Travis Scott. It’s easy to see why; both artists share a proclivity for turning moody heartbreak into seductive and spooky slow burners” – Highsnobiety
His unshakeable artistry and eye-catching uniqueness certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed, having been chosen to perform at RCA’s ‘Ones To Watch’ showcase, as well as performing alongside Yung Fume, Avelino and more. At each show, this intriguing artist has stage presence and audience engagement almost matching, if not, surpassing that of these already heavily cemented artists in the scene.
Houston has also received support from a multitude of tastemakers including Snoochie Shy on BBC 1Xtra, Dummy Magazine, Clash Magazine, Highsnobiety and many more. This continued traction has seen him gain features from major Polish star Schafter, with the impressive ‘need help’, now sitting at well over 1,000,000 streams on Spotify, as well as from 808INK’s Charmer on his own single ‘CT Side A’ sitting at 150,000.
“Houston X is a growing force in the world of alternative rap-meets-R&B” – Dummy Magazine
As a young boy Houston grew up in an international church in Slough where his mother encouraged him to take part in the choir; although his confidence in singing back then was minimal, he found himself sitting at the back and observing. This is where he found a fascination and underlying talent for melody – he’d hum under his breath to the traditional choir ballads and create contemporary melodies that aligned with the current music climate and his interest in grime music. At this time, UK legends like Snap Capone, Ghetts and 67 were his music library and it wasn’t until his best friend at University started putting him onto a new wave of trap, his life changed.
Growing up in Slough where uniqueness was scarce, his friend opened up to a world he wasn’t used to; Future, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti were then his daily soundtrack and go-to’s for inspiration, and then he heard the kings of individuality Kid Cudi and Travis Scott. Their totally unique atmospheric, ethereal and airy beats were something he’d never heard before and struck a chord within him. He now brings this energy to this side of the pond, taking inspiration from all of his favourite artists and marching to his own beat.
With Houston X developing an impressive cult fanbase over the years who have been patiently waiting for this new drop, it’s safe to say that this will be an exciting year for the up and comer. Be sure to stay tuned with all of his movements as he continues to drop banger after banger all throughout 2022.
‘SWYWS’ is available now via all major platforms.
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