Keshi

Biography

Casey Thai Luong (born November 4, 1994), known professionally as Keshi, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He debuted in 2017 with the single "Over U×over u20 September 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1over u3:00", and has since gained recognition for his lo-fi and R&B works with emotional lyricism. The following year, Keshi released his first extended play The Reaper. His debut album Gabriel×GABRIEL25 March 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1GET IT2:312SOMEBODY2:453WESTSIDE3:044TOUCH3:255MILLI2:156PÉRE0:487HELL/HEAVEN2:408ANGOSTURA2:519UNDERSTAND2:3110LIMBO3:3311ANGEL4:0712GABRIEL2:09 was released in 2022, and his sophomore album Requiem×Requiem13 September 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Amen1:012Say3:023Night3:004Soft Spot3:245Like That3:006Texas3:097Dream3:308War3:299Bodies3:2610Requiem2:2511Euphoria3:3712Just to Die3:4513Id3:17 was released in 2024. Both albums reached the top 30 on the US Billboard 200. Three of his singles have been certified gold in Australia and Canada. He has embarked on multiple global headlining tours in support of his music.

Early life

Casey Thai Luong was born in Houston, Texas to immigrant parents from Vietnam and grew up in Sugar Land. His parents worked as computer programmers. Despite living in an ethnically diverse community with a large Asian American population, he often felt out of place and disconnected from his heritage while growing up.
Keshi was inspired to learn how to play the guitar by Drake Bell's character on Drake & Josh. He taught himself the instrument using his grandfather's classical guitar and Vietnamese music book. Keshi graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas at Austin. Later, he worked as an oncology nurse at the Texas Medical Center for two years.
The stage name "Keshi" is the childhood nickname his fiancée's parents gave him. He and his fiancée have known each other since they were in fifth grade of elementary school.

Career

In 2017, he adopted the moniker "Keshi" and began to share music on his SoundCloud page. His debut single, "Over U×over u20 September 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1over u3:00", was released in 2017. He credited tutorial videos on YouTube for teaching him in writing, producing, and engineering music. Keshi gained a small following after posting his first released song, "If You're Not the One for Me Who Is×if you're not the one for me who is23 October 2017 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1if you're not the one for me who is2:512goes to waste2:173they don't fly as high as they used to1:13" on a Subreddit's monthly music competition. Keshi released The Reaper on November 13, 2018. In 2019, he quit his job as a nurse and signed with Island Records. That same year, Keshi released his Skeletons EP on July 16 and embarked on "Skeletons Tour" in support of said album. In 2020, Keshi released two EP albums: Bandaids×bandaids24 March 2020 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1less of you3:272alright2:483blue2:594right here3:155bandaids3:36 on March 24 and Always×always28 July 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1always2:52 on October 23.
On March 25, 2022, Keshi released his debut studio album, Gabriel×GABRIEL25 March 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1GET IT2:312SOMEBODY2:453WESTSIDE3:044TOUCH3:255MILLI2:156PÉRE0:487HELL/HEAVEN2:408ANGOSTURA2:519UNDERSTAND2:3110LIMBO3:3311ANGEL4:0712GABRIEL2:09. That same year, he embarked on the global "Hell/Heaven Tour" to support the album. Keshi also embarked on the global "Hell & Back Tour" with Deb Never, Weston Estate, No Rome, and James Ivy in 2023. He later embarked on the Asian "Epilogue Tour" in 2023.
On September 13, 2024, Keshi released his second studio album, Requiem×Requiem13 September 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Amen1:012Say3:023Night3:004Soft Spot3:245Like That3:006Texas3:097Dream3:308War3:299Bodies3:2610Requiem2:2511Euphoria3:3712Just to Die3:4513Id3:17. The album was recorded as a tribute to Sebastian Sdaigui, a friend and collaborator who died shortly before the release of Gabriel. He embarked on the "Requiem World Tour" with Mac Ayres, Boylife, and Starfall to support the album in 2024 and 2025.

Artistry

Keshi has cited John Mayer, Frank Ocean, The 1975, Drake, Bryson Tiller, Queen, Michael Jackson, and Nick Drake as his musical influences.