KEM SCORES 2ND NO. 1 HIT FROM HIS
CHART-TOPPING 2020 ALBUM, LOVE ALWAYS WINS
KEM AND TONI BRAXTON’S DUET,
“LIVE OUT YOUR LOVE,” IS NO. 1 ON R&B CHARTS
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Download/Stream “Live Out Your Love” HERE
“Live Out Your Love,” KEM’s duet with GRAMMY® Award-winning soul songstress Toni Braxton, takes the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Adult R&B Songs airplay chart, dated January 2, 2021. The single is KEM’s seventh No. 1 hit.
“Live Out Your Love” is the second chart-topping single from KEM’s new album, LOVE ALWAYS WINS (Motown). The first single, “Lie to Me,” spent seven weeks at No. 1. LOVE ALWAYS WINS entered Billboard’s Current R&B Albums chart at No. 1 in September 2020.
The two No. 1 singles mark the second time KEM has posted back-to-back chart-toppers (“It’s You” 2014 – four weeks; “Nobody” 2015 – nine weeks).
“When I got word that ‘Live Out Your Love’ was number one, my initial thought was literally, ‘Wow,’” said KEM. “What a way to start off 2021, to kick off this new season that we’re all entering, with the message of this song. This milestone is a testament to my faith and it’s a true testament to my team and most importantly, my fans, who waited so patiently for this new music. They have shown me love and support since my first album, KEMISTRY and throughout the 2020 Pandemic. I don’t take any of it for granted.”
KEM’s collaboration with Toni Braxton was sparked when she called for KEM, who was in the audience at her 2019 Valentine’s Day concert in Detroit, to join her on stage to perform a song with her. Later that year, while working on his new album, KEM began to envision “Live Out Your Love” as a duet and asked Braxton to join him. Due to COVID-19, they couldn’t record in the same room, but when Braxton sent her vocal to KEM, he was blown away.
“I’m so grateful to Toni Braxton for giving her love and her incredible vocal textures to this project,” said KEM. “I’m thrilled that she’s a part of it. This is her success as much as it is mine.”
Rolling Stone observed, “KEM’s wordless vocals at the opening of ‘Live Out Your Love’ are as close to Marvin Gaye as you can feasibly get in 2020.” RESPECT. Magazine said, “KEM’s signature silky vocals give way to Braxton’s rich, sultry sound on the track.”
‘Live Out Your Love’ is also the featured song in a recent KEM/PEPSI campaign, “Full of Detroit Soul,” which honors soulful arts in Detroit. Fans can catch KEM in an exclusive livestream performance on Tuesday, January 12, in collaboration with PEPSI. KEM will perform his new No. 1 hit single along with several of his other hits. Fans can register for the livestream performance at KEM.FullOfDetroitSoul.com.
Available HERE, LOVE ALWAYS WINS (Motown) is KEM’s first full-length release in six years and his most personal yet. The album is a powerful testament to KEM’s hopeful outlook despite current times and a reminder of the power of love. Other standout songs on the album include the lush title track, “Love Always Wins” featuring GRAMMY®-winning gospel music powerhouse Erica Campbell, and the inspiring “Friend Today” – both reminiscent of the music birthed out of social justice movements. The album was co-produced by KEM and Derek “DOA” Allen, and features contributions by such artists as Anthony Hamilton, Brian Culbertson, James Poyser and Salaam Remi.
In this feature, Rolling Stone noted, “In an era when musicians routinely throw out an album (or more) a year, KEM is meticulous.….an ‘Adult R&B’ mainstay, a slyly expressive singer with a slicing, airy voice and catalog full of tender love songs.” Billboard observed, “Love Always Wins peppers the GRAMMY®-nominated artist’s smooth, grown and sexy signature sound with more up-tempo flavor, prominent guitar accents and franker lyrical insights.” The Detroit Free Press said, “the romantic heart is still beating – but he’s got fresh inspiration too.”
LOVE ALWAYS WINS is the follow-up to KEM’s 2014 album, PROMISE TO LOVE, which debuted at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It contained the hit singles “Nobody” and “It’s You,” which each spent multiple weeks atop the Urban Adult Contemporary radio charts. The internationally renowned R&B singer/songwriter has to his credit one Platinum album (KEM: ALBUM II), two Gold albums (KEMISTRY and INTIMACY) and three GRAMMY® nominations. In addition, KEM has been nominated for six NAACP Image Awards, two Soul Train Awards and a BET Centric Award.
KEM’s No. 1 Hits:
“Love Calls” – Sept. 13, 2003
“I Can’t Stop Loving You” – May 21, 2005
“Why Would You Stay?” – Sept. 25, 2010
“It’s You” – Sept. 6, 2014
“Nobody” – Feb. 21, 2015
“Lie to Me” – June 27, 2020
“Live out Your Love” ft. Toni Braxton – Jan. 2, 2021
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