“This venture was in all probability the toughest venture that I needed to launch,” RealestK tells Rated R&B in a video name from his house. The Toronto native is reflecting on his not too long ago launched EP, Actual World, the follow-up to his 2022 debut album, Desires 2 Actuality.

Launched a number of months after his 18th birthday, Desires 2 Actuality represented his manifestation of chasing his desires and making them come to life. The album arrived after dropping tracks all through 2021, together with his viral “WFM,” which has over 200 million streams on Spotify.

RealestK provides, “Desires 2 Actuality was very simple as a result of coming into the trade, there’s a lot pleasure. There was much less stress. There [were] lots of people serving to me when it comes to producers and writers.”

Since dropping Desires 2 Actuality, the 19-year-old artist has gained extra life experiences which have deepened his perspective. On Real World, RealestK presents vignettes of betrayal, heartbreak, longing, adoration, and isolation over eight tracks.

“Actual World was strictly me shutting out every part and being with myself,” he shares. “Actual World was not a venture or a course of the place I used to be essentially pleased in any respect. Every studio session, I used to be upset. I used to be unhappy. There [were] some studio periods the place I did half a music, and I left. I simply went by means of rather a lot. I had members of the family that handed away.”

RealestK says that Actual World went by means of “5 – 6” iterations earlier than he settled on intentionality. “It got here right down to the place it needed to be me saying, ‘I’m not gonna do that for streams or for a TikTok music to explode or for me to be on high of the Billboard [charts].” As a substitute, he wished to craft one thing that followers may revisit years from now, “like The Weeknd’s Kiss Land or Trilogy,” and say, “Wow, this was a time. This was an period.”

He admits he knew that this venture would develop slowly however absolutely. “My momentum slowed down as a result of seven months of taking a break from music was a really very long time,” RealestK notes. “Plus, the tour took rather a lot from that. I bear in mind I had made ‘You & I’ and took an enormous break as a result of I used to be going by means of rather a lot.”

He continues, “Once I put that apart, centered on the music and telling a narrative, I knew that this venture goes to be one thing particular and delightful long run. No disrespect to my work, however I really feel like Actual World will last more inside actual life and eras than Desires 2 Actuality as a result of Desires 2 Actuality was extra of an innocence venture and this was extra private. It felt like I used to be sitting in remedy with myself. I additionally really feel this venture can be remedy to lots of people on this planet.”

In Rated R&B’s interview with RealestK, the buzzing singer tells the story behind each music on his Actual World EP.

“TO to LA”

“Toronto to LA” was the primary music that I did for this venture. I used to be in a three-and-a-half-month relationship [and] I used to be blindsided by this particular person. She ended up leaping me with seven guys in her home, which was a setup. I bear in mind, in that second, feeling so small and never understanding precisely who I used to be anymore. I ended up that very same night time taking a visit to LA [to take] a break from Toronto — all of the negativity I used to be enduring. It wasn’t simply that; it was many issues, however I feel that was the very last thing to actually strike me. I went to LA and spaced out for a few days; then, I began moving into the studio. Me and my brother Rodrigo [Barahona] locked in on the Sony Music studio. I bear in mind he performed me this beat. It felt so ambient and distant, like how I felt disconnected [from] this woman. On the time, I had not found out the title of the venture. After that music, I spotted the title of the venture. I sat there, and I used to be like, “Rattling, that is actually the true world.”

“Stranger”

“Stranger” was in all probability the second music I did that week in LA. We had been at Westlake [Recording Studios], in all probability one in every of my favourite studios simply ’trigger Michael Jackson [recorded there] and I felt tremendous impressed. I heard this beat by Remdolla on YouTube. It was tremendous ambient. It [had] this darkish, scary feeling. Once I heard it, I used to be like, “That is precisely what I want proper now.” One of many lyrics, I stated, “I noticed you tonight, now I’m questioning why.” I bear in mind going to her home — that night time once I obtained jumped — and was questioning after I used to be accomplished. I used to be like, “Why did I even attempt to make amends with any person who clearly had numerous issues inside themselves and numerous demons they had been battling?” In that second, I used to be a stranger. It wasn’t the person who I fell in love with. It was this evil individual that I by no means have seen earlier than in my life, ?

“Dropping Sport”

Truthfully, with this music, there have been so many alternative instructions I had taken. I feel the ballad feeling it had inside it and people strings, I simply had “Dropping Sport” in my head. However I used to be like, “What precisely am I dropping? Am I dropping the sport in life? Am I dropping the sport inside myself? Am I dropping the sport with love?” Love was the one I landed on, and I used to be similar to, “Love is a dropping recreation.” That’s how I felt inside these final couple of months going by means of that. Belief is tarnished. There’s numerous issues which are destroyed inside how I view issues. My notion has modified utterly. I bear in mind I was a super-lover boy, however now I really feel like I’m chasing solely the love inside myself. Love is a dropping recreation from the surface perspective, however with the within, it’s nonetheless there.

“It’s You” feat. BIA

“It’s You” was an outdated music I had means earlier than all this drama occurred with this woman. I bear in mind it was once I did Nav’s tour. Comic story: I form of was madly obsessive about this one Vogue mannequin. She was round my age. I bear in mind I used to be making an attempt a complete week to get her consideration and stuff on social media or simply by means of different folks. That week I noticed her with one in every of my pals on Rodeo Drive, like collectively. That basically crushed me. So I used to be like, “I’m gonna speak about that on this music.” I’m simply saying like, “I consider I may have been the one for you.”

I all the time wished to collaborate with a girl artist, whether or not it’s a singer or a rapper. I needed to keep in mind that BIA had been following me and maintaining with me for a very long time. I don’t assume I knew about it till I went and did a statistics run on my social media [with] the largest names who observe me. I used to be like, “Holy, Bia follows me.” I went and adopted her again and shot her a DM simply saying like, “Wow, thanks a lot for the observe.” She simply ended up praising me and simply saying like, “I might like to create music with you.” It was such an natural factor. When she despatched her verse again, it was her singing. Trustworthy to God, I assumed it was SZA at first. I used to be like, “Wait, what?” She actually made that music larger than it already was and extra lovely sounding than it was.

“Higher”

I made “Higher” earlier than Nav’s tour as nicely. I had made that in all probability round ComplexCon [2022]. I had went there only for the expertise. I ended up getting co-signed by Lil Uzi [Vert]. I got here again to Toronto and locked in on the studio as a result of seeing that efficiency from Lil Uzi was tremendous inspiring. I do know it’s two completely different worlds of music, however I feel that’s what impressed me — all these lovely [experimental] issues we will do in music. I wished to attempt one thing completely different. That music was speaking about my expertise on tour. I used to be speaking to a woman at that time earlier than I went on tour. Issues hit the fan once I went on tour simply because day-after-day, I’m surrounded by several types of women and entertaining followers. I assume the woman didn’t actually recognize that. She was so fast to see one thing, assume after which depart with out speaking about it. It was a brilliant lonely feeling.

“Misplaced”

“Misplaced” was really accomplished means earlier than “Higher” too. It was really with that very same woman. This was across the identical time I used to be speaking to her earlier than the tour. We went to the studio collectively as a result of she’s a singer as nicely. I bear in mind I advised her to return by means of the studio [and] vibe out. As I used to be singing that music, I used to be speaking to her. She’s me blushing and sh*t (laughs). And I’m simply there like, “Yeah, I’m making this connection in the direction of you.” However I’m saying, “I feel I misplaced my thoughts” when it comes to like this woman had went to high school with me. I by no means made any transfer on her or spoke to her. So I’m like, “I actually assume I misplaced my thoughts. The truth that I didn’t acknowledge you after which I didn’t ever attempt.”

“CYBM”

“Can You Be Mine” was concerning the woman that had jumped me. I made that music previous to every part that occurred, in all probability the primary month that I used to be courting her. The primary half is concerning the different woman on tour. It was speaking about like, “How did you allow me? How did you do that to me?” The second half is sort of a pleased feeling. Like, “Oh, I met this particular person.” I additionally made some components inside that music — I bear in mind I had identified this woman from in all probability, I might say, 5 years outdated to fifteen. I used to be tremendous infatuated together with her. I had constructed such an excellent friendship with this woman. I had all these emotions for her. Sadly, she obtained recognized with most cancers, and she or he handed away at a really younger age. I by no means obtained to say, “I like you and have all these emotions for you.” Once I was listening to the beat, I used to be additionally desirous about that. It was a correlation of numerous issues. [It’s] undoubtedly about love, heartbreak and adversity. However I feel all these issues got here as much as make such an attractive music and heartfelt.

“Mr. Lonely”

I had made this music [around] 2021 going into 2022. I used to be recording Desires 2 Actuality, and it by no means made it on that venture, however everybody on my workforce loves this music. I’m like, “Okay, that is nice. However I don’t assume it was the fitting time.” However [my manager] Sal was like, “I feel you must hit followers with a curve ball and throw that in there to indicate your functionality resulting in the following venture.” I’m not saying the following venture will sound precisely like that music, however it’ll undoubtedly present numerous resemblance. I can’t wait until folks hear the 2024 songs and venture as a result of now there’s a story that I get to observe. I’m excited to go from like this R&B phenom to form of this pop radio artist. “Mr. Lonely” is a few hopeless romantic [who] seems like irrespective of how many individuals you place in a room, he’s the one one. And there’s no person else that offers a crap about him. I obtained that inspiration from Akon’s “Lonely.”

Stream RealestK’s Actual World EP under.