The very thought of Long Beach, CA immediately brings O.G. culture to mind. You can practically see those classic Snoop Dogg and Warren G videos on repeat at the mention of the city. For as inextricably connected to West Coast hip-hop as the LBC may be, it gives rise to a fresh and fiery voice for soul in Giveon.
With nearly half-a-million independent streams to his credit and acclaim by everyone from Flaunt to HotNewHipHop, the Long Beach-born singer and songwriter infuses Rat Pack-style classiness into modern R&B.
“It’s a different perspective,” he explains. “There’s soul to it. There’s pop to it. However, I want to speak on relatable things everybody thinks about but nobody says—in a classy way. The goal is just to be Giveon.”
One of three brothers raised by a single mother, he gravitated towards music at a young age. He initially found inspiration in Frank Ocean and Miguel between performing at school functions.
As he recalls, “Mom did a really good job of sheltering us, so we didn’t fall into what was going on outside like the gang culture and poverty.”
Attending a GRAMMY® Academy program at eighteen proved transformative as the instructor implored him to perform Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon” for a project.
“I had an epiphany after initially hearing Sinatra,” he says. “It was the very first time I heard a baritone singer. I got into Bobby Caldwell and Barry White from there. I realized my tone at this point.”
Developing his own baritone delivery, he caught the attention of another Long Beach local and multiplatinum singer and songwriter AUGUST 08 [DJ Khaled, Justin Bieber] who served as an initial mentor.
In 2018, Giveon made his debut with “Garden Kisses” and “Fields,” clocking nearly one million streams thus far. A year later, he joined forces with producer Sevn Thomas [Drake, Rihanna, Travis Scott] and further honed a signature style of his own.
In 2019, he also performed “Giveon Unplugged” to a packed crowd at Soho House in addition to leading a songwriting camp sponsored by Remy Martin and Ascis alongside top producers and songwriters such as boi-1da, Jahaan Sweet, Sevn Thomas, WondaGurl, Charlie Handsome, and more. Snoh Aalegra personally invited him on her headline tour.
Boasting that timeless vocal delivery, he lyrically opens up in every song, especially his debut single for Epic Records entitled “Like I Want You.”
“I’m an artist, a self-starter, an entrepreneur, a creative, and most of all a thinker,” he continues. “I sit around and think a lot. That’s an inspiration as the songs reflect my thoughts.”
With more music on the horizon, Giveon ignites a new era for his hometown and a sound unlike anything out there.
“I want to make something that transcends time,” he leaves off. “The quality is the most important thing. It’s what I’m working towards all the time.”
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