Kevin Andreas

Brooklyn singer/songwriter Kevin Andreas opened for Carpenter, playing a strong half-hour set. Andreas and his six piece band performed well-crafted original pop rock pieces that crackled with energy.

His song "7AM" had an otherworldly quality, with a haunting counterpoint, tight harmonies and impressive guitar licks.

Andreas even funked it up a bit with "Give it To Me," showing off his falsetto and dancing with the microphone stand while leading the crowd in "soul clapping." - The Morning Call

It’s sexy, haunting and utterly awesome, Kevin Andreas is back with the new lyric video for his single “Burn. Build. Repeat”, a song in the veins of Yelawolf with it’s very alternative Hip Hop sound.


“Burn. Build. Repeat.” is an empowering anthem that combines energetic instrumentation and rock bombast with a soft, soulful melody. The song is highly emotional and sharply infectious. “Burn. Build. Repeat. is about constantly reinventing yourself, and never giving up. Always be committed growth and change, and never be afraid to burn away anything that holds you back.” explains Kevin

With less than happy beginnings Kevin immersed himself in music in his teen years when his mother picked up and left him alone to deal with an abusive father. Driven by the sounds of Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles he experimented musically within and found solace through his early high school bands.

Finding himself on his own at the age of 17 Andreas’ slowly began reestablishing life on his own terms. Driven by pure will and earning his keep by teaching guitar while learning audio engineering. At the age of 22 he was able to relocate to New York City and open his own recording studio in Williamsburg. Making a name for himself in the local scene he co-wrote and sang on A$AP Rocky’s breakout hit, “Peso” and toured the US as the frontman and songwriter for the band Red Light Cinema. Beginning his solo career in 2015 with his debut EP, “Technicolor Love” which spawned the song “Give it to Me” that currently has over 190k views on youtube.

Kevin has recently put together a 6-piece band that includes some of NYC’s most talented musicians who have played alongside the likes of Adele, Fifth Harmony, Lupe Fiasco and Ne-Yo, to name a few.

With a new album in the works and national touring being planned expect to hear much more about and from Kevin Andreas soon. - Vents Magazine

GREENWICH VILLAGE — Rapper A$AP Rocky made millions off a track worked on by one of the musicians with the in-house band at legendary Greenwich Village music venue Cafe Wha? while never paying him, the musician said.

Harlem-based A$AP Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, hit the big time in 2011 at age 23 when he clinched a $3 million record deal with Sony/RCA for himself and his collective, A$AP Mob, after his debut single "Peso" made the charts.

But Kevin Andreas, 29, said he wrote and sang the hook of the popular song roughly four years ago, but never saw a dime for it.

Andreas said A$AP Rocky "was no one" when he came to him for help with the song.

"He wasn't signed or anything at that point," said Andreas, who runs the Cafe Wha? in-house band on Sunday nights as the lead guitarist and singer.

"I came up with the melody and he kind of couldn't do it," Andreas said. A$AP Rocky's voice was too deep, the songwriter explained. "So he was like, 'Do you want to do it?'"

That's how Andreas' voice ended up on the track, crooning the words, "This is the way it goes, this is the way we roll / Cause every day we on our pesos," he said.

"We worked on it for a couple of months," Andreas said, adding that the process was stymied by a "scheduling conflict."

"He was unavailable a lot and flaked on a few [recording] sessions, and we kind of had a falling out," Andreas said. "He ended up working with another studio [and] they never credited me or gave me any compensation or anything."

Text messages compiled by a lawyer for Andreas show lengthy back-and-forths between Andreas and A$AP Rocky, as well as Andreas and other members of his crew, trying to coordinate recording sessions around A$AP Rocky's complicated schedule. They also show discussions with the rapper and others asking Andreas to send different versions of the track, and praising how the track came out.

But since then, Andreas said, he's "had a really hard time getting ahold of" A$AP Rocky.

"I'm still trying to reach out to them," Andreas said. "The money would be great but the credit alone is worth a lot."

A$AP Rocky's manager did not return a voicemail requesting comment.

A lawyer for Andreas sent a letter to RCA in 2012 describing the situation and requesting it be resolved.

"To date, no agreement has ever been entered into between Mr. Andreas and [A$AP Rocky], in respect to Mr. Andreas' services as a producer, performer and songwriter on Peso, or on any other recording, nor has Mr. Andreas been credited or paid for the same," the lawyer writes. "Mr. Andreas wishes a prompt and amicable resolution to all outstanding issues, and hopes that you will contact the undersigned at your earliest convenience to resolve the same."

Andreas said RCA called the lawyer immediately and said they would take care of it, but never did. The lawyer sent two more letters, but Andreas couldn't afford litigation at the time, he said.

The vice president of RCA's business and legal affairs department, to whom the lawyer's letter was addressed, did not respond to an emailed inquiry from DNAinfo New York.

Meanwhile, Andreas' personal band — an eight-piece "R&B, soulful thing" — is headlining a show at Highline Ballroom this Wednesday, and a song he produced at his recording studio in Williamsburg was picked for a promo commercial of Caitlyn Jenner's new TV show. - DNAinfo.com

On October 8th at SIR Studios in NYC, a revolutionary music technology was launched, known as StereoCast, changing the world of live music as we know it. With the free StereoCast app available through iTunes or Google Play, concert-goers can buy the mixed and mastered live songs that they just fell in love with, in the exact quality, straight from the artist’s soundboard, and take that unique moment home to be enjoyed for a lifetime.

Legendary music mogul Charles Koppelman, is the Chairman of the board of this brand new disruptive technology. Koppelman got involved to champion the artists who now have a brand new revenue stream, which they have been missing for over a decade due to lack of record sales.

Multi platinum music producer and writer Lofey has joined the company as Chief Executive Music Officer, taking the term CMO to a whole new level. Last night Lofey launched the technology at an intimate invitation only event to some of the biggest names in the industry with a live performance by up and coming star musician Kevin Andreas.

Andreas knocked the socks off of every single person sitting in the venue. After the performance the technology was officially proven and the attendees were blown away. Music fans will be able to experience the new app for the first time with a test performance in Los Angeles this October with multi-Grammy award winning recording artist Marc Anthony.

Due to the executives relationships in the music space, artists everywhere are extremely enthusiastic to build a new revenue stream while giving their fans the ability to keep the live experience forever. Live music memories no longer need to fade because StereoCasts will last forever. - Radar Online

On a particularly balmy mid-December night, fans piled into the decorated Highline Ballroom in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan for an evening of great drinks, great company, and, perhaps most importantly, great music.
The venue had holiday lights streaming across the walls, draped around trees, and shining bright to showcase the rock star singers on stage.
The concert kicked off with performances by Jules and The Jinks and Slow Sugar, before headliner Kevin Andreas took to the stage shortly past 9 P.M.
Andreas opened his set with explosive songs from his EP, Technicolor Love, which was released in the summer of 2015. Andreas’ “epic, blown out sound,” was on full display throughout the evening, particularly during his guitar solos and his band’s on-stage jam sessions.
Andreas played a variety of songs, from Technicolor Love’s full track list (including his current single, the up-tempo “Give it To Me,” which boats an impressive 190,000+ views on YouTube), to more scaled back newer songs, which showcase Andreas’ smooth falsetto and highlight the talented members of his 7-piece band.
One of the highpoints of the night was Andreas’ cover of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under The Bridge,” which got the crowd on their feet for the duration of the show. The hit 90’s rock song allowed the band to show off their incredible stage presence and energy.
By the end of the night, the crowd stayed on their feet as Andreas closed out his set with the infectious song, “Breathe.” Stay up to date with the latest news and tour dates at KevinAndreas.com and @kevinandreasnyc. - Spotlights and Lyrics

In the world of music, we tend to pay the most attention to the stars in the spotlight, and it's natural that we gravitate toward the frontman or frontwoman of the music we're enjoying. But there's so much that goes on behind the scenes that we may never see. Plenty of musicians love working as songwriters, producers, mastering engineers, etc. For a few, there's a soft spot in the middle where you love pursuing side work for other artists but still can't help but lead your own way as a band's figurehead. Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist Kevin Andreas does just that. We caught up with him to learn about some of the impressive work he's done behind the scenes and how he's transitioned into a frontman in his own spotlight.

Throughout your career, you've worked extensively behind the scenes. Now, you’re taking on the spotlight. What inspired that transition? Had you always wanted to be a frontman?
I actually started playing in bars and clubs when I was 14 and was fronting a project called Redlight Cinema for eight years or so. When I stopped performing under that alias I went into a sort of hibernation mode where I began producing records for other artists. I then began to figure out what I really wanted to sound like with the added influence from all of the hip-hop and R&B records I was producing. So I've always been a frontman. I just spent some time working on the other side of the glass.

We get the impression that you're able to do a great job as both a sideman and a frontman because of your talents all across the music spectrum. Tell us all the roles you play as a musician, from producing to singing and beyond.
I grew up playing saxophone and guitar, dabbling in piano a bit. As I got older, I wanted to start making records on my own. I looked up to people like Prince and Stevie Wonder who were able to play a multitude of instruments on their albums. It was then that I really delved into programming and playing drums and piano, which is a huge part of what I do now in the studio. The guitar is actually more of a seasoning. The keys and drums are the meat of my productions. There is rarely a time where I don't play all of the instruments on my records now. I also mix everything at my studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Start to finish, I'm pretty much doing it all.

Playing behind and with some amazing, world-class musicians and artists also helped me hone in on what certain elements needed to sound like. And I am very grateful to have shared the stage with musicians who play with some of music's biggest names today (Adele, Sean Paul, Fifth Harmony). I'm lucky enough to have many of those players with me when I perform my own material now.

You've done some really impressive work, such singing the hook for A$AP Rocky’s massively popular song, "Peso." How did that experience come about, and what was it like being involved in such a huge song?
I actually got involved with Rocky through a Craigslist ad I had posted looking for artists to produce and record at my newly built studio. At the time, Rocky hadn't had any traction and I was just the guy they hired to produce the vocal sessions and mix. They needed a hook for "Peso," and Rocky had the lyrics. I came up with a melody and sang it after a few blunts were passed around. I don't think anyone understood the magnitude of that track at the time. And it's a shame Rocky still hasn't given me proper credit and compensation for my work. But everything evens out eventually.

Do you still pursue work such as producing, writing, and arranging behind the scenes? If so, how has it changed now that you've emerged on your own into the spotlight?
I will always work with other artists, mostly as a producer. I am always looking for new sounds and artists who excite me. In turn, their energy impacts the way I make my own records. It's an invaluable exchange.

I would say that both [frontman work and behind-the-scenes work] have their place in my life. I love both. I couldn't just do one or the other.

If you were talking to a behind-the-scenes musician who, deep down, really wants to be in the spotlight, what advice would you give on how to make that transition?
Making a transition will always require an open mind and the ability to self-analyze with an objective perspective. Be open. Learn. Grow each time you make a mistake. And know the burden of the task you take on. Being a frontperson means you are responsible for the way in which the art is received. Energy is everything and people can always tell if something is real or not. - Sonicbids

He performs at Cafe Wha?
Standing underneath the neon, razzle-dazzle emblem of Cafe Wha?, Forte, Wha?’s charismatic bartender and head of the house, persuades unsuspecting passers by to come in off the street. The new audience member heads down a dimly lit flight of steep stairs into the depths of timeless musical appreciation, greeted by honorary portraits of music’s champions, including rock’s beloved Jimi Hendrix.


Cascading effortlessly up and down the neck of his custom-made guitar, 26-year-old dexterous guitarist and feel-good vocalist Andreas serves up a house-rocking dish of tasty covers, the first of which was Maroon 5’s “Harder To Breathe.” Despite his vocals that fill the room to the brim, Andreas said, “The guitar is half of my voice.” With his feet planted on the big stage and his hipster bod shielded by his guitar and mic, Andreas struts his style and artistry with a visible, almost tangible, confidence and gets in close touch with the music. “I just do what it does,” he said. When the emphatic head-bobbing and beanie-flopping are over, however, the seemingly bold extrovert retreats back into a shell of sorts for the night.

During a recent interview, Andreas’s slender frame, draped in a leather jacket, leaned comfortably against the brick wall of Wha? The unidentifiable shape of a tattoo peeked around the edge of his low-cut, v-neck tee as he nonchalantly detailed his journey from a five-piece family about an hour upstate in a tiny rural town called Warwick, N.Y. to Williamsburg in Brooklyn, right next-door to his very own production studio The Audio Parlour, and casually called up memories and burdens past. Andreas was not always a dynamic, high-powered entertainer. “I was a nerd,” he said. “I was obsessed with Star Wars when I was kid.” Andreas also said that he would even build and repair electronics when he was younger, and started to play guitar at 12. “I started to fall in love with Led Zeppelin,” Andreas said.


His childhood stepped on a few cracks in the pavement soon thereafter when his mother, with whom he was considerably close, picked up and left when he was only 14 or 15 years old. “My mother completely dropped off the map,” Andreas said. “She was probably the only thing that kept my father from being abusive.” As the absence of his mother and the violent abuse of his father Kevin Andreas Sr. simultaneously struck him, Andreas decided to commit every ounce of his attention to the creation of music, starting the group Redlight Cinema as an underclassman in high school. Driven by the sounds of Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles, Andreas, alongside Kyle Andreas on drums —one of Andreas’s two baby brothers and friends—experimented musically within and wrote all songs for his self-made band. “That’s how I was learning about and how to create music,” he said. “That was my foundation.” But his father’s increasingly abusive nature permanently rocked Andreas’s “foundation.”

“I was kicked out of my house when I was 17 years old because my dad was violently abusive, and I dropped out of high school,” Andreas said. Although he did not complete his education, Andreas says he was highly intelligent as a child. According to Andreas, his father, a carpenter, did not approve of the way in which Andreas redirected his academic abilities, abilities which Andreas’s father himself wished that he had. Andreas said, “Me and my father never really got along.”


At the age of 22, Andreas relocated to Williamsburg to heavily pursue his solo career. With a helping hand from Hap Pardo, Andreas’s manager and the Director of Musical Operations at Cafe Wha?, Andreas is currently striving toward total self-dedication to his music. He also battled personal demons. “I’d just come out of a really dark relationship that was kinda reminiscent of my relationship with my father,” Andreas said. This eventual break-up inspired him to get tatted in honor of his newfound freedomand self-revival. The incognito ink playing peek-a-boo behind his wardrobe turned out to engrave a fierce phoenix from the top of his chest, all the way down the sleeve of his right strumming arm. He said that the powerful image of the phoenix symbolized his plight to burn all of the negativity of his past to the ground and start again.

“All I’m doing right now is music—24 hours a day, every single day,” he said. It is this dedication that has led Andreas up the challenging, forever-winding road of professional musicianship. Pardo said, “He’s really perched on the edge of pushing through to the next level. He’s tough. He’s a fighter.” - The Tab