There is a secret in Charleston, South Carolina. His name is Kayshawn McCoy, and he will become your new favorite pop prince if you give him the chance. His new single, “Save Your Love”, is a pop delight about wanting someone to love and wait for you. I recently had the luxury of sitting down with him and getting to know him.
Kayshawn McCoy is a student at the College of Charleston, who is working towards his Masters degree in Public Health Management. He is driven towards his education and making more music.
“You grew up in South Carolina, is there any particular reason you drifted from the norm of country music to make a name for yourself in pop?”
I think ever since I was a little boy I have been attracted to pop music, so my inspirations are Taylor Swift and Bridgit Mendler; I grew up on them in middle school, so I’ve always kind of gravitated to them and more towards pop. I love country music, actually, despite popular belief. I don’t know, there was just something about pop music that made me feel really cool and took me to a place in its imagery and metaphors. I thought that one day I would like to create that feeling as well.
“A large portion of your following are fans of Taylor Swift. Do you think Ms. Swift is a large inspiration in your music style?”
Oh absolutely! She’s pretty much is the reason why I started writing music. I listened to her album 1989, and after about a year of listening to it I was like “okay, this is it- I really do think that I can start writing my own songs.” So, I started, and at first it was really bad. After the first ten, I started to get the hang of it and started thinking of the melodies as they started to stick in my head. I thought that if they were sticking in mine, then they would stick in someone else’s.
“If you could pick anyone to tour with, who would it be?”
If it couldn’t be Taylor Swift, I would love to tour with someone like Shawn Mendes, Khalid, or Bruno Mars.That would definitely be fun.
“If you could work with any artist who has passed, who would it be?”
Maybe someone like Michael Jackson, because I honestly believe that he produced really cool music, and I love his work ethic. His life and success that he has had would make him cool to tour with and to learn from- particularly how to dance and how to sing, as well as everything else.
“You’ve worked closely with friends on your single, are they the reason why you evolved from singing covers to creating your own music?”
Yeah, I think more so it would be my daily friends that are around me. They have always pushed me, and told me that one day I should put out a song because they love my covers. It’s things like that, because it’s so sweet and supportive. I think my friends and my family have been so sweet, which has helped me branch out and write those songs, as well as record them.
“Is there anyone if your family that you can pinpoint being the most supportive?”
My mom, my dad, and my grandparents. Honestly, I think my immediate family are just so supportive of me. As soon as they heard one of my songs they were like “okay, we are down for this 110%”, so they’ve been posting them, as well as my mom using them in her videos.
“What inspired you to write your single ‘Save Your Love’?”
I was at a point in my life where I felt I was bored with life, and I had this crush on a girl who lived far away; she pretty much inspired this song. This is about me liking her from a distance, and thinking that one day I could maybe be with her. I was hoping that she would save her love for me one day- she would wait for me to be with her.
“Would you say that you’re a romantic?”
I would say so. I try to be.
“Is there any fear you have about trying to make it into this industry?”
I think what has been bothering me lately, and something I am working on, is that you are on your own path. You are always on your own path, and you can not compare yourself to anyone else. It’s okay to have a reference and to be inspired by a person, but you can not compare yourself. It’s all on your own, you have to go at your own pace, and God has a plan for you. So if something doesn’t happen fast, that’s okay, because it’ll be gradual; you’ll just have to stay focused and true to yourself, and keep working with people who are supportive of your music and your journey.
“Obviously you are very religious, is your religion a big inspiration for your music as well?”
Absolutely. I’m very influenced by Jesus, and think “would he be okay with me singing this?” If I sang it to him, would he be okay with me putting it out? Also, I have a young fanbase; I want to make sure that I’m respectful to them and their parents, who are pretty much placing me in their cars everyday, and telling me that they listen to me. I don’t want to tarnish that, so I always keep that in mind as I continue to write.
“What is one thing about yourself that you want people to know?”
I want people to know my heart, that I have a passion for music, and I love people. I just want to do what I love- that’s all I want in this world: to do what I love, and make people happy. That’s what is important to me.
“Is there one thing about you that you want to leave a lasting impression on people?”
I think that for me personally, I work on being as kind as possible. I think kindness goes a long way in so many aspects. I just want people to look at me and think that I’m a kind person. I try to be just a really good person, and I want people to listen to my music and relate.
Kayshawn is a very open and trusting soul, and I personally look forward to watching him grow into his style. His song “Save Your Love” is currently streaming on all streaming platforms. I would look into giving this passionate and old soul a listen- his music is a listen you will not regret.
Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayshawnmccoy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KayshawnMcCoy
