Directed by Bridges

This year saw the emergence of a new crop of Chicago artists that once again created a strong wave behind the heady wake of acts like Chance, Saba, Vic and more and few else took as marked steps forward as Closed Sessions' own Kweku Collins who capped a benchmark 365 with a new visual for his single "The Outsiders". 

I actually kicked off 2016 watching Collins perform for the first time in subzero weather as the city welcomed in the new year with their inaugural 'Chi-Town Rising' event. The first time catching him live, I was immediately impressed with the ease at which he commanded himself among the crowd. At 18, with the bright lights of cable television an the pressure of playing on a massive stage assembled just outside the Hilton, he rattled through songs like a seasoned vet. While I may not have realized it then, the short set was a perfect setting for what was to come from Collins throughout the next few months. The year saw him release his critically-acclaimed Nat Love, his proper full-length debut that got him our cover story in April. Since then, he has been on a tear, eschewing the freshman year of his peers to crisscross the country and Europe with his newfound family of Mike Kolar, Alex Fruchter, Odd Couple & Boathouse. As the team has barnstormed their way to national respect, Collins has emerged as a force unto himself and one that can stand alone confidently as he reaches the end of this year of progression.

On this visual, he appropriately finds himself across several stages, further underlining the sentiment of that cold day last December. While many his age are seasoned at dropping singles regularly from the comfort of their bedrooms, Collins has gotten out into the world and developed a stage presence and sound that are at once fun, explorative and exciting. Here, they take away fancy production skills to put that understanding front and center. Check this one out from Kweku above and be sure to keep it locked for much more from the Closed Sessions team coming soon via TheseDays!