The Underground King of Ottowa

As the man who has proclaimed himself as “putting Ottawa on the map”, Night Lovell is an intriguing artist. First entering the scene in 2014 under the pseudonym “KLNV”, he produced many beats with artists like FIFTY GRAND, MISOGI, COSMANTLY, and cight, aiding the growth of the “cloud rap” scene in late 2014 and early 2015.

His break as a lyricist came from the song “Dark Light”, which has garnered an impressive five million YouTube views as of this month. This song went on to be an anthem for the underground for years to come. Shortly thereafter, he left his former name as he took on his new alias: Night Lovell. Shortly after the release of his underground hit, Lovell dropped his first full length LP “Concept Vague”. This was another success, currently claiming well over 12 million plays.

Lovell has stated in the past that he is willing to take all the time he needs to write new music. This has shown too, with Lovell taking another six months to release his sophomore LP “Red Teenage Melody”. Lovell has garnered acclaim throughout the underground for his inventive beats and melodies, as well as his unique vocal style.

Lovell employs a monotone, airy vocal style that gives space for the beats to do much of the talking. Lovells beats are unique too, with sliding 808s, spacey synths and chaotic drums. His dark style of production is something that has never been perfected in the cloud rap scene. Lyrically, Lovell has no clear motive or theme, and often writes about universal, everyday struggles rather than his personal life. Furthermore, his lyrics arguably take a backseat to his production and beats.

Overall, Night Lovell is an artist that should be looked up to in the new generation of rap. He holds a unique position and is constantly pushing a new sound in his music. He might not be Drake, he might not be 21 Savage or Lil Yachty, but maybe that’s his strongest asset.