Cover image via Jameson Distilled Sounds 2025 (Provided to SAYS) & Saint Kylo (Provided to SAYS)
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It's not every day you get handpicked by Anderson .Paak himself… unless you're Saint Kylo, apparently
One minute you're strumming in open mics across KL… the next you're on a plane to Dublin to collab with a punk experimentalist under the watchful (and probably vibing) eyes of Anderson .Paak.
No biggie.
That's exactly what's happening for Saint Kylo, Malaysia's own soul-funk-R&B genre bender, who's just been selected as one of 20 global artistes for Jameson Distilled Sounds 2025 — a music platform curated by the funky force of nature, Anderson .Paak.
If you're new to him, Saint Kylo is a Malaysian singer-songwriter making waves with his genre-fluid blend of soul, funk, R&B, and hip hop. He's known for his raw lyrics, fearless sound experiments, and high-energy live shows that refuse to play it safe.
Meanwhile, Anderson .Paak is the Grammy-winning artiste behind hits like Come Down and Leave the Door Open (as one-half of Silk Sonic with Bruno Mars). He's famous for his slick vocals, tight drumming, and genre-blending artistry. And now, he's mentoring rising talents from around the world through Jameson Distilled Sounds.
How did this even happen? According to Kylo, it all started with Jameson Malaysia believing in him.
"I'm just a kid from Taman Melawati," Kylo said, wide-eyed. "Now I'm in this global mix, learning from legends, repping Malaysia… It's wild."
Every year, Jameson Distilled Sounds brings together 20 genre-bending artistes from around the world, and each market submits names to be considered. Malaysia threw Saint Kylo's name into the mix… and well, the rest was history.
"Jameson submitted a bunch of artistes from Malaysia, and the global team, including Anderson .Paak, chose me. That's how I got this opportunity to be mentored by the great man himself," he explained to SAYS.
The selected artistes will be flown to Ireland for a full-on collaborative residency, where they're paired off to co-write and record brand new music.
This year, Kylo's making magic with Skinner, a punk experimentalist from Ireland
"I definitely see Skinner and I making something that bends genres.
"Soul, hip hop, punk, guitars, percussions — we both love mixing sounds. So yeah, you never know what's gonna come out. It's gonna be some Dublin-KL magic, hehe," he added with a chuckle.
Saint Kylo wants to break sonic rules and maybe get signed by .Paak while he's at it
"I think I wanna make something that has elements of soul, hip hop, definitely punk, guitars… A little bit of rock, you know. Something fearless," he shared.
And hey, since we're manifesting…
"Hopefully Anderson .Paak will sign me. Hopefully lah. Anderson, sign me lah. Sign Saint Kylo. It's like a match made in heaven. Let's go," the singer-songwriter said excitedly.
If a collab were to happen, he's already got a track in mind:
"Mannn… I think I want him on this song I just wrote. It's called Saints and Singers. That'll be the one. Or Walk My Way. Either one — it'd be dope."
Before Dublin, there was Good Vibes, RIUH, and a whole lot of grinding
Kylo's no newbie to the local live scene. He cut his teeth with Ryot Jones, then branched out as a solo act, with major gigs like Good Vibes Festival under his belt.
"That was insane," he recalled. "Definitely one of those moments that made me go, 'Whoa… this is real'."
And just before jetting off, Jameson Malaysia recently gave him a KL farewell show filled with familiar faces.
"To see all these people I love, and who are fans of me, just come out and show love that way? That was very, very special. I'm bringing all of that energy to Dublin."
And no, it hasn't really sunk in yet that he's working with Anderson .Paak
When asked how it feels to be mentored by .Paak, Kylo let out a laugh — part joy, part disbelief: "Feels surreal. Hahahaha."
But he's keeping it grounded. "I told everyone I'm not gonna get excited until I get off the plane in Dublin. Till then, still got a lot of work to do. But once I'm there? Then I'll allow myself to feel some excitement."
If you're discovering his music for the first time, start with Carole Baskin
"It's really experimental," Kylo pointed out.
"It's chaotic in that sense. It starts slow and then gets super chaotic. I think it's the perfect song for people to see that I'm not making generic stuff. I'm fearless — sonically, I'm pushing boundaries. That track shows that," he added.
With four singles and an EP (Paid For) out so far, Saint Kylo's music refuses to stay in one lane, and that's the point.
Malaysia's indie scene is ready for the world, and Saint Kylo's here to say it loud
He doesn't hold back when talking about the scene that shaped him.
"Malaysia's sound is so much more diverse than what the mainstream shows.
"Forget about the label stuff. The indie acts? That's some next-level stuff. We've got jazz kids, soul kids, reggae, rap, rock, metal. It transcends genres," he said passionately.
As Jameson Distilled Sounds' Malaysian ambassador, Kylo will also be sharing his learnings from Dublin with the community, and hopefully inspiring the next wave of genre-blenders to go even harder.
He's going to do us proud. And maybe change the game while he's at it.
Kylo's heading to Ireland with full heart, zero pretense, and the fire of someone who knows how far he's come, and how far he can go.
"I'm super proud to be chosen. And I just wanna go there and represent Malaysia to the best of my abilities. Represent the local indie scene. I wanna make everyone proud.
"Expect a super, super fun song. And fun content. I'm just gonna do my best," he added.
And if all goes well, that "Saint Kylo feat. Anderson .Paak" credit might not be a fantasy much longer.
Dublin is just the beginning.
Listen to Saint Kylo's music here:
This feature is part of the #saysplaylist series, providing your playlist with a breath of fresh Malaysian air
