Combining a feathery tenor and unashamed emotional transparency, RealestK, the 19-year-old Toronto native produces introspective R&B full of tenderness and longing, exploring love and loss with a naked sensitivity. With his project Real World, he captures the reality check of his new world: the cracking facade of celebrity, the life not posted on social media. The son of Lebanese immigrants to Ontario, he grew up watching his father moonlight as an Arabic singer. RealestK was instantly enamoured of two newcomers who also happened to rep Toronto: Drake and The Weeknd. Watching them win big at awards shows lit a fire within him.
In high school, the pandemic gave him the opportunity to further his craft. From his makeshift studio, he uploaded covers—and eventually his own music—to TikTok. “WFM,” one of those songs, earned RIAA-certified Gold status, and RealestK built upon his momentum. Along the way, he signed with Columbia Records and earned cosigns from Drake, The Weeknd, and NAV. RealestK’s debut, Dreams 2 Reality, includes many of his captivating hits in addition to songs like the conflicted “I Think I Do” and the suave “Bruce Wayne.”