KENTON

The son of Taiwanese immigrants, KENTON grew up in sunny Irvine, California, a place where he struggled to find his footing as an Asian American. In some of his earliest memories, The now Los Angeles-based artist watched his father teach music in their home, eventually cultivating a fervency for songcraft. As he grew out of his childhood home and became a full-fledged adult, his parents moved back to Taiwan, leaving the actor and singer-songwriter in the States to grapple with his queer identity and how it juxtaposed his traditional upbringing. Sweetmouth, the multidisciplinary artist's full-length debut, takes its inspiration from a 2022 visit KENTON took to Taiwan to see his parents for Thanksgiving, marking their first time seeing one another in nearly six years. The album navigates tension surrounding religion, queer identity and self-love, all while paying tribute to familial love. The album takes its title from KENTON's childhood nickname, sweetmouth (甜嘴), a Chinese phrase for an adorable and obedient child. KENTON says that while part of his impetus for making the record was finding a way to forgive his parents for not accepting him as he is, he also wanted to honor them with his music. His father had a stroke prior to his 2022 visit, and complications rendered his father unable to play music like he used to. KENTON has previously established himself as a sought-after pop-singer, collaborating with projects such as Postmodern Jukebox and Scary Pockets.