Meet Brandon Kanion | Artist: Singer, Fashion Designer, Painter, Actor, Film Maker, Architect

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brandon Kanion and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brandon, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m from Baltimore Maryland. Born and raised. In Baltimore, there are no lights. No Cameras. No Glitz and Glam. Everything we have, we made ourselves. It wasn’t given…. We had to work hard, and make it with what we had. Most of us aren’t even given the bare minimum, but we have made masterpieces out of thin air, with little to no resources. Baltimore Artists are whatever the Apex predator is afraid of. We are something different. If you see a Baltimore Artist on your way in life…. Tell them how precious they are, because the light that’s shining in them?!?! They went through some things to get there. I was raised in the black church, in a single family household where my mom did her best to make sure we had a roof over our heads, food on the table, and clothes on our backs. It wasn’t the easiest upbringing, but my mom, my two sisters, and I found a way to love our way through whatever came our way. I was extremely close to my grandmother, and it’s through her that I have learned how to love. I’m a Black Gay Christian Male Artist, and my intersections in my identity and culture make me the Artist I am today. The struggles people like me face, are where I draw from to create.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am Singer/Songwriter, Fashion Designer, Actor, and Film Maker. I genre bend often with my art because I am influenced by so many genres.

In music, my base is R&B, but I often merge it with different genres to create unique sounds. For example, with my current project “The Grand Kanion: Season One”, I merged R&B with Theatre, Rock, Hip Hop, and Soul to create a Theatrical Album that told an Avante Garde Story that sounds like a blind musical. I hope to continue an already thriving narrative about Black Artists. We can create Anything! We HAVE created everything! The music industry needs a facelift on the boxes that they put artist in genre wise. It’s stifling. I come to challenge that. I create and challenge that.

In fashion design, my base is Streetwear, but I merge Streetwear with different fashion genres to do the same thing I do with my music. An example here would be my last collection “MESSIAH”, where I merged Streetwear with Loungewear. I use Men in my runway shows and photos because men are the most boxed in and stifled style wise. They play it safe. I recognize that in order for men to accept something different fashion wise, they have to see themselves in it, and not feel emasculated. I do that with my fashion. Challenge Masculinity, by introducing femininity to menswear from my point of view.

In film I hope to do the same by merges genres together to create real life experiences, because after all, life isn’t always just a romantic comedy. Sometimes, life is as scary as a horror film.

I have been doing this professionally since 2009. Thats 15+ years. At this point I am a vet and master at my craft. There’s still room to grow! I like to think that the elevating point in my creativity was when I got a chance to work with Tricky Stewart on my song “Superhero” after winning The Grammy Amplifier/Hyundai Centerstage contest in 2013. That opportunity showed me that I am worthy, and that my big ideas are my winning ticket!! That moment helped me overcome every challenge set forth afterwards, by encouraging me, and reminding me to be myself. Be nothing else, but myself.

I am proud of me. For pushing through every no (and there have been plenty of them), and pathing my own path in my art. I’m in my own lane, and I’m competing with nobody but myself. I’m incomparable, I’m unique, and I am steadfast in my values and morals despite what’s thrown at me.

My brand name is The Heart of Hiroh Arts Label. There’s a story coming soon about it. Under this umbrella, I put out everything that I do.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well if my bestfriend came in town to LA he would come in the a.m., and would only stay for about 2 days max lol. The goal would be for him to meet my LA/DMV friends:

Day One

-Breakfast at The Coffee Company.
-Check into hotel (preferably Holiday Inn LAX because it’s close to Turo, and they have a restaurant and bar). We would stay at my place however… There’s isn’t enough room lol
-Take him to meet my bro Dani Lee in Koreatown because Dani ALWAYS knows the move!
-Check out a movie in Burbank so we can be close to my friend Aybe Lexington… she’s also from Baltimore.
– Then we would go to Aybe’s crib so I can cook them dinner because I DEFINITELY owe Aybe a good home cooked meal!

Day Two

– Find Marcus!! Marcus is a mixologist, and my bestfriend and I are lightweights, so is we’re gonna have a drink or 3, Marcus HAS to mix it.
– Hopefully Sur Jazz is in town and spinning. He stays on tour. 9/10 if he is in town, he’ll be at Employees Only on Santa Monica Boulevard.
– We’ll close out the day at York Recording Studio in Highland Park. Top will have flown in to engineer. I’ll get all my DMV/LA friends together and we’ll make the biggest song of all of our careers.
– My bestfriend and I will close out the day talking and laughing at the bar in the hotel…

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
God is the joy, and the center of my life. I am here today…. Living… breathing… with a sound mind… limbs still in tact… creating the best work of my life… because a gracious lady by the name of Ori Ann Beverly prayed for me. I want to thank my Grandmother for that. It’s her fault I’m covered like this, and that I know Jesus.

I want to thank whomever my father is. His absence and void have allowed me to love and see life from the bridge. Without him being in my life, I’ve had to learn what a man is the hard way. Without his presence, I’ve had space to create my own identity, and decide the type of man I would like to be on this earth.

I want to thank Patricia Hanner…. That’s my mom… my precious mom. I want to thank her for always being there even when it’s hard for HER. Superwoman is a complete understatement. Woman… Black woman are the reason Black Men have stood the beat of time. Her unwavering support is the reason I have stood the test of time.

I want to thank Sean Aikens for introducing me to Marcus McCoy and Stephen Ellis. I love my brothers. Their influence in my artistry is…. Everpresent and Their importance is crucial. I’m so grateful for them. I’m grateful that they introduced me to Ryan “Topsecret” Anderson.

If I’m Michael Jackson, Top is Quincy Jones. If I’m Brandy, Top is Rodney Jerkins. If I’m Aaliyah, Top is Timbaland and Missy. I want to thank Ryan for being there as my engineer and producer, to encourage me to be ME in my creative process. Thank you for taking the time to get to know my voice and creativity. Thank you for growing with me brother.

Thank you to every single Xcalibur I have had. That’s what I call my background singers and band. It’s so many of you lol. But you have been an angelic guide on this road of mine. I thank you for your creativity, I thank you for your grace, and I thank you for the time and efforts you put into allowing me to lead you all.

Website: https://www.heartofhiroh.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonkanion

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19Um1GzPDC/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@brandonkanion1703?si=iVgl0pDwUPi-gd0o

Other: Applemusic: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/brandon-kanion/1338600131

Tidal:
https://tidal.com/artist/9459573?u

Image Credits
Photographer: Sean Howard
Photographer: David Phelps
Photographer: JPR Create
Photographer: Madilow