South African artist KLY has shared his approach to songwriting after a studio session with rising R&B and Afropop singer Carter Najar.
The “Keep Love Young” hitmaker said the craft involves more than assembling lyrics.
“Songwriting isn’t just about putting some words together and calling it a day,” KLY shared. “It’s about giving the song life with melodies and words and creating texture to the song to give it the mood and feel it needs to resonate with people.”
For KLY, songwriting means building an emotional world around a record, with melodies, harmonies, rhythm and atmosphere all contributing to how a song connects with listeners.
His comments accompanied praise for Carter Najar, with whom he recently worked in the studio.
“I had the pleasure to work with the talented @carternajarr. Look out for her fire music,” he wrote.
Carter Najar, the stage name of Mischka Dhuloo, has been developing a presence in South Africa’s R&B landscape. Her catalogue includes tracks such as “Stay,” “Type” and “All Mine,” and her music often explores love, heartbreak, confidence and emotional vulnerability.
Drawing on influences including Aaliyah, Tems and Ayra Starr, Carter blends smooth R&B vocals with Afrosoul and Afropop elements, giving her sound a modern feel while staying rooted in emotion.
The studio link-up brings together two artists whose work centres on soulful, melody-driven music. KLY has built a reputation for emotionally charged records and deeply personal songwriting. Neither artist has disclosed what the studio session produced.
