In Rotation: Kalisway

Kalisway started building beats on a vocal-recording software called Mixcraft at thirteen before jumping to FL Studio, teaching herself to produce without a shred of formal music theory. The Toronto native just sequences the rhythms she hears in her head. That raw, instinctual approach is exactly why her music sounds so completely untethered from whatever the rest of the industry is doing right now. She grew up worshipping Pharrell’s In My Mind and the unapologetic individuality of Missy Elliott. You hear that exact 2000s creative defiance all over her new album, UNSTOPPABLE. Writing and producing all twelve tracks herself, Kalisway builds arrangements that leave open space between the kick and the snare. The music hits like a lowrider cruising down La Brea at sunset. On her single "I Like It" featuring LAYA, the percussion snaps right in the pocket while her vocal arrangements stack into vibrant, airtight harmonies. She doesn't hide behind muddy reverb. She places the kick drum front and center, letting a thick funk bassline carry the groove while her voice glides over the top. R&B has spent the last five years drowning in toxic, underwater trap-soul, making Kalisway’s bright, fully-realized funk feel like an absolute rebellion. She is making music for the cookout, the late-night drive, and the actual dancefloor. This isn't an overnight pivot. She laid the groundwork with her 2025 EP Take Me Back (World Of Eras) and her A Kid From Toronto LP. Now, the momentum is finally matching the work ethic. "Put It Down" just took the number one spot on Spotify's Mood Ring playlist, while "You And Me" alongside Reuben Vincent cracked the top five on Fresh Finds R&B. Apple Music threw "I Like It" into rotation on R&B Now, and college radio stations like WRFL 88.1 are picking up the signal. She even shut down Toronto's New Year's Eve countdown in front of a massive hometown crowd. Kalisway is producing her own world from scratch. Hit play below.