A new decade has officially begun, and in 2020, dance music is no longer creeping into the cultural zeitgeist. However, rather than stagnate as the lines between the mainstream and the club continued to blur, the new decade brought with it a crop of young, hungry, bright, and artistically fearless creators. Head and shoulders above them all is 15-year-old Omar Davis, better known as Moore Kismet—Mix Session‘s Breakout Artist of the Year.
The name “Moore Kismet” means “more than fate,” and serves as a representation of Davis finding success in the industry while sharing the story of who they really are. Being an openly pansexual/non-binary artist certainly comes with its own unique challenges, but Kismet not only embraced love and support from the LGBTQ+ community, they also made it a part of their artistry to show the next generation of producers ready to come out of the bedroom, hell or even the closet, that this music and this community are for everyone. This has become a major facet of Davis’ identity, championing the fight for greater inclusivity and representation in the music industry as their own.
Kismet has been on a musical tear in 2020 from stellar performances at Digital Mirage, Insomniac’s BackHARD Summer BBQ Virtual Rave-A-Thon, and Night Mode Livestream, to releasing some of the most forward-thinking, unique, beautifully contrasted bass music that came out this year.
The Never Say Die export began the year with a remix of PhaseOne’s, “Crash & Burn,” showcasing the artists’ stellar sound selection and ability to curate obscene musical phrases. Next, came two single releases in anticipation for Kismet’s Revenge Of The Unicorn‘s EP, “Adore” and “Flair” with Leotrix, both of which demonstrated a matured evolution to their sound, a theme behind the entire extended play. In one of our summer “Producer Sessions” earlier this year, Mix Session even got to do a deep dive into the elements that birthed the young prodigy’s 2020 project. Making music and growing into one’s own identity are intimately related in the context of Kismet’s creative process and Revenge Of The Unicorns EP was both the impetus for and an emblem of personal progression.
This year Kismet remixed veterans Moody Good and Slander’s “Heart Break” adding both tantalizing and hypnotizing high-end synths along with a quicksand second drop that demonstrates dynamic sound design and unique storytelling the young producer continues to cement with each release. “Drift” featuring Bajillionaire, “Beauty Is A Facade,” and “You Should Run” featuring Pauline Herr have been Kismets’ latest tracks this year, all showcasing a variety of styles the producer can tackle, and each marked by their own distinguished nuances. If nothing else, Kismet’s output this year resoundingly announces the arrival of a new guard in bass music.
On earning the distinction of Breakout Artist of the Year, Kismet said,
“Looking back at everything, this year has shown such crazy growth for my project. While I wasn’t even remotely expecting any of the accolades, support, and love that I’ve received this year from blogs, platforms, and listeners alike, I’m unbelievably grateful that I did. This year has been quite the shitstorm for everyone, but finding the positives in every situation is the best way to get through any negative. I want to thank my mom for literally everything. If she wasn’t so supportive of me and my project, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I also want to thank my teams at Prodigy Artists and UTA for all of the work they put in to help me make my dreams come true. Lastly, I want to once again thank DA for this honor. I’ve always dreamed of being featured on DA ever since I was little, and I’ve always kept up with new articles they put out. They’ve shown me such immense love this year, and I can’t thank them enough for their support and for this incredible honor.”
The hyper-expressive bass wunderkind is also said to have a debut album due in 2021. And, with any luck, Kismet’s first LP will coincide with the return of live events next year. So, when festivals do come back, expect to watch the font size increase and the placement climb with each lineup announcement—Moore Kismet is here to stay.
