Manicures also factor into Keshi’s striking look. Although his nails aren’t lacquered at the time of our interview, he’s dabbled in coats of black, orange, and yellow over the past three years or so. Painted nails are the perfect accessory when you play guitar for a living if you ask me. “Sometimes, I mix and match, but black, I feel, is aesthetically the easiest thing to go with all the different outfits that I wear,” Keshi says. Again, like his hair, he loves the versatility of all-black tips.
Nail art appeals to Keshi, though. “I really want to get into some more,” his voice trails off as he looks over at his publicist. “…like, Julie has some amazing nails on right now, right?” She holds up hands decked out in oxblood talons adorned in gold accents and rhinestones. “I would love to get into having that kind of style as well.” Keshi hates chipped polish, so I’m sensing a gel manicure with bold designs in his future.
Vision Quest
Add all these beautiful elements together with a Tokyo street style-inspired wardrobe packed with bold prints and avant-garde silhouettes and the sum is an overall vision Keshi has long imagined emulating. Much of his look he obviously did with his own resources, but he’s very intentional about giving credit where credit is due to his team, particularly his stylist, Kendy, and hair and makeup artist, Yuki. “Through [their] amazing work, we’ve been able to achieve really what Keshi should look like for this era.”
But Keshi is rarely one for collaborating. When making music, he prefers to do everything himself, including, but not limited to, producing, composing, and, most importantly, writing lyrics. All are “ways in which I process the things that happen around me,” Keshi reveals. “[Writing music] is really sacred to me. I can’t write with other people.” But he takes that last statement back. Six co-writers helped him out with Gabriel. Otherwise, “I’m very precious about it: the way every single thing sounds and all the shapes and everything,” he continues. “I want to make sure that I have full control at all times.”