ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

From Amazon delivery driver to R&B star: KWN's meteoric rise

artist · 2026-06-27

East London R&B singer KWN (Khyra Wilson) has gone from delivering Amazon packages to selling out the Sydney Opera House in just two years. After being dropped by her first label, she and manager Carlyn Calder sold demo copies of 'Worst Behaviour' directly to fans for £1.99 each, moving 5,500 copies in two weeks. This led to a deal with RCA Records. The song later featured a remix with US star Kehlani, with whom KWN previously dated. Her debut EP 'With All Due Respect' dropped last June, followed by 'And All Pride Aside' which explores emotional vulnerability, including a track mourning her grandfather. KWN is nominated for Best New Artist at the BET Awards in Los Angeles next week and will perform at European festivals this summer while working on her debut album.

Key facts

  • KWN was born and raised in Walthamstow, East London
  • Two years ago she delivered packages for Amazon
  • She sold her car and worked part-time with her dad in a restaurant
  • KWN and manager Carlyn Calder sold 5,500 copies of 'Worst Behaviour' demo at £1.99 each
  • She signed to RCA Records just before Christmas 2024
  • US R&B star Kehlani featured on a remix of 'Worst Behaviour' released Valentine's Day 2025
  • KWN was nominated for BBC's Sound of 2026 award
  • She is nominated for Best New Artist at the BET Awards in Los Angeles

Entities

Artists

  • KWN
  • Khyra Wilson
  • Kehlani
  • Carlyn Calder
  • D'Angelo
  • SZA
  • Miguel
  • Ginuwine
  • Nelly

Institutions

  • Amazon
  • RCA Records
  • BBC
  • BET
  • Sydney Opera House
  • Mobo Awards

Locations

  • Walthamstow
  • East London
  • Sydney
  • Australia
  • Los Angeles
  • United States
  • Europe

Sources