Kiimi on Friendship, Freedom, and Finding Their Voice Again

Kiimi is entering a whole new era – freer, louder, and more unapologetic than ever. The London-based producer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist has been carving out their own lane in the UK scene, blending emotion with club power in a way that hits deep. Following their Pixie EP, Kiimi’s back with “i want u” – their first release since parting ways with a long-term label and a killer debut on Jaguar’s Utopia Worldwide. It’s a low-end heavy, percussive roller built for those late-night, sweat-soaked basements that shaped them – raw, queer, and full of feeling.

Beyond the studio, Kiimi continues to build community through Hunni Sound and Club Hunni, vital platforms uplifting FLINTA artists and underrepresented voices in electronic music. As they relaunch Club Hunni at Planet Wax and prepare for a new wave of releases, Kiimi’s world feels freer and more fearless than ever – a space where vulnerability and power collide, and the dance floor becomes both refuge and revolution.

We linked with Kiimi to discuss their classical roots and DIY club beginnings, the creative rebirth behind their latest single, the mission driving Hunni Sound and Club Hunni, and the lessons, growth, and energy shaping their next chapter heading into 2026.

You’ve built your sound on both classical training and raw emotional energy. Can you tell us how your early musical background shaped the way you approach club music today – and what drew you toward production and the UK underground in the first place?

Being classically trained is a blessing and a curse!! I think my obsession with music theory and musicology makes me very detail-oriented and intentional - every sound, frequency, and cadence can have a psychological or emotional purpose if you want it to. But in that same breath, having that knowledge can make you overthink everything and stunt the creative process if you let it!  

Although I’ve been making music my whole life, I discovered my love for dance music during COVID in 2020, through going to illegal raves and throwing living room parties every weekend with my housemates and teaching myself to DJ. I was simultaneously discovering my queerness, and that process and club culture go hand in hand.

“i want u” feels like a powerful statement of intent – your first release since leaving a long-term label deal. What does this track represent for you personally and creatively, and how did you want it to feel on the dance floor?

It definitely feels like the beginning of a new era, and that I’ve regained a strong sense of creative control and confidence. The track combines all my favourite elements of club music: percussive, bassy, sitting in between bouncy house and techno, with a clear nod to the queer club culture that forever inspires me. I wanted it to feel like the sonic embodiment of a sweaty, dark basement.

You’ve shared a long-standing friendship and creative connection with Jaguar. What made UTOPIA the right home for this release, and how has Jaguar influenced or supported your journey along the way?

Ah man, it’s hard to put into words how much Jaguar has helped and supported me over the years – she is a champion for new electronic music and she’s been pivotal in the progress of so many of my peers. I admire her a lot and we’ve become good friends along the way as well. Jaguar heard me play ‘i want u’ at my single launch party at the end of last year and she immediately was like “WHAT IS THIS,” so Utopia felt like the perfect label to release it with. Working with your friends also just makes everything more fun. 

Bring us back to 2021 when you got linked up with Scuba and Hotflush Recordings for your debut single “Breaking My Mind.” How did that relationship come about, and what comes to mind when you look back on those first moments of your career as an artist? 

I was introduced to Scuba through my previous managers, and he was such a supportive force in those early moments of my career. The Kiimi project began at an interesting time really - we were fresh out of lockdown, and my infatuation with dance music had only really just begun, so my first experiences of making it, releasing it on Hotflush Recordings and being immersed in it were socially isolated. We weren’t able to access those environments (clubs, festivals, etc.) where the music is born from. I think there was a more introspective element to electronic music in general at that point, as it adapted to what was happening in the world and how people were listening. I look back on those first releases so fondly, they feel like a time capsule to me and they marked the start of my journey. 

Hunni Sound and Club Hunni have become vital spaces for FLINTA creatives and underrepresented voices in the scene. Tell us about your plans for expansion for the platform.

Thank you! I feel very excited to be re-launching the Hunni brand. The past year in dance music has been a weird one - with closures of small venues, dips in ticket sales and redistributions of funding, the scene has had to adapt and that, in turn, has potentially shifted focus away from gender diversity and inclusion. I feel passionately about doing whatever I can to help change that narrative, and grassroots initiatives play a vital role in the club ecosystem by cultivating community and platforming artists. 

Our first event will be Club Hunni (an inclusive club night made to shine a light on FLINTA talent in electronic music): a free party on Thursday 13th November at Planet Wax in New Cross, with an all-FLINTA line up of Jaguar, Jess Iszatt, Meg Ward, Lu. Re, myself, Bklava and Melle Brown, plus more TBC (learn more here).

There is more coming further down the line but I can’t announce that yet, so watch this space!

From speaking at IMS and playing DC-10 to your BBC Radio 1 mix and the release of your Pixie EP – this year’s been huge. Looking back, what have been the most meaningful moments or lessons for you?

I’m glad things have looked great on the surface!! Because quite honestly this year has been a challenging one. In the past 12 months my entire team has changed - there were months where I was working without a manager, and as a whole I’ve had to become a lot more independent and self-reliant. The amazing thing is that I achieved so much this year despite those professional obstacles, all these little miracles would keep happening that kept my motivation up. And in all of it, finding my voice again has been such a rewarding process. Playing DC10 was definitely a highlight, as was playing Silverworks Festival and recently going to Canada to speak at Music Week Nova Scotia. Plus now I’m working with a new team that I’m really excited about.

The main takeaway for me from 2025 is the importance of your “network”, or put simply, having real friends in your field of work. My community has really held me up this year when I’ve needed support, and I’m so endlessly grateful for that!   

You’ve described “i want u” as the start of a new chapter. As you head into 2026, what kind of energy, sounds, or projects do you want to explore next – both for yourself and the wider Hunni community?

I’m excited to keep more of a focus on making club music, and expanding the Hunni community to become a voice and agent of change in dance music.