FKJ, short for French Kiwi Juice, is the recording name of Vincent Fenton, a French musician from Tours. Born in 1991, he grows up in a small village outside Tours and later becomes associated with a blend of electronic music, funk, downtempo, nu jazz and neo-soul.

Background

Fenton’s stage name refers to his French mother and New Zealand father. He teaches himself music rather than studying formally, drawing on his own ear after becoming interested in his parents’ records, which include music by Pink Floyd, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Queen. He starts on guitar and then takes up the saxophone at the age of seven. He also builds rudimentary one-man bands from whatever objects are available, a habit that continues as he collects instruments over time.

Because specialist music colleges are too expensive, he moves to Paris to study sound and film, which gives him a foundation in cinematic arrangements. In Paris he becomes part of the city’s nightlife scene, playing live instruments in clubs and developing a profile as a SoundCloud producer.

Music and releases

FKJ’s early work mixes house and jazz, including the Time For A Change EP from 2013. His self-titled 2017 debut releases under his own name and points towards a more introspective approach. That same year he records Tadow with Masego; the track grows out of a day-long improvisation in Paris and features saxophone, keyboards and drums in a hip-hop-inflected jazz setting.

In 2019 he releases the Ylang Ylang EP, written during a difficult period in his personal life. Its title track sits at the centre of the release, with the surrounding tracks combining R&B rhythms, acoustic guitar and saxophone. He later releases V I N C E N T, a record that draws more heavily on late-night jazz saxophone, piano, whispery vocals and guitar work shaped by Santana-style phrasing.

Collaborations and style

FKJ works with artists who share his interest in groove-led music. His collaborations include the American rapper Bas on “Risk”, as well as a remix for PinkPantheress. His live and recorded work often features him moving between piano, singing, saxophone and guitar.

Personal context

He marries June, who performs as ((( O )))), after meeting her at a festival in the Philippines. The couple later live together on an island off the south coast of the country and create a home studio there with a view of rainforest. A live session recorded there in 2019 shows him performing across multiple instruments in that setting.

FKJ presents himself as a self-taught musician whose work develops from improvisation, multi-instrument performance and a strong interest in texture and atmosphere.