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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Jessica Knibbs

KSI to release new song and In Real Life documentary this week

KSI, whose real name is Olajide Olayinka Williams “JJ” Olatunji, has the fourth most-followed YouTube channel for a British artist

(Picture: JD Sports)

Renowned British YouTuber and rapper KSI will be releasing a new single called Voices featuring American singer Oliver Tree on Friday, January 27.

This will be accompanied by a music video featuring another YouTuber, Chunkz.

“Voices is a song I worked on during my weird phase mentally,” KSI, one of the decade’s most successful breakthrough artists, said. “This is a big song for me because it marked a big chapter in my life.

“After my break-up, I thought I was fine, but I had these voices in my head telling me I wasn’t as happy as I thought I was.”

‌The song also appears in KSI’s highly anticipated documentary KSI: In Real Life. This will be released on January 26 exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

“It was awesome to create this song with one of my friends Oliver Tree and it being included in the Prime Video doc is super cool too,” KSI, 29, said.

Tree added: “The song is about the pain we experience in the aftermath of a break-up. Lying to ourselves as we try to replace the void with a fling or waking up in your cold empty bed alone.

“That person can haunt our head for months, even years after. Wondering if we will ever escape the memories of the person, we once loved who’s now a stranger.”

KSI the rapper, Youtuber and boxer

KSI, whose real name is Olajide Olayinka Williams “JJ” Olatunji, has the fourth most-followed YouTube channel for a British artist behind Ed Sheeran, One Direction and Adele. This is quickly approaching 20 billion cumulative views and has 40.8 million subscribers at the time of writing.

The Watford-born celebrity’s also a successful businessman with a diverse portfolio of interests. These include his own music label, The Online Takeover, and a boxing promotions company, Misfits Boxing.

He’s also the co-owner of one of the fastest-growing beverages ever, the Prime Hydration drink, with fellow YouTuber Logan Paul. Their drinks company is set to surpass $140 million (£113m) in revenue in its first year.

KSI is also an undefeated amateur-turned-professional boxer.

He knocked out Brazilian YouTuber Faze Temperrr in the first round in his latest bout at Wembley Arena on January 21. This took his record to 4-0.

KSI: In Real Life

The upcoming documentary of his life is produced by Louis Theroux and Mindhouse Productions.

It includes KSI’s beginnings in Watford and his early adoption of YouTube.

The documentary tells how KSI defied the odds and achieved huge and unexpected success in the business, music, and boxing worlds.

With unique and unfiltered access to the global megastar, the film focuses on his family, fame, the internet, and how he overcame trauma.

It is billed as a revealing portrait of the stunning rise of the ultimate influencer. It is also reportedly a warts-and-all look at a young man working out who he is while the whole world watches.

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