Kungs
Biography
Valentin Brunel, known professionally as Kungs, is a French DJ, record producer, and musician born on December 17, 1996, in Toulon, France. He started playing a djembe, a gift from his parents, at the age of five and grew up listening to rock and roll classics with his father. At seventeen, he began creating and posting his own compositions online. Kungs chose his stage name after searching online for the translation of "gentleman" in various languages and finding "Kungs" in Latvian.
Career Breakthrough
Kungs gained significant attention with his remixes of "Jamming" by Bob Marley and the Wailers and "West Coast" by Lana Del Rey, which accumulated millions of plays on SoundCloud and YouTube. His international breakthrough came in 2016 with his remix of Cookin' on 3 Burners' "This Girl". The track became a global hit, reaching number one in several countries, including France and Germany, and charting in the top 10 in numerous others. Following this success, he released his debut album "Layers" in November 2016. This album featured other popular singles like "Don't You Know" with Jamie N Commons and "I Feel So Bad" with Ephemerals.
Musical Style and Subsequent Releases
Kungs' music is often described as a blend of house, deep house, and tropical house. After the success of his debut album, he performed at major international festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Tomorrowland. In March 2022, he released his second album, "Club Azur". This album was preceded by the hit single "Never Going Home," which became a global anthem in the summer of 2021. Another single from the album, "Clap Your Hands," also gained significant popularity.
Discography
Studio Albums
- Layers (2016)
- Club Azur (2022)
Major Singles
- "This Girl" (vs Cookin' on 3 Burners) (2016)
- "Don't You Know" (feat. Jamie N Commons) (2016)
- "I Feel So Bad" (feat. Ephemerals) (2016)
- "Never Going Home" (2021)
- "Clap Your Hands" (2022)
Awards and Recognition
In 2017, Kungs' album "Layers" won the Victoire de la Musique award for Best Electronic or Dance Album of the Year. He has also won NRJ Awards for 'DJ of The Year' and 'Best French DJ'. He was the most Shazamed French artist in the world in 2016.