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Photo: Bella Margolis

Asha Imuno is part of season two of the Mastercard x OnesToWatch Artist Accelerator program. To learn more about the Mastercard x OnesToWatch Artist Accelerator program, visit here. 

Who else is having a year like Asha Imuno? Between the critical acclaim of his long-awaited debut project PINS & NEEDLES, a COLORS performance, and an upcoming tour with BLK ODYSSY, it might be safe to say that few (if any) artists could say they’ve had a year like his.

Though on the surface it might seem like much has changed for Imuno, things are still business as usual; he’s still keeping his head down working tirelessly during a time when many of his peers might feel inclined to take a victory lap. This week, fans are treated to the fruits of the rising star's labor as our hero finally returns with “eXCiTING :),” a genre-warping single that serves as the first taste of a sound that Imuno is pioneering called BLKSUGAR.

Laced with jazzy chords and sharp electronic percussion, “eXCiTING :)” is the perfect song to soundtrack your last few weeks of being outside this summer. Self-produced and written alongside fellow LA iconoclast Gidi (“MILLION DOLLAR BABY” and “DANCE”), the track blends the energy of NY’s sexy drill movement with Imuno’s signature West Coast futurism to create something entirely unique. Its video, produced by Mikhail Brown, amplifies this energy with scenes of psychedelic performance shots and Imuno placed in front of a huge “BLKSUGAR” mural.

If fans are lucky, “eXCiTING :)” is more than just a new single from one of music’s most promising new artists, it’s a harbinger of a new era of music for Imuno. Though fans might be ravenous for whatever comes next, if PINS & NEEDLES taught us anything, it’s that their patience is always rewarded. So I’ll ask again, who else is having a year like Asha Imuno?

Watch the "eXCiTING :)" video below: