Kiana V And The Art of Knowing Better In New Album
“When I was with a label, there was a whole machine moving the project forward. As an independent artist, if I don’t move, the project doesn’t either,” the R&B singer-songwriter says of her first fully independent project.
Courtesy of Kiana V
Courtesy of Kiana V
Kiana V is back, and she knows herself better than ever.
In her new nine-track album, I Know Better, the R&B singer-songwriterSinger-SongwriterA musician who writes and performs their own songs, typically accompanied by guitar or piano. Valued for personal storytelling and authenticity, singer-songwriters form a major part of the Filipino musicGo to Singer-Songwriter Glossary explores the ups and downs of modern love and the contradictions of knowing what’s best for us yet choosing differently anyway. Now, Kiana has more to say about knowing better.
“I’ve noticed over recent years that this is a theme I’m naturally drawn to. Maybe it’s because I grew up quite sheltered, and I’ve always carried that tension inside me… knowing better, and still choosing otherwise,” she tells Billboard Philippines.
Courtesy of Kiana V
The album, which includes the previously released singles “Got Away” and “Forget About You,” reflects where she is as an artist, embracing the idea that growth isn’t always linear.
“To me, knowing better means self-awareness and foresight, really understanding the effects and possible consequences of your choices. I guess I’m at a place where I can look back and see that I’m the one shaping how my life unfolds,” she adds.
Just like the album’s thesis, the process of creating her long-awaited return with a full-length project is a story in itself. Recounting moments in the studio dating back to November 2024, she recalls saying it was the last day in the studio, only to find an almost identical video filmed over a year later, capturing her saying the same thing.
“Plans changed, the tracklist evolved, even the album title changed. It was frustrating at times, but I’m learning to trust that everything happens for a reason, and I really believe the album is better for it,” she reveals.
Speaking about her favorite track, she says her answer changes almost every day. For now, it’s the titular track, which she finds meaningful for how it establishes the album’s “unreliable narrator.” “There are power dynamics, possible manipulation, denial, and admission all wrapped in this floaty song,” she says.
Courtesy of Kiana V
A project that was years in the making, there came challenges such as producing the closing track “Lover Girl.” Written in early 2024, the song, as she describes, has lived so many lives. “I wanted it to feel delusional, but also romantic and hopeful,” she explains. With the help of producers Taydex, Drea Rose, and Wes Singerman, the track was the fitting ending to the project.
As her first fully independent album, she felt a different kind of pressure this time around, saying, “When I was with a label, there was a whole machine moving the project forward. As an independent artist, if I don’t move, the project doesn’t either.”
But she wasn’t going into it blindly, having taken online music business and marketing classes. “Now it’s equal parts discipline, networking, leaning on my mentors, writing and recording, and finding the right people to bring the visuals to life,” she explains.
For her, the most liberating part of the journey was realizing her genuine love for the craft. There came a moment when she felt she had lost touch with why she started making music in the first place. Working independently and the process of making the album reminded her who she was as an artist.
On the other hand, decision-making and time management felt overstimulating, with so many moving parts at play. Despite having the right people and team with her throughout the process, it was still up to her to have the final say.
More than that, splitting her time between Los Angeles and Manila has shaped her perspective and creative process. “Spending time in LA really bursts my Manila bubble, and vice versa. Back home, I’m surrounded by family, friends, and people who have known me for years. In LA, I’m still just introducing myself,” she admits.
Courtesy of Kiana V
Truly, the two cities are worlds apart, each with its own distinct pulse. “Going back and forth kinda keeps me on my toes and really pushes me to explore and engage so I can stay connected and keep learning from each culture. It kinda reminds me that neither version of me is the whole picture,” she says.
But it also raises questions about where she belongs, with that in-between feeling seeping into her songwriting. What’s not in between, however, is her homecoming to the Philippines. She takes the stage at this year’s PLUS63 Festival, joining fellow OPM artists DENȲ and SHNTI, alongside international acts Khalid and Wolf Alice.
“Not gonna lie, I just can’t wait to see my family,” she says about her coming back to the country. “That’s my number one. But I’ve also never played a festival of this scale in Manila.”
Excited to perform for a home crowd once again, Kiana returns with a body of work she is proud of. “And a lot has changed since I started this project, so I guess, in a way, I’m also reintroducing myself to Filipino audiences,” she adds.
Listen to I Know Better below:
Frequently Asked Questions
“I Know Better” is a nine-track R&B album exploring modern love and the tension of knowing what is best yet choosing otherwise. It includes singles “Got Away” and “Forget About You.”
Yes. Kiana V calls it her first fully independent album, meaning she drives the project herself without a label machine. She prepared by taking online music business and marketing classes.
“Lover Girl,” the closing track, was written in early 2024 and produced with Taydex, Drea Rose, and Wes Singerman. Kiana V says she wanted it to feel delusional, romantic, and hopeful.
Yes. Kiana V performs at this year’s PLUS63 Festival in Manila with OPM artists DENȲ and SHNTI and international acts Khalid and Wolf Alice, her first festival of this scale there.
Kiana V splits her time between Los Angeles and Manila. She says the back-and-forth keeps her learning from each culture, and the in-between feeling is seeping into her songwriting.
