Kevian Kraemer Bring His “Only if it Matters” Tour to Phoenix
- Norah Jerinic-Brodeur
- Aug 18
- 3 min read
by Norah Jerinic-Brodeur
LA based indie-pop artist, Kevian Kraemer, just wrapped up his “Only if it Matters” North American tour. Kevian and his band were on the road for about a month, starting in Washington DC and closing out in Nashville on August 12th. I was lucky enough to experience Kevian’s iconic live energy on his second leg of the “Only if it Matters” tour in Phoenix, at the Valley Bar on August 2nd. Kevian and his band’s (Jenny Ali on guitar, Will Santoro on drums, and John Novello on bass) chemistry and live dynamic made for an awesome set.
At just 20 years old, Kevian has already done two headline tours across North America, but his success doesn’t end there. Kevian’s discography is rather impressive. His first single, “Rug”, released in 2021 and since then he has dropped three EPs, Seventeen in 2024, Jersey or Mars in 2025 and only if it matters in May of 2026. Tracks such as “Attention” and “Wannabe” remain foundational aspects of his discography.
Kevian is originally from New Jersey and grew up playing soccer, whilst also fostering a love and appreciation for music. While he was still in school, he grew more involved in the local scene and started making his own music on Garage Band, developing his own sound. Kevian began releasing music while he was in high school, his debut single “Rug” dropping when he was just 15 in 2021. After his graduation in 2024, Kevian had planned on going to college to play soccer and study law or becoming a music teacher. But spoiler alert; he ultimately decided to go all in and pursue a career in music.
Kevian’s latest EP, only if it matters, released this May and features seven tracks. The EP sits at a running time of 22 minutes, making it particularly accessible for listeners to engage with the story it tells, from start to finish. The EP’s central themes are love and relationships, told through the lens of both love songs and breakup songs. However, not all of the tracks are necessarily about a specific person from Kevain’s life. Rather, they serve as a tool for him to subtly and personally talk about experiences and topics important to him, and bringing those into the format of a love song help narrate the story. To Kevian, the EP as a whole represents him making a statement of prioritizing his roots of a “form of alternative pop music [he] hasn’t usually done, except for [his] really early music.” The EP also highlights his commitment to his craft and approaching things in a way he believes is right, instead of worrying about external influences. Although the “loudness” and chord progressions have remained consistent in Kevian’s tracks throughout the years, he notes a shift specifically in his song writing. Earlier releases such as, “Rug”, were more “forward, loud and unapologetically weird/aggressive" while newer tracks on the EP feature a more “subtle and intentional approach to song writing.”
The fact that Kevian is only 20 years old and has had multiple headline tours and successful releases is genuinely impressive. It’s always empowering to witness someone pursuing their passion, achieving success, and receiving support within that experience. Although Kevian’s tour just wrapped up, he has already released a new single, “hit and run”, which I would highly recommend you check out. Make sure to keep an eye out for Kevian’s next tour because between his catchy/relatable music and live show energy, you won’t want to miss it!
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