Russ doesn’t often invite other artists to participate in his weekly single releases, but judging from his latest he really should. This week’s release is a remix of last week’s release, “Remember,” adding 22-year-old New York alt-R&B singer Hailey Knox for a crisp second verse that plays off the wistful themes of the original. According to Russ’ Twitter, the “Gucci Prada Balenciaga” singer responded to his open verse challenge and he liked her verse so much, he added it to the song, touting the freedom to do so as another of the benefits of remaining independent.
I heard @haileyknoxmusic duet to my open verse challenge yesterday
It was incredible and I LOVED it
Friday it’s coming out as the official remix
Here’s to being independent and doin what you want when you want
pic.twitter.com/A4nH6dYUse
— RUSS (@russdiemon) January 19, 2022
Knox, who got her start singing acoustic covers of pop hits on social media, grabbed fans’ attention at the end of 2021 with the release of “Gucci Prada Balenciaga,” which flaunted her expensive tastes and became something of a playlist favorite among young fans who scour the internet for up-and-coming talent. A placement on Lyrical Lemonade boosted her profile and with Russ lending her his support, it’s probably only a matter of time until her growing buzz leads to more concrete successes.
New York artist Hailey Knox is here to turn heads with a new single, “Gucci Prada Balenciaga”:https://t.co/Ag9ch8qfRV
[@haileyknoxmusic] pic.twitter.com/3hqwo5gARe
— Lyrical Lemonade (@LyricaLemonade) December 20, 2021
While Russ doesn’t often collaborate on his weekly singles, he loves to bounce off other rappers — especially on his recently released album Chomp 2, which expanded the scope of the original EP with appearances by everyone from Big KRIT to Snoop Dogg to Westside Gunn. He also teased a possible duets album with Kehlani, which would be another great outcome for his 2022.
Listen to the “Remember (Remix)” featuring Hailey Knox above.