KhakiKid - Favela (Single)

Picture Credit: Vicky Grout

Irish alternative rap continues to mutate in exciting ways and right now few artists are shaping that evolution like KhakiKid.

Fresh from a sold out headline show at Dublin’s iconic 3Olympia Theatre, the Dublin born artist returns with his first single of the year, “Favela,” and news of a new five track EP, Girl Bites Dog, landing April 17.

Produced by F3miii and Louis Stanley Isaac, “Favela” is soulful, elastic and quietly confident. It blends rap, R&B and indie textures with the kind of sharp lyricism and melodic hooks that made “Date Nite” a breakout moment. There is humour here, but also clarity. KhakiKid has a knack for making the contradictions of your mid twenties feel cinematic, chaotic and oddly comforting all at once.

Storytelling remains his anchor. His writing is unfiltered but self aware, balancing satire with sincerity. He does not posture. He observes. And that perspective, shaped by growing up on a Dublin council estate while navigating identity, ADHD and his Arab Irish heritage, gives his music a rare emotional texture.

The EP title flips the old newsroom phrase “man bites dog,” where the unexpected becomes the headline. It is a fitting metaphor. KhakiKid has built his reputation on subverting expectation, sonically adventurous but grounded, playful yet introspective.

This will be his fourth project, following the acclaimed Moanbag EP and singles like “Moved On.” The trajectory has been steep, with over 25 million streams, a Spotify RADAR spotlight, co signs from Lola Young and Anderson .Paak, plus recognition from NME and Dazed. He has also earned nominations at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize for Breakthrough Artist and Song of the Year for “Date Nite.”

Live, he is magnetic. Beyond the 3Olympia milestone, he has commanded the Electric Arena stage at Electric Picnic and shared bills with some of Ireland’s most vital voices.

What makes “Favela” feel significant is not just its polish but its ease. KhakiKid sounds fully realised, confident in his identity, comfortable moving between wit and vulnerability, and unafraid to stretch genre boundaries.

With Girl Bites Dog, he is not simply riding momentum, he is sharpening it. And in doing so, he is helping define what Ireland’s alternative scene can sound like in 2026, fearless, self aware and globally resonant without losing its local pulse.

April 17 feels less like a release date and more like the start of a new chapter.