Our Own Kanysha's Debut Album Release Party at Blue House, Oct. 30

Published October 16, 2026 · 4 min read.

There's a moment every artist waits for—the one where the thing you've been carrying around in your head for years finally exists in the world, and you get to watch other people hear it for the first time.

Kanysha is about to have that moment. And it's happening in the exact room where the album was made.

Strawberry Sessions release party is on October 30 at Blue House Productions in Kensington. Costumes encouraged. Candy promised. And if you've been looking for a reason to fall in love with a local artist before everyone else does, this is it.

Ten Songs that Land Her Vision

This is Kanysha's debut full-length record—ten original songs, recorded across the DC metro area, with the live music tracked at Blue House. It's not a weekend project. It's not a pandemic EP. It's a record built over years of relationships and collaborations, and on the trust that comes from intimacy with her own artistry. The record sounds like both.

In her own words, it's "a collection of songs and short stories that highlight a variety of lived experiences." The stories come from a range of women, and the music responds to each one. Falling in love. Anxiety. Anger. Breakups. "There truly is a 'session' for everyone," she says.

The title is a play on two things: "Strawberry," a nickname she picked up in high school, and "Sessions"—both the recording sessions that built the record and the storytelling sessions with the women who contributed.

We first covered Kanysha in June, when she brought Strawberry Sessions to Strathmore as part of her Artists in Residence residency. Four months later, she's celebrating its completion back at Blue House, a space that was good to her process and one she wants to share with fans.

Three Tracks to Start With

Kanysha sent three songs to introduce the record. Shifts in genre, in mood, in tempo—she has range, and she uses it. That's the point. None of this is an accident.

"B.H.W.O." is the newest single. She calls it "a funky, neo-soul hit about walking away from situations that no longer serve you"—catchy, humorous, and built on "a message of resilience at its core." It's the kind of song you put on in the car and suddenly you're singing along to a breakup anthem you didn't know you needed.

"Gay Guy" is exactly what it sounds like, and she's at peace with that. It's "the unfortunate yet true story of me being absolutely smitten by someone who has no interest in women...whatsoever," delivered in a soft punk rock style. It's a joke at her own expense, and it's also proof the album won't sit still. You will laugh. You might relate. You'll definitely send it to a friend.

"Nothing Makes Sense But You" is the ballad—piano, guitar, strings, lush vocals. She calls it "the perfect song for a romantic occasion, if I do say so myself." She's not wrong. If you're looking for a first-dance song or a slow-burn moment, this is it.

Those are three of ten. The full record is on Bandcamp now. Listen to BHWO here:

Full Circle at Blue House

Kanysha's relationship with Blue House Productions goes back years. One of her first live recordings was made there. She's been collaborating with the studio ever since.

"Because of their support, expertise, and general awesomeness, I knew that it would be a beautiful, full circle moment to celebrate the completion of this project at the place where I recorded it," she says. "I don't take it lightly that they've proven to be a safe place to create, play, sing, and make incredible music."

The musicians on the record include Sequoia "REDWOOD" Snyder, DeAntè Haggerty-Willis, Tyler Leak, Grant Le, Ellen Gira, Jerome McCoy, SHEILA, Cornelius Williams, and Jay Columbus.

That list matters. This isn't a solo bedroom project dressed up as a band record. It's a DC-area ensemble effort, and the release party is a chance to hear that ensemble in the room where it happened.

A Concert, But Make It a Costume Party

It's October 30—two days before Halloween—and Kanysha is leaning all the way in. Costumes are encouraged. She's promising live music, games, giveaways, surprises, candy, and "a community of music lovers."

"This won't be your ordinary concert," she says, "but an interactive evening where we'll celebrate the music, my journey, and each other."

The Details

Kanysha: Strawberry Sessions Live Album Release Party

Date: Friday, October 30, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Venue: Blue House Productions SoundStage, Kensington, MD
Dress: Costumes encouraged. Not required. Read the room.
Tickets: Eventbrite 

Getting there: Kensington is a short drive from downtown Silver Spring, and Blue House sits off Connecticut Avenue. Parking is available on site. There's no Metro station within walking distance—this is a drive-or-rideshare situation. If you're drinking, plan accordingly.

Weather: Late October in the DMV means the temperature drops hard after sunset. If your costume involves exposed skin, bring a coat you're willing to carry all night.

Hear it first: I'll be playing Kanysha's music on the Afrobeat Orbit Radio Show on October 21 and again on October 28, ahead of the release party. The show airs from 1 to 3 pm on Wednesdays.

Strawberry Sessions is available now on Bandcamp.

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