Mack Keane, Billboard's R&B Up-And-Comer of the Month for July 2026, has spent years working behind the scenes as a songwriter, producer and instrumentalist for artists including Destin Conrad, Omar Apollo and Joyce Wrice. He is now stepping forward as a solo artist with his album Wide Eyed, which he regards as his true debut, marking a shift from the more collaborative, background-focused work that shaped the earlier part of his career.

Born Mackenzie Paul Keane in Los Angeles, the 29-year-old comes from a musical family, including grandfather Bob Keane, founder of Del-Fi Records. After early EPs and 2022's Intersections with producer ESTA., and 2025's more personal mixtape Entries, he released Wide Eyed on 8 May via Rob Walker's relaunched Star Trak Entertainment, once home to N.E.R.D., Clipse and Kelis. The record blends blue-eyed soul with funk and hip-hop influences, and Keane is currently promoting it on his Wide Eyed Tour across the US, having previously supported Destin Conrad's Love on Digital Tour.