Keian Barton, better known as Alto Key, an indie/alt-pop musician based in London whose music has the ability to elevate your spirits, punch you in the gut, and wring your heart. Since 2018, he has risen through the ranks of social media on his own, using sincere songs and short-form musical material. Barton’s fans have also appreciated his popular “sing with me” duets, in which a number of celebrities have joined him on stage, garnering him substantial industry attention. On his various social media channels, he is also delightfully and hilariously funny, with over 6.7 million likes and 375,000 followers on his TikTok channel.
Barton has published a number of EPs and songs and has been featured on many radio stations and podcasts in the United Kingdom, winning numerous accolades. His songs have been shared by BBC Introducing in the West and Kent, Soho Radio, idobi Radio, EARMILK, Music News, and many other websites and radio stations. His sound is reminiscent of Bon Iver and Coldplay, with piano-driven vibes and passionate, sorrowful lyrics.
Barton won the People’s Choice award for his single “Burning Up” in Making Music’s spring 2021 Community Video contest. The song is about following your aspirations, and the video for it is an animated series of events depicting personified animals breaking free from oppressive aspects of their lives. Barton also makes personalized videos for his fans on the social media platform Cameo.