KENZ Releases “HELLO” on ESSEntial.
KENZ has released “HELLO” through ESSEntial., returning to the label after his collaboration with ESSE on “Godzilla.” The bass house single continues the American DJ and producer’s work under the name he adopted after building his career as MAKJ.
The release follows a run of solo records and collaborations for the project, including the “Rake It Up EP” on Repopulate Mars. It also arrives several months after Mackenzie Johnson publicly addressed the transition from MAKJ to KENZ, giving the September single a place in a change already underway.
A Guitar Riff and Vocal Hook Lead “HELLO”
According to the label’s release notes, “HELLO” introduces a guitar riff and a “hello” vocal sample before moving into a rising build. A driving bassline delivers the payoff, with a streamlined arrangement intended to keep the track moving from its opening through the rest of the record.
The notes describe an emphasis on both accessibility and dance-floor energy, with the single intended for DJ sets, festival performances, and streaming playlists. The guitar and vocal establish the hook; the build and bassline supply the shift in intensity.
KENZ is credited with programming, songwriting, and production on the single. “HELLO” follows a different billing from “Godzilla,” which paired him with ESSE and was released through the same label on May 1, 2026. That earlier recording credits both artists as producers and songwriters.
Both releases are part of the project’s activity this year, alongside music issued through Repopulate Mars. “HELLO” is available as a new standalone single on Apple Music and appears in ESSEntial.’s Beatport catalog.
KENZ’s Releases Before “HELLO”
Johnson had already begun releasing music as KENZ before the public announcement about his previous name. “Low Sense” appeared through Tchami’s Confession label on April 18, 2025, followed by the Wade collaboration “Dance to the Rhythm” through Criterio Music on November 21.
The move into 2026 brought the “Rake It Up EP”, released March 13 through Lee Foss’s Repopulate Mars. The two-track project paired “Rake It Up” with “Dance,” preceding the May release of “Godzilla” and September’s “HELLO.”
The Repopulate Mars EP is available to stream and purchase directly from the label: “Rake It Up” runs four minutes and 25 seconds, while “Dance” runs five minutes and 31 seconds on the label’s Bandcamp release. Both tracks are available there individually or as a complete digital EP.
Across that period, Johnson has released KENZ material through four labels: Confession, Criterio Music, Repopulate Mars, and ESSEntial. The September single follows the solo work and collaborations that established the name ahead of his announcement about moving on from MAKJ.
The Experience Behind the New Name
In June, Exron Music reported that Johnson had announced he was moving on from MAKJ after 15 years of making music and touring under that identity.
His earlier catalog includes “Countdown” with Hardwell, released through Revealed Recordings. Hardwell played the track at Ultra Music Festival in 2013. Johnson later joined Hardwell, Deorro, and featured artist Fatman Scoop on “Left Right,” released on October 18, 2019.
Johnson has also spoken about the practical work behind his productions. In a 2019 interview with MusicRadar, he emphasized learning existing production tools and seeking honest feedback. He described sending music without identifying it as his own to hear listeners’ unfiltered responses.
“Also, playing your music for random people is great. That’s a real reaction,” he said.
That interview predates KENZ, documenting the producer’s approach years before the current project. His release history now spans both artist names, with “HELLO” adding another record to the newer catalog.
“HELLO” is available now through ESSEntial. Listen to the single on Apple Music or find it in the label’s Beatport catalog. You can also explore I WANT EDM’s music coverage for more new releases, artist collaborations, and updates from across electronic music.
