Kandi King launches KYM

Expanding into the world of fitness felt like the most natural move for carnival connoisseur Kandi King. Having taken over the space once occupied by the popular JYM Training on Kensington Crescent in St Andrew last month, King is starting a community that welcomes the young, the old, and everyone in between to KYM: Keep Yourself Moving.

Speaking with The Sunday Gleaner about the move, King admitted that venturing into fitness wasn’t a lifelong dream, but an unexpected opportunity, one that, nonetheless, aligns perfectly with her journey.

“To be honest, there was no inspiration,” King shared with a chuckle, adding, “[But], I’m so happy [that] I did it. It felt like the natural next step in my journey, so it was a no-brainer. I said yes first, then found the inspo after!”

That inspiration came from translating what her own wellness journey had meant to her and finding a way to share it with a wider community. For King, it is about giving others the tools she has learnt to rely on, no matter what season of life they are in.

“My wellness journey has not been linear,” she explained. “I’ve had great stretches of consistency and just as many moments where I have to start again. Every membership comes with a trainer, so whether you’re new, returning, older, younger, or somewhere in between, there’s always guidance waiting for you as I have needed so many times in my life.”

Becoming a mother, managing multiple businesses, and keeping up with carnival have shown her just how vital movement and well-being are. She says it is the way she stays grounded when everything around her feels chaotic. And with carnival season officially kicking off, King hopes the gym will offer the Kingston and St Andrew community a consistent, empowering, and inspiring space to return to.

“Even if you walk in for carnival, we want you to stay because it feels like home,” the former head of marketing at Xodus Carnival added. “KYM is for everybody, no matter your size, stage, or starting point.”

Asked, as the ‘Karnival Kween’, what this expansion means for her, she explained: “It’s the elevation of everything I’ve been building. Carnival helped me find my voice. KYM helps me amplify it. It’s another way I can serve, not just another product, but real, consistent empowerment in motion.”

In the true spirit of sticking to the letter K, her brands like Karnival by Kandi, with its one-of-a-kind P-Kut stocking, and fête Kooler Babe make it clear that her gym would follow suit — or well, sort of.

“Well, it actually started as a bit of a joke,” she said, laughing, “Most of my brands have a K-name to tie back to me, so I was calling it KYM as a placeholder, just something to fill the space until I came up with the ‘real’ name. But then it stuck ... now it’s a message [that] really hit home for me.” She added that it was the kind of motivation she needed at different points of her wellness journey.

And of course, she hasn’t left her carnival tribe behind. With her brand Karnival by Kandi, King is preparing to launch a new product she promises will “level up her karnival girlies”. All updates, she teased, will drop first on the brand’s Instagram page: @karnivalbykandi.

As part of launching KYM, she took over the New Kingston space along with the equipment and key resources she needed to make her vision a reality, partnering with her cousin, Jamaican cricketer Brandon King, a collaboration she described as the perfect fit both personally and professionally.

“We’d been trying to build something together for a while,” she explained. “With him coming from the professional sports world and me bringing the brand-building and lifestyle experience ... [It] just made sense.”

While the fitness centre is officially open, King says the journey is just beginning. The space and the way it operates are set to undergo a thoughtful renovation, with the goal of creating an environment that feels intentional and welcoming. There is no hard relaunch date yet, but she is moving with purpose, not pressure.

“You’ll definitely know when it’s time to Keep Yourself Moving,” King added with a smile.

And when it comes to what she hopes members will take away most, King doesn’t hesitate. She wants them to feel seen without having to change a thing first. “Come as you are. Move because you love your body, not because you hate it. This isn’t a ‘summer body’ gym,” she said.

rollesha.laing@gleanerjm.com