Bre Kennedy is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter who writes about the messiness of life’s journey. I find her songwriting, music, and on-stage communication and performances inspiring. She’s an artist I don’t hesitate to recommend to young singers/songwriters. Besides terrific songwriting Kennedy punctuates much of her music with haunting “ohs” and “ahs” that are even more vibrant live than what her dynamic recordings have captured (give the song “Control” a listen and you’ll know exactly what I mean). This is an artist who is as easy to like as her music.
“Control” provides a wonderful introduction to Kennedy’s music. It’s a song about trying to mentally keep it together. It’s a lovely song and the “ohs” in the background are lovely. My favorite Bre Kennedy tune is “North.” Here she delivers a very catchy song about that constant nagging yearning that brings about change. The sound is vulnerable, and her voice regularly cracks. For a singer that can sing big and has quite the rasp its nice to hear how well she navigates a song like “North.” The song that I connect with the most is “Twenty Something.” As many readers know I have a singer/songwriter daughter. This song really hits home about young adults struggling through this time of their life. I think she did a really good job of contrasting youthful mistakes and the real pressure the passing time exerts on young adults.
While you are checking out Kennedy’s music be sure to listen to some of the projects she has done with other artists. Being in Nashville has its perks. Kennedy has done projects with OMI favorites Goldpark, Lissie, Motika, and Handley Kennary. The Motika project is a great duet.
Finally, if you get the chance to catch Kennedy live, do so. She’ll make sure you feel connected to her music and I promise those “ohs” will be well worth it.