We were lucky to catch up with Kennedy Wilde recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kennedy, appreciate you joining us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?
I recently put out my debut album, titled, ‘Narcissist.’ It is a word that has been hurled at me since my early teenage years, at a time when people only meant it to mean “overconfident,” “cocky,” “conceited.” I always hated it, deeply; I have never faked the confidence I have in myself, my work, and my relationships, but the insult never went away. Over a decade of hearing a button-pushing word like that, and after a final catalyst, I called a friend and co-writer and said, “I know what I’m calling my album. We’re taking this word back. It’s mine now.” That ‘narcissism’ is now my personal brand, built for anyone who was spit on by the world for truly learning to love themselves. All of my songs toy with the subject matter of being irreplaceable, even when the situation is deeply sad and seems hopeless. When anyone listens to my music, I want them to sing along to those lyrics, look in the mirror, and believe them, just like I do when I write and perform them. That is what it is about.
Kennedy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I began singing and piano lessons around 5, and I started writing stories / poetry when I was in grade school. It wasn’t until I was 14 that the two talents combined and began my voyage into the realm of songwriting. I wrote alone and exclusively for myself, until I left for Belmont University at 18 and learned what co-writing was. Now I have the distinct pleasure of writing for other artists, and I absolutely love being a part of other artist’s artistic journeys. I also began using my piano training for compositional work, which has also brought me deep joy and fulfillment. I’m so proud of all of my collaborations; I think it’s one of the main ingredients in the magic of music. I always had the dream of being an artist myself, who was also defined by the songs they wrote for others, or the scores they wrote for movies, or the melodies that have a life outside of their author. I write melodically advanced music a lot of the time, and my lyrics are usually “deep” (or so I am told; I prefer to think they’re just emotional and well-thought out). My talents and my personality are what set me apart from the crowd, but honestly my favorite thing is to elevate what people already know, by bringing something new to the table.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Buy artists’ work. The entertainment industry is worth billions of dollars, but the only people making millions are the ones at the top. Support your local artists, and any artist you love. Go to their shows. Buy their merch. Tell your friends about them. They are building fans one at a time, and if you love what they make, other people will too.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Work in silence. Social media is the antithesis of this advice, especially for artists – who are always expected to be “teasing” new work, and posting behind-the-scenes content – but some of the best advice I’ve been given is to shut up. I have a drive towards opacity, but also drive towards a transparency about who and what I am as an individual and an artist, and how those two things overlap and relate to each other. When I was working on my album ‘Narcissist’ (that is now out everywhere), I raved about it! Because I LOVED it and wanted to shout from the rooftops how proud of it I was, and what good work I had made. But I didn’t put it out for a year and a half. And people waited to hear it, wondering if it was ever coming out, assuming I had been polishing the doorknob for so long I’d forgotten how to open the door. Luckily, people have loved this record, and I’ve gotten the feedback I had hoped to get. But looking back, I cringe knowing how much I ran my mouth. So shut up. Talk when it counts, not all the time. You will gain more respect that way (even if your work is really as good as you say it is).
Contact Info:
- Website: kennedywilde.com
- Instagram: @kennedywilde
- Twitter: @kennedywilde
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_C_k0TXeNyUJpLMrcgG0iQ
Image Credits
Peyton Dollar (first and last image)