Meet Kennedy Wilde | Artist and composer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kennedy Wilde and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kennedy, what are you inspired by?
Authenticity – above all else. I am usually bothered by the question, “Who were your influences behind this song / album?” I can never give a satisfactory answer, because I hardly ever go into my writing process with reference tracks or artists. My band and I come up with all of it on the spot, day of recording, and just go with whatever feels right. They inspire me, as musicians and as friends. Literature inspires me, my friends inspire me. I inspire me. Even if there is nothing new under the sun, I will keep trying to find it and write it, to give it away in the hopes that it inspires someone else.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Above all else, I am a vocalist. That is where the journey began. Following that was my love for piano playing, and realizing that I had a gift for melodies. As I have continued on in my professional career, people have noticed me for my natural talents and offered me opportunities to build upon them. I owe everything to the people that said yes to me. I truly feel that there is something in my music that I don’t hear in others’. Something about the way my voice carries emotion, or the stories that I choose to tell. Even when someone doesn’t like the feel of the song, or the genre or the subject matter, they are still impressed by my vocal performance and profound lyrics. When I first moved to Nashville, every meeting I had involved the advice of “dumbing down my lyrics.” I didn’t take that advice five years ago, and I never will.

Even though music is my life’s passion, it is not inherently easy. I am however, inherently good at it, and that helps carry me through the aspects of this industry in which I am not naturally gifted. Confidence really is the best thing you can have.

That ‘confidence’ that I’m referring to is my personal brand. 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.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Nashville, TN has surprised me with its eats. O-Ku, out in Germantown, is my absolute favorite restaurant in Nashville. Sushi, short ribs, creme brûlée… everything is delicious. Every time a friend comes in from out of town, I make a reservation there. When we’re going for drinks or hanging out, Broadway deserves a walk, but I prefer to take people to Midtown, because I’ll most definitely run into friends at any of those bars. That street reminds me how small of a town Nashville is. And maybe we’ll get lucky and have the chance to catch a Preds game.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am nothing without the people surrounding me. My father has always been my #1 fan; I cannot possibly overstate how instrumental his love and support has been in my musical journey. My best friends would follow me into a fire, and I them. They have all truly been there since the beginning, and they will be there in the end. My cowriters are half of what make me, now that I don’t write all my songs by myself. I am so eternally grateful for their patience and collaboration. And anyone and everyone that listens to my music and feels like it says something they could never say themselves – that is the thing that propels me to put my music out into the world. I am so grateful for every response I get; it makes it all worth it.

Website: kennedywilde.com

Instagram: kennedywilde

Twitter: kennedywilde

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_C_k0TXeNyUJpLMrcgG0iQ

Image Credits
Peyton Dollar, Kenzie Maroney, Kelsey Maggart