If you regularly follow the site, then you should already be familiar with local indie pop singer-songwriter Bre Kennedy, a favorite of ours since she arrives in Nashville years ago, and an integral part of the local music scene since. Raised in a musical household and influenced by greats like Tom Petty, Heart, and Aretha Franklin, Kennedy initially tried out Los Angeles at only 17 years old, but, after a few years, felt a calling to Nashville, where she relocated in 2015. She spent several years co-writing for some other fantastic artists before forging a solo career of her own, taking the change of scenery as an opportunity to hone her own artistic identity, assimilating into Music City’s flourishing indie pop and singer-songwriter scene, and building a network of talented friends and collaborators along the way. With 2019’s Jealous of Birds EP, Bre made a stunning debut, channeling the likes of Brandi Carlile, Fleetwood Mac, and Cat Power with her lush, story-driven, and hook-laden songs that showcased her refined songwriting and sharp lyricism. 2020’s followup, Twenty Something, flexed even more artistic growth in just a year’s time, distilling Kennedy’s vulnerable approach to conveying emotion and personal experience to an even more earnest, confessional, and resonant essence. Then, not long after Twenty Something‘s release, the pandemic struck, forcing Bre, like so many artists, to spend over a year in a much more reclusive and self-reflective state than expected, which she embraced by devoting her time to remote and secluded writing and recording sessions, ultimately resulting in 2021’s incredible debut full-length, Note to Self– a collection of dense, melancholy, and contemplative pop tunes and upbeat, frenetic, and uplifting dance-primed anthems, providing a dazzling broader introduction to the talented artist, and also fuel for some acoustic re-workings the following year.
Clearly a songwriter who thrives on having the emotional, confessional outlet of musical expression to navigate life changes and challenges and self-reflection, Bre has stayed incredibly prolific over the last couple of years, releasing the aforementioned Note to Self (Acoustic) EP, an EP of new songs late last year called Clarity, followed by a ton of new singles throughout this year, leading up to the recent release of her sophomore full-length, Scream Over Everything, last week. A raw and phenomenal and deeply personal chronicle of processing loss, reconciliation, the hurdles and heartbreak of romantic and familial relationships, learning to listen to and find your inner voice, and more, the album once again feels like a diary set to music, as Kennedy so effortlessly and vulnerably conveys her feelings and self-examination in a way that is at once so profoundly personal, yet immensely relatable. In celebration of her latest work, and following a fall headlining tour, Bre returns home tonight, Nov. 14, to headline a very special record release show at The Basement East, along with singer-songwriter Autumn Nicholas and other surprise guests. You can still gets tickets here while they last, and the show will also feature Scream Over Everything themed flash tattoos, art prints and vinyl, CBD cocktails, and more. We’ve been saying it for years, but Bre Kennedy is one of Nashville’s most profound and incredible songwriters and performers, and anytime you can witness her live- especially for an extra special show like this one- is a must-see.
Bre Kennedy and Autumn Nicholas will perform tonight, Nov. 14 at The Basement East. The show is 18+, begins at 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.), and tickets are available for $26.46.
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