Artists Out Loud: KENDYL
Up and coming soft-pop artist KENDYL sat down with us to share about her journey to confidence, her passion for creating art that inspires empathy, and her voice during the movement against racial injustice.
A lifelong love of music transcends Kendyl’s songwriting and production process. Growing up marveling at her father and his band, Kendyl soaked up the music that was tangible in every corner of her home. It’s not surprising that Kendyl found it to be her form of expression at an early age. When reflecting on her first song written at the age of nine, Kendyl remembers feeling as though her “cup was full and soul complete.” Discovering her voice in this way meant everything to a child usually so shy and soft spoken. Kendyl found that it was easiest to express her feelings through music, and felt as though she could finally release sentiments of her heart that were difficult to say. Now as a twenty three year old on the cusp of releasing an EP, Kendyl continues to use art as a vessel of expression in hopes that her words will inspire connection and resonance with others.
A graduate of Northwestern University, Kendyl had planned to enter the corporate world, but when graduation loomed in the near future, Kendyl found that she couldn’t envision herself going into office life. It was only a few months before the end of college that Kendyl made the decision to pursue music more formally and turn her passion into a career. She spent the next two years developing not only her craft, but her confidence and self-love, ingredients she says are critical to a creative endeavor.
In these two years, Kendyl built the tools necessary to launch herself on a larger platform, and reflects fondly on a couple of pivotal moments. She released her first single, "After Your Heart," in November 2018, which served as a tangible confirmation that music was a feasible career path. This initial boost was most important in the way that it opened her eyes to how her lyrics resonated with others. Personal feedback was motivating and humbling, and it’s these comments of encouragement that have served as motivation whenever doubt creeps in. Another pivotal moment came in October 2019 when Kendyl filmed her first music video (for an unreleased song coming out this summer!). It was through this experience Kendyl realized that things would only turn out the way she wanted them to if she believed in herself. The music video gave her another huge boost of self confidence, essential to her journey of moving forward in music. As a self-producing artist, these moments have been crucial in teaching her to let go of perfectionism and have confidence in the art she releases into the world.
The past two years since graduating college have been a time of growth and discovery for Kendyl, and her music reflects it. She hopes to communicate in every song that people are not alone in whatever they’re going through. Music has always been what Kendyl turns to when processing experiences, searching for lyrics and sounds that make sense of her own experiences. She hopes to be that for others. People’s voices and experiences are worth experiencing, talking about, and acknowledging through music. Kendyl believes it is of vital importance that people learn about others’ experiences, because it creates empathy between different kinds of people, a bridge necessary for connection.
Kendyl’s mantra of empathy and connection have taken on a more significant meaning in the past few months. Kendyl felt for a while as though her voice wasn’t as important given the injustices humanity continues to face, until someone reminded her that people need to hear from different voices and experiences. It was at this moment that she stepped into relearning the process of using her voice as an artist, and as a Black woman. After seeing injustices played out and inspired by the subsequent movement, Kendyl felt it was important to use her voice to speak up. Although admitting that social media can be a daunting place, Kendyl affirms that it is a powerful opportunity to inspire change. She is passionate about sharing resources, information, and petitions, and feels it is important to share her experiences as a Black woman.
These experiences translate into Kendyl’s music, where she believes it is vital to share not just negative experiences, but the entire Black experience. She wants to share the experiences of unrequited love, of not feeling confident, of feeling guilty - all universal human experiences. Kendyl is passionate about many touchpoints for connection, and how they are opportunities for unity in the midst of all the different experiences and identities to learn from. Often, she says, experiences are so simple, and something so many people can relate to. It is in these experiences, and from these places, that we can empathize as a collective people, and move forward together.
Kendyl hopes that people who hear her music will be inspired to listen to those around them, and to their own inner voice. She believes that we have so much more value and power in our own voices than we believe, and wants her music to be a reminder of that. In her journey, in her music, and in speaking out, Kendyl urges us to remember the importance of honoring both our own voice, and the diverse ones of those around us. Her voice - compassionate, confident, and empathetic - has only just begun to serve as inspiration to many.
Look out for the Kendyl’s EP this summer, available on Spotify and Apple Music.
Follow her at www.kendylmusic.com and @kendyltho on Instagram.
