Q&A: Unlimited, Boundless & Free, Bre Kennedy Showcases Her Growth in Newest Single “Ribbon”
A SIMPLE, ONE WORD MANTRA DELICATELY ETCHED ONTO — Bre Kennedy’s forearm steers her through life: “Hope.” The Nashville-based singer-songwriter is nothing if not resilient, with various trials and tribulations having been thrown her way, but nevertheless she has remained firmly rooted, empowered to tackle any challenge that life may bring.
Though, Kennedy’s outlook has not always been as healthy as it is now. She began her musical career in LA, writing songs for others to sing in the pop label circuit. At age 22, she reflected upon her circumstances, feeling completely and utterly dissatisfied with where life was taking her. Music felt like a chore instead of something she truly felt called to do; something had to change, so she spontaneously packed her bags and drove out to Nashville to start anew. It was there that Kennedy reclaimed her voice and her newfound love for songwriting. The nurturing environment and supportive community in Nashville helped Kennedy get back on her feet, allowing her to see herself in a new light. And thus, Kennedy has gone on to help listeners do the same with her uplifting and enlightening discography.
Her newest single, “Ribbon,” released today, is the culmination of her personal growth during the past two pandemic-ridden years. Co-written with friends Rosi Golan and Riley Biederer, “Ribbon” is a track that revels in discomfort and pushes at firm boundaries. Kennedy lays her soul bare, setting aside preconceived notions of who she is supposed to be, instead accepting that there is beauty in remaining grounded in the present. In a world full of go-getters, Kennedy has discovered the true value of taking a deep breath and giving herself a well-deserved break when she needs it.
She begins the track questioning: “How do you break a chain / That is so ingrained in every part of you?” Somewhere within the three minutes of soaring instrumentals, Kennedy finds the answer, closing the song with newfound wisdom: “Turns out I don’t have to fight it / Unfold I’m a ribbon on a wire.”
The musician hopes that the song will reach those who need it most, exclaiming, “I want people to feel like they're standing at the top of the mountain and allow themselves to let go so that they can continue on their journey.” Kennedy herself is on the precipice of greatness: standing at the peak of her own mountain, looking at the years of exponential growth she is leaving in her wake.
Read on to learn more about Bre Kennedy’s never-ending journey of self-discovery.
LUNA: During a lot of your early career, you spent time writing for other people as you were working in the label circuit. What was the lightbulb moment that occurred that made you want to write for your own career?
KENNEDY: I moved to Nashville and it changed everything. I got here in 2015 and was really encouraged by my peers, friends, and my producer, Kyle Dreaden, to tell my story recklessly without thinking about where it would go. That was the first time I had heard of making music just for me. I put my first EP, Jealous of Birds, out in 2019, independently, for fun. I would work by day at restaurants, and then at night I would go play those songs for fun. And because it was organic and authentic to me, it resonated with people locally.
LUNA: I bet that really changed the way you interacted with music because it became less like "I have to do this because it's my job" and more like "I want to do this."
KENNEDY: Totally, yes! I wish they would have told me sooner.
LUNA: Good on you for taking the leap and doing it! How did you discover that folk, country, and rock is more of your authentic songwriting voice rather than the pop that you were doing in the circuit?
KENNEDY: It was when I got here to Nashville! I'm super influenced by everything around me. I wouldn't say my music totally delves into the country world, but I am in love with a song's story behind a guitar or what would happen if I were to just pick up a guitar and hang out with my friends at a bonfire and write my stories. That started inspiring me. The organic feeling of just the bones of a song was the most important thing to me. I love pop music so much but for my music and my stories, I felt like they most resonated with what I was hearing around me here in Nashville — which was purely just being able to pick up a guitar. You can play around that and build around that.
LUNA: It's such a beautiful scene in Nashville. I've talked to so many artists who moved — like you — from LA to Nashville because LA felt oversaturated. How has the music scene there helped nurture you as an artist?
KENNEDY: I'm Nashville's number one fan. LA is amazing — it made me grind in a certain way that is also inspiring. I just got back from there working on my next project. Two things can be true: I love LA, and I also love Nashville for different reasons. When I moved here in 2015, I found that I hadn't really stopped to check in with myself. It got really quiet here, and I had to sit with myself. I had to do some work internally. That's why the music that I've written is what it is, because I'm around people who are just like, "Let's go grab a beer and talk about feelings, life, and trauma” — just dig in. When I go to LA, I'm working and I'm grinding and I'm constantly creating. It's two different energies. In Nashville, it's the people, it's the community. I say it every time — it's not the prettiest place, we don't have the ocean, but you are guaranteed to meet a stranger who becomes your friend and becomes part of your story. Everybody here — the artists, the community — are so inspiring.
LUNA: How do you know when you have found the right community? People can get swept up in groups that might not be the most healthy, so how do you know that you have found a healthy and nurturing community?
KENNEDY: It's a capital K knowing. I drove here when I was 22. I remember being in LA and thinking, "I'm in the most beautiful place in the world and I feel nothing." When I got to Nashville, it was an instant intuition that I had found my people. If I were to give advice to anybody, it would just be to take a minute to look around you and see if you're really excited about where you're at. See if you find yourself getting into conversations that are pushing you to grow and holding a mirror up to you. If that's not the case, then maybe it's time to relocate — or even just go to a different coffee shop.
LUNA: Yes! You can make a small change or a big change — either one will help you. It's all about being pushed and challenged.
KENNEDY: Amen.
LUNA: In the industry today, it seems as though you have to be constantly churning out content or you'll fall behind. Of course, not everyone operates this way. How do you maintain a peace of mind within the industry that thrives off this grind?
KENNEDY: It's hard. I can only speak for myself, but I have days where I totally feel that rush where I need to spend all day on the phone pushing out content. I talk about it in my song, “Nothing Compares,” from my last album. It's almost impossible not to compare your productivity to everybody else's. Personally, when I focus on [pushing out content] is when I make my least authentic art. When we're constantly taking in everybody else's information, there's no way we can totally have our own point of view. When I get in that headspace of "I'm not doing enough TikTok” or whatever, I need to dip out for a minute. Whether that's going on a trip over the weekend or putting my phone down, which is really hard. Sometimes I just have to spend time with my dog and go for a walk, pick up my guitar, have a bottle of wine, or invite my best friend over. In a social media–run world, we have to learn social media boundaries and advocate with ourselves, just like we set a routine to go to the gym. I don't always like going to the gym but I know that it's going to make my mental health better. That has been something I've really been trying to integrate into my routine. TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter can be an amazing billboard, but they're there for us to be able to share our stuff to an audience. If it's not calling you, then it's probably not the platform for you to totally focus on. I'm still navigating and learning that too, but we have to give ourselves a break. We're human beings, not robots.
LUNA: Definitely. Oh, TikTok. What a platform.
KENNEDY: What a world. It's fun — I love watching dog videos so much, and there's some hilarious videos, but I'd rather watch those videos than have to post.
LUNA: Definitely. It can be a little stressful to have to churn out that content. Let's chat about “Ribbon”! Can you tell me about the inspiration behind that track? It's super gorgeous.
KENNEDY: Thank you! I love "Ribbon" a lot. I took a trip to LA at the top of this year. I needed to get inspiration. In writing Note to Self, my cup that was filled was depleted. After the last few years and the time of which we won't speak of (the great interruption), I needed to get inspired. I went to LA and put myself in an uncomfortable situation. I didn't know what I wanted to write about. What I found myself writing about was what I needed to let go of: stories, and the expectation of how things were supposed to go. I felt myself going through this metamorphosis. It was really uncomfortable; I felt like I was in old clothes. I had grown past who I was two years ago. The only way that I was going to be able to move on and grow is if I acknowledged that I was the ribbon on the wire — I had full freedom to go and let the wind take me. I was stopping myself with limited beliefs. So I wrote "Ribbon" with my friends Rosi Golan and Riley Biederer. It was a really beautiful session of just piano and guitar. "I'm a ribbon on the wire / caught up in a crossfire" was the first thing that came out. I love that visual: the ribbon is just caught for a minute and the wind will take it away again. You have to acknowledge when you're stuck, and you have to figure out the core of it. These limiting beliefs that are holding you back are just stories in your head. We have the power to unravel those and go on. It felt like the first song back for me after the last few years.
LUNA: That's beautiful. I bet that was really cathartic for you. I've noticed that in most of your discography, you take these hard situations and feelings and instead of dwelling on them and being discouraged about them, you choose to see the opportunity in breaking patterns or being a little more optimistic about the situation at hand. Do you find that incorporating this optimism and outlook in your songwriting helps you keep a more positive outlook on life in general?
KENNEDY: Yeah! That's actually a great mirror for me. I don't even realize it but I need to hear this stuff too. I've had a really wild adventure so far in life. I've seen a lot of sorrow and sadness in people that I love. Despite all of the troubles and where we come from, we don't have to be our circumstances. We can always make a choice to see life a certain way. I get caught up in it too. My boyfriend and my friends will say, "If only you could see yourself from where we're standing." So maybe, subconsciously, my spirit writes those songs a little bit for me to have catharsis.
LUNA: Beautiful. You discuss breaking patterns and starting anew within this track. What is the most effective way that you have found to break your own unhealthy patterns and embrace life in the moment?
KENNEDY: I'm still in progress. I saw a lot of ugly patterns in myself during the time in which we won't speak of. I sat on the couch and would just journal. When I get into these patterns of negative self-talk, or if PTSD comes and I'm seeing things from the past, I have to — it sounds so cheesy — go outside and take a walk with my dog for hours. Nature really helps me. Walking and talking it out, and also allowing myself to take a break and visualize what's happening. This is what I keep writing about — obviously it's coming up. Acknowledging those things and putting a name to them is the only way that we can move on. It's uncomfortable to see those parts about us, but life is really tough and growing up is really tough. No wonder we carry all that stuff with us. Growing up is about going in and weeding — gardening and taking out all the stuff we don't need anymore. It's an uncomfortable and grueling process, and I'm still in it.
LUNA: It's a never-ending process. You have good strategies to deal with it! What do you hope that listeners ultimately take away from "Ribbon"?
KENNEDY: When we recorded it, right away I felt the same way I felt when I listened to "The Climb" [by Miley Cyrus]. "The Climb" is the moment leading up to it. I want people to feel like they're standing at the top of the mountain and allow themselves to let go so that they can continue on their journey. I want people to want to scream and dance and let go of stuff that has been holding them. I want them to feel euphoric. Maybe it allows them to have a moment to sit with themselves and think, "Okay, what stories am I telling myself that are holding me back?” I want it to be a celebration of surrendering to whatever's next.
LUNA: That's so beautiful. I think it is all of those things.
KENNEDY: Yay! That makes me so happy!
LUNA: Creating art of any kind comes with criticism, not only from external sources but also from within. How do you deal with self-doubt or nerves when it comes to putting your music out in the world, especially when the music is so vulnerable?
KENNEDY: I'm still navigating that. When I put out Jealous of Birds, I was truly so stoked to put music out that I really loved and had fun with. Twenty Something was the same thing — but I could play live then. Note to Self was really hard to put out because I couldn't play any of it live. Playing live is why I love music mostly, or had up to that point. Not having that and putting some of my most personal songs out in the world was really invasive. A little of that PTSD from that experience started trickling in as I thought about putting out "Ribbon." But everybody's going to have their own opinion. I remind myself to stay authentic and true to whatever music makes you really happy. If it's doing something for you, then that's it. I can really get behind “Ribbon.” I love playing it live, and every time I listen to it, it's like the future me is trying to tell me to shut up and just go. It's just about checking with yourself and asking, "Do I love what I'm doing? Do I love what I'm wearing? Do I love where I'm at right now?" Check, check, check. If people don't vibe with it, that's okay, there's a million other things they could go listen to. Once I put a song out in the world, it's not mine anymore — it helped me, and all I can hope is that it finds somebody on a really hard day.
LUNA: Speaking of playing live, you just played Bonnaroo! How was that experience for you?
KENNEDY: So fun; it was so hot. It was like a long time coming. I was supposed to play in 2020 and then in 2021. It felt like a big family reunion. It felt so beautiful to be able to play my discography for the first time, for people who haven't heard it. It was like a new me — a me that had come out of the last two years. It was the beginning of a new season, which was really beautiful.
LUNA: You're like a phoenix being born out of the ashes. I love it. What is Bre Kennedy up to when she's not writing, recording, or performing... or taking walks with the dog?
KENNEDY: I've been really getting into just picking up a book and reading, which I never really did when I was younger. My alone moments are really quiet. I'm reading books, learning how to cook something new, or I'm with my friends. I love loving on my friends and I love hearing about their lives and their stories because it helps me put mine in perspective. And then traveling — I love to travel.
LUNA: Where's your favorite place that you've been so far?
KENNEDY: I just went to Costa Rica. The bugs are so big — they're the size of your face. The fruit is amazing. It was really refreshing to be in the rainforest and think, "Oh, every one of my problems is so small."
LUNA: And we're at my last question: What’s next for Bre Kennedy after the release of “Ribbon”?
KENNEDY: I'm really excited to say that I'm going to be releasing songs through the summer and fall. I'm working on my next album, which will come out in 2023. It'll be good to get to work and release new music.
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