KennyHoopla has levelled up. The Cleveland-born rocker has today dropped his new EP conditions of an orphan// via The Orchard, with production from Paramore’s Zac Farro and Mike Elizondo (Turnstile, 50 Cent).
Across its five tracks, Kenny dives headfirst into grief, revenge, trauma and love, pushing further than ever into the jagged edges of indie rock. Sonically, the EP channels the spirit of 2000s dance-punk and post-punk revival – think New Order, The Rapture, The Drums and Franz Ferdinand – but with a raw emotional punch that’s all his own.
“This EP was about acknowledging trauma and where I am at right now as opposed to my whole life story,” Kenny says. “It’s one big funeral after-party. It touches on the death of friendships, family, vices, and the piece of me this industry took away. It’s a stream of consciousness of all of that, all while I try and find a way to dance through it. I want people to dance while they cry. I want them to feel the way I do when I listen to my favourite artists.”
The heart of the project is orphan//, both a nod to his late mother and his own feelings of isolation. “A lot of the time, I just feel very alone, like an orphan,” he admits. “I’m just trying to find a home, literally and metaphorically-as a person, and as someone in the music industry.”
Lead single orphan// – released in August with Zac Farro on drums – has already won praise from Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, DORK, The Line of Best Fit and Alternative Press, who called it “a buoyant, rhythmically snappy statement.”
Later this month, he’ll hit the road with Soft Play across the U.S. before returning in November for his own headline shows, including Boston, Washington D.C., Toronto and Brooklyn.
conditions of an orphan// Tracklist
charity//
too many jocks turned rockstar//
naysayers//
orphan//
monalisa, we miss you//
KennyHoopla Tour Dates
Supporting Soft Play
Sep 23 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theatre
Sep 25 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory
Sep 26 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
Sep 27 – San Francisco, CA – August Hall
Sep 29 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre
Sep 30 – Seattle, WA – Crocodile
Headline Shows
Nov 2 – Boston, MA – Middle East (upstairs)
Nov 3 – Syracuse, NY – Song & Dance
Nov 5 – Buffalo, NY – Reco Room
Nov 6 – Toronto, ON – The Garrison
Nov 7 – Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig
Nov 9 – Columbus, OH – A&R Music Hall
Nov 10 – Allentown, PA – Arrow
Nov 11 – Washington, DC – Pearl Street
Nov 13 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere
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