Sophia Kennedy

Last updated
Sophia Kennedy
Sophia Kennedy at the 2025 THEATRON pfingstfestival in Munich 01.jpg
Sophia Kennedy at the 2025 THEATRON pfingstfestival in Munich
Born
Sophia Kennedy

(1996-01-22) January 22, 1996 (age 29)
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2016–present
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentVocals
LabelsCity Slang
Website www.sophiakennedy.com

Sophia Kennedy is an American singer-songwriter, grown up and living mostly in Germany. Her music style is indie pop and electropop. She is based in Hamburg.

Contents

Early life and education

Kennedy was born in Baltimore, Maryland [1] to an American father and mother, who re-married a German. She has two brothers.[ citation needed ] When she was five years old, [2] the family moved to a village in central Germany near Göttingen. [1] They continued to speak English at home but Kennedy quickly learned German in Kindergarten. She later moved to Hamburg to attend university. [3] Kennedy has said that music brings back her American roots commenting that "I always go there [to Baltimore] in my mind when I'm making music, not to the city in particular, but to the conflict of growing up far away as a kid... I can barely speak English properly anymore - but having that American accent in my voice when I sing, it's the feeling that that's the part of me that's still there." [4]

Career

Kennedy studied filmmaking [5] and began her career making soundtracks for theatre and television[ citation needed ] before releasing her first album in 2017. [1] It was described in reviews as 'idiosyncratic' and 'like a Dr. Seuss book come to life, but in an even brighter Technicolor. [6] [7] In 2021, she released "Monsters" the songs in which were described as having a unique and varied structure creating an effect which was "disarmingly disorientating and oddly relaxing." [8] [9] She works with Mense Reents, also known as the "Klavierspieler der Goldenen Zitronen", who accompanies her performances on the stage. [10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Weber, Julian (20 May 2017). "Sehnsucht nach Wasser: POP Größeren Willen zum Stil gab es hierzulande in diesem Jahr noch nicht. Die Hamburgerin Sophia Kennedy veröffentlicht ein glorreiches Debütalbum". Die Tageszeitung; Berlin [Berlin] (in German). p. 16.[ full citation needed ]
  2. Chassepot, Philippe (26 June 2021). "Sophia, Vitamine K: Deuxième album tombé du ciel pour la jeune artiste américaine Sophia Kennedy, nouveau talent protéiforme de la pop". Le Temps; Genèva [Genèva] (in French). p. 27.[ full citation needed ]
  3. Pierson-Hagger, Ellen (2021-05-05). "Musician Sophia Kennedy: "Being a loser in Europe is easier than being a loser in America"". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
  4. "Sophia Kennedy Bibliography". City Slang. 2021-10-23. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2021-10-24.
  5. "Sophia Kennedy's 'Monsters' Showcases The Method Of A Restless Experimenter". Fresh Air; Philadelphia Philadelphia: NPR. May 19, 2021.[ full citation needed ]
  6. Evans, Dayna (2017-06-23). "Sophia Kennedy Made the Best Pop Record You've Probably Never Heard Of". The Cut. Archived from the original on 2021-05-05. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
  7. Sherburne, Philip. "Sophia Kennedy: Sophia Kennedy". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2021-05-05. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
  8. Aroesti, Rachel (2021-05-07). "Sophia Kennedy: Monsters review – showtunes and sub-bass from sonic shapeshifter". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2021-06-27. Retrieved 2021-10-24.
  9. Herpell, Werner (4 May 2021). "Große Bühne für eine starke Stimme: Sophia Kennedys «Monsters»". DPA International (German); Hamburg [Hamburg] (in German).[ full citation needed ]
  10. Zimmer, Louisa (12 July 2021). "Ekstatisch trotz Abstand: Tanzen durfte nur eine – Sophia Kennedy selbst. Wegen des Wetters konnte das Konzert der Elektro-Pop-Künstlerin doch nicht Open Air stattfinden. Es war trotz alledem ein rauschender Abend im Festsaal Kreuzberg". Die Tageszeitung; Berlin [Berlin] (in German). p. 24.[ full citation needed ]