Declan McKenna

Early life and breakout

Declan McKenna was born 24 December 1998 and raised in Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. He attended St Mary's Church of England High School in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England. He began taking his GCSE exams in the summer of 2015. He later studied for his A-levels in English literature, philosophy, and sociology, but stopped after a few months after his music career began to consume too much of his time.

In 2015, McKenna entered the Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent Competition. The festival named him the winner of the contest in April 2015, for which he was awarded a £5,000 prize and a slot on the festival's William's Green Stage. NME called him "one of the most sought-after new acts" in the United Kingdom after his win, shortly after McKenna signed a management contract with Q Prime (the same management company that also represents British indie rock band Foals, amongst others). More than 40 record companies vied to sign him, with McKenna going with Columbia Records.

In August 2015, McKenna self-released his first single, "Brazil". The song criticised FIFA, the governing body of association football, for awarding the FIFA World Cup to Brazil in 2014 without addressing the extensive and deep poverty affecting the people of the nation. McKenna later told DIY that he wrote the song because "It's politics and what I see in the news, and it's just general things I feel strongly about, things happening in my life." "Brazil" garnered McKenna widespread attention, as many sports commentators found the song to be a commentary on the emerging FIFA corruption scandal. Oddly, McKenna's song "Isombard" is on the soundtrack for the football video game FIFA 17. McKenna was interviewed on Sky News to discuss his views on football's relationship to poverty. "Brazil" reached number one on the Alt 18 Countdown for 23 January 2016 on the Alt Nation alternative rock radio station on Sirius XM Radio, and repeated as number one on 30 January.

Singles, EPs, and international concerts

McKenna spent the remaining months of 2015 playing a wide range of British and Irish music festivals and concerts in venues throughout London. He played the Somersault Festival in North Devon, England, in July; the Boston Big Gig festival in Boston, Lincolnshire, in July; the Electric Picnic music festival in Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland, in September, and the MIRRORS music festival in London in October.

In November 2015, he self-released his second single, "Paracetamol". The 5 and a half minute song discussed how transgender teenagers are misrepresented in the media. In an interview with Sound of Boston, McKenna explained that the title of the song came from "the idea of using the lyric paracetamol was a way of comparing the belief that someone can be cured from who they are, via therapy, to an everyday painkiller." Matt Wilkinson of NME called "Paracetamol" McKenna's second break-out hit. Although it wasn't likely to receive radio airplay or top out the charts, Wilkinson argued that the song showed that McKenna wasn't just another "UK indie troubadour, a little bit oikish and with a nifty talent for mainstream melody" but rather a solid and accomplished songwriter who can deliver "bruised and vulnerable" vocals. Jon Lyons of the music Web site ThisNewBand.com said the song showed a maturity that clearly indicated McKenna was not "just a teen dream or a one hit wonder."

The influential American music industry trade magazine, Billboard said McKenna was "making inroads in America" with "Brazil". The song charted on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart (for the week ending 27 February 2016) at number 32, rising to number 26 on the 5 March 2016 chart.

In late August 2016, McKenna released a single called "Isombard" regarding right-wing news anchors such as those on Fox News attempting to justify police brutality.

McKenna played at the NME Awards in February 2016; the Live at Leeds festival over the 2016 May Day bank holiday; The Great Escape Festival in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, United Kingdom in May 2016; the Standon Calling festival in late July 2016 in Standon, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom; and the Field Day music festival in London in June 2016.

McKenna made his North American debut at Jannus Live in St. Petersburg, Florida on 11 March 2016. He then played three sets at South by Southwest Music on 15 March 2016. In October 2016, Declan McKenna was confirmed to play at the 31st edition of Eurosonic Noorderslag in Groningen, NL.

McKenna appeared on BBC Music's "Sound of 2017" list at the end of 2016.

For much of 2016, McKenna was at work on his debut full-length album with the working title What Do You Think of The New Car?. James Ford, who produced albums by Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, and Florence and the Machine, is producing McKenna's album, which is being recorded at a Kensal Green recording studio. McKenna estimated the album would be released in May 2017.

Critical assessment

McKenna writes his own songs and usually performs all his own instruments.

BBC News called "Brazil" an extraordinarily mature song for a 16-year-old songwriter. Matt Wilkinson at NME called it "one of the best songs" of 2015, and had high praise for McKenna's second single, "Paracetamol", as well. Jon Lyons of ThisNewBand.com called "Brazil" "a catchy song no doubt", and also noted that it was "a sharp critique on sports, money and power."

Some music critics have tempered their praise of McKenna. Critic Matt Wilkinson called McKenna's London gigs surprisingly good, if "rough around the edges". Jon Lyons has observed that as of November 2015, McKenna's songs seemed to indicate an artist still experimenting with bands and styles of music which have influenced him. He felt McKenna was still "searching for his own sound right in front of the crowd. An artist is being born note by note." Andy Welch, music critic for The Bristol Post, said McKenna was "one to watch" displaying "lots of early, ragged promise".

EPs

Singles