Kendraplex

KENDRA AMALIE IS A SINGER, SONGWRITER, GUITARIST, PRODUCER, AND VISUAL ARTIST.

Kendra has lived her life admirably (I’m sure stories will begin to emerge as more of us catch on to what she is doing) and has continued to make music, and when a “true head” has given it a spin they’ve been enthralled. While still verymuch hers, it gets better and better. This is what happens when artists keep working and refuse to compromise.

Some time ago I noticed that most of the music I liked could be described as “damaged.” It could be just “damaged” or it could be a damaged form like “damaged blues,” “damaged country,” etc. The common thread is a sense that the artist has recognized that something has happened to them that has not killed them but has made them somehow weaker. There is a congruence of content and execution that rejects perfection, not only in terms of assessment of the problem but in the approach to its solution and beyond that even the targeting of that possibly flawed solution to that possibly inaccurately-identified problem. The artist does not “harden their heart” but seeks a path back to trust and softness.

It is enriching to experience music like this as it reminds us that the relentlessly recommended pursuit of “positive vibes” is a strenuous activity from which one requires a rest. We might realize that the search for human connection is still worth it, though something in us fears it and regards it as ultimately less fulfilling than we’ve been told. We know that striving for comfort can leave us less comfortable than just forgetting about comfort. These are personal decisions and there is no right or wrong. We are one with the universe, regardless.