As Dermot Kennedy embarks on the next chapter of his musical journey with his new album, Sonder he admits he’s never related to a word more. Sonder, the term coined in the book The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, is summarized as, “the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.” Encapsulating the universal themes of love, loss and ultimately hope, Sonder sees the acclaimed, platinum-selling Kennedy evolving into an even more expressive and powerful storyteller.
Dermot explains, “The meaning behind Sonder has resonated with me so much for years. I exist in an industry where we’re encouraged to think about ourselves only constantly, and I find that exhausting and uninspiring. I want to learn about you. Let us share all of our triumphs, all of our troubles. Let this music belong to all of us, to find our own stories and our own solace within it,” he says.
The idea of sharing the ups and downs of life’s journey with his audience is not a new one. Over the years, Dermot Kennedy has won over fan after fan with his passionate and burning lyrics that speak truth and honesty, delivering compelling music from the heart that connects with people across the globe. Sonder further demonstrates his ability to tap into the emotions of listeners, with poignant music intended to heal as the world rebounds from the challenges of the pandemic.
His own personal growth as an artist is noteworthy. He’s gone from busking in the streets to selling out stadiums around the world — a tremendous and traditional rise in music with his golden vocals and piercing lyrical content at the center of his success. Authenticity oozes out of him, onstage and in his songs, and his wide range of influences, from singer-songwriters to hip-hop, gives him a unique sound that is raw and genuine.
And though he’s playing for more and more fans each day, he’s still keeping the mindset he maintained while busking to give the best live performances ever. “I'm very glad I'm not busking anymore, but I also want to make sure I never lose that hunger and give an authentic performance every time,” he says.
Dermot has begun to preview some of his upcoming album Sonder on the road — and the songs are reaching his fans in great heights. Across May and June of 2022 Dermot performed nine huge sold-out shows at outdoor venues across Ireland, selling over 110,000 tickets. On September 2nd he will headline Ireland’s Electric Picnic Festival for his biggest festival headline performance to date, in front of over 70,000 people. A fixture on the festival circuit in the U.S. as well, he’ll also play Life is Beautiful and Ohana in September.
And for the first time, he’s opened for someone else. On Shawn Mendes’ “Wonder: The World Tour,” Dermot played for new audiences and won over more fans. “People out there who didn't plan on coming to my set, they end up hearing it and they are intrigued and then you want to win them over. And it feels like an audition almost, and there is something about that I love,” Dermot says.
At the start of the tour, Mendes shared from the stage that on his first tour when he was away from home for the first time at the age of 16, he listened to Kennedy’s music every night on his tour bus and added, “if tonight’s your first time watching or hearing Dermot, which you’re probably not, I’m very jealous of you because you have a lot of magical music to listen to now.”
Sonder has songs full of brilliant one-liners, lyrics that make you think, vocals that soar and stories of love and life that hit you deep in the gut. But one thing is new about the album and Dermot himself —- his light has gotten a bit brighter.
“There was a fair amount of darkness on the last album because I was keeping up with my life, but this one just feels a bit brighter. And I feel that's something I shouldn't necessarily resist, and it feels like a healthy change,” he explains.
Though Dermot Kennedy’s tone might be happier, the music is still beautifully deep and heartfelt: “Even if the music feels a little bit brighter, the lyrics still have that weight to them,” he says.
One new song is deeply connecting to fans at the live shows: “Something to Someone.” The new album’s lead single, about a distant love but ends on a hopeful note, has already amassed 20 million streams across platforms. “I knew when we wrote, it was important. We're closing the set with it and it just feels very powerful,” he says.
“Kiss Me,” is a catchy pop-rock, guitar-forward track about love. But peel back the layers, and you’ll hear a story about a deep and yearning love. “So kiss me the way you would if we die tonight/Hold me the way that you would for the final time,” his gravelly voice emotes on the song. “I think one thing that I always had to do is have some element of darkness in the lyrics. And I think you can hear that,” he says. “I like the idea of that juxtaposition of the bright music with the heavy lyrics.”
Dermot spent three years working on Sonder, and while writing the 13 songs on the album he was busy enjoying the success his debut album Without Fear —- which has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide — brought him. He’s become a platinum-selling artist in over 12 countries; his songs “Outnumbered,” “Power Over Me,” “Paradise” with Meduza and “Power” with Kevin Gates have achieved platinum status in the U.K. and gold status in the U.S. “Paradise” has been streamed over 500 million times while “Giants” is another platinum effort for Dermot in the U.K.
The singer has amassed nearly 4 billion streams across platforms and he competed for international male solo artist at the BRITS Awards. Dua Lipa selected him to perform at her livestream concert, “Truly Inspired Presents: Dua Lipa Live!,” and Taylor Swift calls herself a fan. “An artist like Taylor, who's just written so many great songs and is this legacy artist, it's an honor,” Dermot says.
Oh, and there’s this epic stat on Dermot’s resume: “Without Fear” is Ireland’s best-selling debut album of this millennium. “That's a bit surreal, for sure,” he admits.
“I've always wanted to not just have this homegrown thing — and that's not to say I don't have all the pride in the world being Irish — but I just want to make sure I can match that in other places. I'm not just trying to have a successful album in my own country and I want to do it everywhere,” he says.
While drawing inspiration from his own life, clearly, for the album, Dermot was also influenced by the world around him. “Kiss Me” was inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1934 novel Tender Is the Night and “One Life” came together after Dermot saw the musical CAGES. “Better Days” feels like both a global anthem for the world impacted by the coronavirus pandemic but also serves as a reminder that there’s light at the end of the tunnel for those working hard to reach their dreams.
With “Sonder,” Dermot wanted to be sure he matched what he achieved on “Without Fear,” but also reach new levels and challenge himself.
“The main thing I was trying to achieve was having something that felt as meaningful as the first album. With your first album, it's very easy to find that meaning and to make sure because you've ultimately had your whole life to make it. Whereas second album, it's that classic thing of spending all your time on tour buses and in hotel rooms, and so it's hard to draw on certain experiences. But for me, I've often taken inspiration from even friends and family members and spoken from their point of view — so it feels quite limitless in that sense when I do things like that,” he says.
One thing that’s stayed the same — Dermot continues to write songs that hit home with fans. “I want to make people feel and heal and experience good things when they listen to these songs,” he says.
The impact that songs like “Outnumbered,” “Power Over Me,” “Giants” and “Better Days” have had on listeners is staggering. His songs and lyrics bleed positivity and ambition, and that connection with fans around the world showcases the true power of music.
It’s something so heavy it is even hard for Dermot to grasp.
“I think when you hear those stories, it's very moving. Understanding that they are going through something so difficult and then music had a really profound impact on them — it's quite hard to wrap your head around. It's an honor, honestly. And I hope I can keep doing it for people,” he says.
The connection to Dermot and his music even goes deeper because he’s been an open book about his struggles with anxiety and imposter syndrome. His openness has helped others feel seen and find their voices when discussing their own mental health journeys.
“I have such a powerful outlet in music. That's literally just therapy constantly for me. And still, I feel certain degrees of anxiety and certain struggles that pop up. And sometimes I think about who I'd be without that outlet and without shows to play and without music to release and to pour myself into —- because I'd say it really does save me as a person regularly,” Dermot explains.
“I've had people ask me if my songs are about mental health and well, yeah. Isn't every single song I write about that in a way? Because it's all connected.”
