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We caught up with Nashville-based artist Sean Kennedy!
BED|STÜ: You have the most incredible story. Let’s start from (almost) the beginning. Tell us about your career in football (“soccer” to us Americans) and how you transitioned into music (let alone moving to America).
SEAN: Yes, I played competitively my whole early life from 3 - 21 years old. From kids cresh teams to a pro team in Edinburgh called Hibernian. When I was 19/20, I started to have a knee issue, which ended up having a defect in my knee joint. It was affecting performance and mobility. I went for a consultation with a knee specialist, and he told me the situation, which then lead to an operation to drill tiny holes in my bone to help the blood strengthen my bone again. Somewhat a success then led to my body rejecting the bone. I had to get it removed and was offered an op called stem cell treatment early on for bone growth. We went ahead and cloned cells from my cartilage and eventually had a large stem cell bone transplant op. An epidural too to help the pain. Quite the ordeal but music started to come through me when I was on crutches for so long. Some Forrest Gump moments happened, and my first spiritual moments blinded me in the eye I knew it was something to peruse. Music felt like the easiest thing. No effort but running on feeling. A year or 2 so after the operations I played my first acoustic show by myself in 2010. 4 years later I came to Nashville and never looked back.
BED|STÜ: You’ve got to be busy between your music career, your podcast, acting & modeling... How do you balance it all?
SEAN: It’s almost like the move from Scotland, people ask “how do you do it?” Gone from family and all. I just don’t overthink it. Maybe it’s my laid-back mindset, who knows? I realized I’m most in the moment when I’m being creative, so I am very thankful that all these jobs are creative. I feel I do have a very detailed brain; I love to figure out how things work. I truly love doing all these different creative outlets. I always get to be me!
BED|STÜ: We love your men’s health-focused podcast. Tell us a bit more about it.
SEAN: Yes, myself and my best mate Rob Ricotta met a few years ago now and just really went to a different level of conversation. The brother I never had. From crying with laughter to some very deep dives into our own mental help and moments we needed a talk. We both have experienced different levels of mental health and our loved ones around us. Through 2020 I had written some songs that really connected with people in a spiritual and healing way. One song in particular “let life love you” hit hard and the emails I received from people had taken me aback. People getting lyrics tattooed on them also made me really pay attention to who I am here, my true purpose, and this moment in my life. Rob then turned to me and said I know we spoke about a podcast but now we must, and I think you should call it “let life love you podcast” and that was it. It’s still early days but there’s a reason for everything. No coincidences in this plan. We are excited to push on with it and start releasing episodes. We will have health professionals as well as folks with real stories that connect. Sports stars also and most importantly have a women’s perspective as we navigate our conversation through each episode.
BED|STÜ: What’s one of your most memorable career moments.
SEAN: I’ve played some really cool shows in UK and Europe. Playing some iconic venues here in Nashville is special but right now, these first few months of 2023 are my highlight. I feel most profound in my life in regards to my purpose and love for my new dedication. Some great lessons learned in the last 6-8 months. Losing my best friend and being gifted more tools to enhance my craft and songs. I’d never think it would go this way, but I see it clearly now and it’s brought so much more light to my life in general. When I thought I was grateful for what I was given, now it’s just euphoria. Almost tough to explain but I’ll definitely give it my best shot. I truly love the new music I’m making. It’s the music I will look back on in 20 years and say wow those songs feel like yesterday and I’m still in love with them.
BED|STÜ: Dream duo—who would you love to write/create and/or perform with?
SEAN: I had a musical hero and songwriter reach out to me recently which I’d never thought would happen, but I’m naive. It happened in the past too. I’d love to collab with people like Brandon Flowers (The Killers) Bono, Sting, Ryan Adams, and John Mayer. The true artists and bands that have inspired me. Opening for any of these would be the full circle which those moments hit hard! I laugh when they do. Which shows you anything is possible.
BED|STÜ: Now for your BED|STÜ’s…what are you currently wearing?
SEAN: I feel as my music progresses, I’m going through a discovery of what I feel my look is. It changes often. I do love some baggier trousers, so I have a pair of THORN Black Lux shoes. Almost like a 40s look but more casual. LORDMIND high tops, which can go with everything. Very comfortable but even with time and wear they get better looking.
BED|STÜ: And finally, Congrats again on your latest single, Thinking of You. What’s next?
SEAN: Thank you! I’m currently working on my album. Again in 20 years, I want to look back and say I still love these songs and so does everyone else. Bringing back nostalgia in my songs. They have a spirit to them too. In the studio pretty much every day. I just love the creation. I have learned when to walk away but doing other creative jobs helps my fatigue which certain outlets.
