In 2019, singer-songwriter Bre Kennedy detailed “the mess of being human” on her debut EP, Jealous of Birds. As we heard on follow-up releases Twenty Something and Note to Self, Bre crafts songs that dive into the complexities of everyday life, touching on the ways these emotional moments can hurt or heal. In July of this year, Bre released Scream Over Everything (Side A), a four-track project that served as the precursor to her sophomore album Scream Over Everything, out today. From those four songs, we could glean that the album would be more personal and present than Bre’s previous projects. On Side A, Bre went into personal observations, conversations, and relationships that shaped who she is right now and how she sees herself. From there, she can start anew. I caught up with Bre early last month to discuss Side A and the new album, from the creative process to the gradual release of both projects.
Hi, Bre! Thank you so much for taking the time out to chat. We are about a month out from the release of Scream Over Everything! How are you feeling about that?
I am feeling a lot of dualities. Excited and terrified. Relief and grief. And with those, proud and grateful for the process of creating and sharing this album after a year of creating it and a year of releasing it.
So to backtrack, you started the rollout for this over the summer when you dropped Scream Over Everything (Side A). Why did you decide to release a Side A to the album instead of waiting to drop the final album altogether?
I wanted to release this album the way I would want it to be listened to on vinyl. This is the first album I will have on vinyl, and I wanted to take people on that journey with me as I released it. Each song was an “ah-ha” moment in the past few years since 2020 of who I’m becoming after it all, and I shared them in that order.
How did you decide which tracks to release for Side A?
The first four songs on Side A set the tone for this album: presence, joy, grace, and self- reflection.
I read that “Navigating” was inspired by a conversation you had with your brother and “Keep Going Back” was a dedication to your sister. Are there other tracks on the album that were inspired or influenced by family?
These are the two songs that nod to my family in a big way on this album. Each song is inspired by moments in the past few years that I interfaced with big feelings with the people I love and then with myself.
The album showcases how your writing has changed from being nostalgic to more “in the moment,” as you once said. Was this intentional, or did you find yourself naturally leaning in this direction?
I wrote this record after being on the road for a long time last year, and I had a lot of time to think and be with myself. I wanted to pull those present thoughts out for this album. “How am I feeling right now?” Not from yesterday or from the future. Right now.
Because these tracks are more “in the moment,” was it more emotional to work on them?
100%. Writing these songs felt like really hard therapy sessions that were important. I remember writing “Scream Over Everything” and feeling like I wanted to crawl out of my body because I had to acknowledge that there was so much going on inside me that, for the first time in my life, I didn’t just have the words for, and that I was going to have to pull them out of me. And the only way to do that was by giving a name to the things that didn’t feel good anymore.
This album is also claimed to be your “most personal” album yet. Are there any doubts or reservations when it comes to sharing some of these songs, or do you feel confident about them?
I think I always feel a bit shy about sharing any song I put out. These are especially personal because I’m interfacing with them right now, and I keep learning more about myself from these songs. A lot of these were carved out of the beginning of a goodbye with someone I love, so I feel very raw putting it all out there. But it feels right to me.
Were there any songs that you were working on for the album that kind of surprised you or that you maybe didn’t anticipate writing?
Yes, “Faultline.” It wasn’t a single, and is a song on the album that will be a surprise. I wrote this one day with my producer Davis Naish when we didn’t even know that we were doing it, and it hurt my feelings immediately.
So far, you have released either a live video or an official music video for the songs, including “Hello,” “The Vase,” and “Ahead of Myself.” Do you plan on releasing videos for the rest of the album’s tracks?
Yes. Just me in front the camera sharing “Scream Over Everything.”
You are almost done with your fall tour. Are there any memories from this tour that stand out to you?
Oh, so many. This tour was life-giving. One of my favorite moments was getting to sing some songs for fans after the show that didn’t make it in the setlist and getting to hear their stories of what these songs mean to them.
Thank you so much again for your time, and congratulations on the album. Is there anything else you would like to add or share?
Thank you for taking the time to talk with me about this album. Scream Over Everything is available on vinyl, and I can’t wait to share these songs on the road more next year x
You can listen to Scream Over Everything on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify.
Keep up with Bre Kennedy: Facebook // Instagram // Twitter // YouTube // TikTok // Website
