Mo Kenney Biography

Mo Kenney (born 1990) is a Canadian singer/songwriter based in Waverley, Nova Scotia. Catching the ear of noted Canadian rocker Joel Plaskett while still in school, Kenney released her first album in 2012, which Plaskett produced. Kenney is known for her strong singing voice and engaging stage presence. Called "Nova Scotia's rising star" by The Scene magazine, she has toured with Plaskett as well as with Ron Sexsmith.

Background

Kenney began playing guitar when she was 11. She became interested in music via classic rock; among her favorite artists in her early teens were Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Ozzy Osbourne. When she found herself grounded for two months by her parents at age 15, she began writing songs in earnest and listening to singer/songwriters such as Elliott Smith. Smith in particular inspired Kenney to learn finger-picking. At around the same age, she also began to draw inspiration from the indie rock world, thanks to exposure to the films of Wes Anderson, and the adventurous soundtracks he favors.

Career

Kenney first began recording her songs at a small recording studio housed at the Shambhala School in Halifax, when she was 17. Joel Plaskett visited the school one day to talk about playing and recording music, and listened to what she had recorded. Two years later, Plaskett's manager called Kenney with the news that she was recommending her to be invited to Gordie Sampson's Songcamp in Cape Breton. Kenney later began working on her first recording with Plaskett, starting in April 2011.

Although hampered by severe stage fright when first beginning to perform, Kenney now impresses critics with her at-ease and affable stage presence. Among her notable international performances to date, Kenney played at the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival in October 2012 and at the Great Escape Festival in Brighton in May 2013.

Her debut album, entitled Mo Kenney, was produced by Plaskett and recorded at his studio in Dartmouth. The album was released in September 2012 by New Scotland Records and Pheromone Recordings. Plaskett co-wrote two of the album's songs with Kenney. The two of them are the only musicians who play on the album.

In March 2013, the album received an East Coast Music Award nomination for Rising Star Recording of the Year.

In June 2013, Kenney's song "Sucker" was named a finalist for the SOCAN Songwriting Prize for the best song by an independent Canadian musician, sponsored by the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada. She was named the winner of the award on July 10, 2013.

Discography

albums

• Mo Kenney (2012)

singles

• "Eden" (b/w "The Great Escape") (7-inch vinyl) (2012)