As I stated in my recent write-up on Tala Silva, I feel like TikTok is such a great way to find musicians who deserve so much more love. Sometimes, instead of discovering someone new, the app helps me find an artist I used to be into but for some reason just slipped my mind. KennyHoopla is a very cool Indie Rock artist who I remember becoming a few years ago; because of how saturated the music industry is, though, I have not really come across his music again until recently. When I rediscovered him on TikTok, I found out he is from Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Considering how much I adore Wisconsin music, this of course made me excited to check out his new music. KennyHoopla has been making music for quite a while; his first releases on streaming platforms date back to 2017. Most of his music has been released through singles. To this point, he has only released one EP and a couple of albums. KennyHoopla’s sound is sort of hard to pinpoint. It combines elements of various types of Rock and Pop. It definitely stems from Punk music, but he does not put himself in a bubble with this sound. At the beginning of December, he dropped a project called conditions of an orphan//. Below I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite songs from this record, as well as give some overall thoughts on it. Please let me know in the comments how you feel about Kennny Hoopla and conditions of an ophan//. 

too many jocks turned rockstar//

This track is one that immediately hit me with a wave of nostalgia. ‘too many jocks turned rockstar//’ takes me right back to the early 2010s. This song reminds me so much of the Indie and Alternative Dance Rock that was big at that time. When I hear this one, I think of bands like Mother Mother, The Griswolds, or even Neon Trees. There is definitely an element of this one that really modernizes the track, though(this mainly comes from the distortion on the synths).  ‘Too many jocks turned rockstar//’ is driven by a groovy piano riff and bass line that is complemented by various other synths and a guitar riff. The melody feels scattered; at times it is heavy, and at others it is lighter and more intricate. KennyHoopla’s vocals on this one are very pronounced and impactful. He sings with a level of attitude and anguish that is palpable. On ‘too many jocks turned rockstar//,’ KennyHoopla paints a vivid picture, using metaphors to describe how the harshness of the world can take away your creativity and will. He is offering a helping hand to the person in this situation he is singing to at this moment. 

naysayers//

Like the track above, ‘naysayers//’ feels directly inspired by that Indie Alternative Dance Rock from the early 2010s. I swear, tracks like this transport me back to that era. This track feels even more nostalgic than the previous one. Unlike ‘too many jocks turned rockstar//,’ ‘naysayers//’ does not have those underlying distorted synths that would give it a more modern tone. The feeling of this one is a little more punk. This not only comes from the slightly heavier feeling of the instrumental, but also from the vocals. The tone of this track is very brisk. The melody and beat have the energy of a chilly and winding Autumn or Spring evening. As mentioned, the vocals on ‘naysayers//’ feel more forceful and weighty. The raspiness in the tone that KennyHoopla definitely makes this track feel harsher. On ‘naysayers//,’ KennyHoopla sings about the disdain he has for a previous relationship. He finds himself caring too much about what this person is doing and what they think, as they had a very big and negative impact on him. 

orphans//

‘orphans//’ is a song with a sound that I really did not expect to hear on an Alternative Rock album. This song feels like a blast from the past also, but in a different way from the last two tracks. ‘orphans//’ actually sort of feels like a fusion of modern Alternative Pop Rock with retro Funk music(with a bit of a Goth twist to it). The opening bass line and guitar riff that drive this one straight up make me think of Chic or Sly and the Family Stone. I really like this change in sound and style from the previous couple of tracks, as it really makes ‘orphans//’ stand out. There are some synths and other instrumentation that come in that do bring the Alternative Rock themes back, but that underlying funk theme really drives the track. KennyHoopla’s vocals on ‘orphans//’ have a very Goth feeling to them. The way he enunciates and almost talks some of the vocals on this one is reminiscent of The Cure, which is very cool. On ‘orphans//,’ KennyHoopla sings about trying to get over a tragic life by pushing through and lying to yourself(or to others). 

ooshalalala//

KennyHoopla closes out the project with the song that is probably the least unlike the others in overall tone and heaviness in ‘ooshalalala//.’ Whereas most of the rest of the project definitely has a heavier and darker sound, this one feels brighter and softer. The instrumental tone on this one reminds me of the Pop Punk of the early 2000s. There is something about this one that is reminiscent of artists like Fall Out Boy or even Plain White Tees. I like how sweet and laid-back the guitar riff is, as it is so inviting. The beat on this track is pretty subdued as well, which really fits the melody. This one has my favorite vocal performance of the record. KennyHoopla really shows his range on ‘ooshalalala,’ and the high notes he hits give the song emphasis. On ‘ooshalalala,’ KennyHoopla sings about being in love and fighting through all of the misfortunes going on in his and his partner’s lives.

KennyHoopla is an artist whom I have been fond of for a while and always told myself I would come back to. I am glad I came across conditions of an orphan// while perusing TikTok, as it was a very cool reintroduction to his music. I did have an idea of what I thought the record would sound like based on the few songs I had heard from KennyHoopla in the past. This project went way beyond any previous notions I had about his music. I thought conditions of an orphan// would have a harsher and meaner sound overall, and I was surprised this wasn’t the case. Instead of centering around Hard Punk and Emo music, conditions of an orphan// has a very eclectic Alternative sound. There are influences from so many kinds of Alternative music here, as well as other forms of Pop-Rock. I didn’t even mention the intro song, ‘charity//,’ which sounds like. Modern Electric remix of a song by The Strokes. Another cool one I didn’t mention is ‘monalisa, we miss you//,’ which feels like KennyHoopla’s take on Charli Xcx HyperPop music. One thing that really surprised me about this album is its grooviness. The funkiness that several of these songs have definitely gives the album a different layer. KennyHoopla’s vocals throughout conditions of an orphan// are so awesomely expressive. The fervor with which he sings makes his feelings so visceral as a listener. Lyrically, this album is incredibly complex. I honestly tried to just interpret the songs the best I could in a non-whimsical or practical manner. I think that is the beauty of this kind of lyricism, though; it can be received in a variety of ways. Overall, conditions of an orphan// is a very unique and cool Alternative album. It stands out for how wide-ranging and eccentric it is. conditions of an orphan// is a project I will be coming back to, and it makes me excited to keep following KennyHoopla.