{"id":7390,"date":"2025-11-13T10:21:47","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T10:21:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/?p=7390"},"modified":"2025-11-13T10:21:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T10:21:50","slug":"interview-kennedy-administration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/2025\/11\/13\/interview-kennedy-administration\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview: Kennedy Administration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"507\" src=\"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Kennedy-Adminstration--1024x507.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7391\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Kennedy-Adminstration--1024x507.png 1024w, https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Kennedy-Adminstration--300x148.png 300w, https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Kennedy-Adminstration--768x380.png 768w, https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Kennedy-Adminstration--121x60.png 121w, https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Kennedy-Adminstration-.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/odesli.co\/embed\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsong.link%2Fs%2F3eu6Pl2cOjC4y8MBVh17PN&#038;theme=light\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" allow=\"clipboard-read; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n<p><strong>Congratulations on the release of Humanity- how does it feel?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It feels like letting a secret out into the world \u2013 a beautiful secret we\u2019ve been patiently nurturing. We\u2019ve been performing some of these songs live for a while, so finally being able to share the studio versions feels like opening a bottle that\u2019s been building pressure. There\u2019s excitement, pride, and a little nervousness \u2013 the good kind. We\u2019re thrilled it\u2019s now living its own life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s your favorite track from it?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s always like choosing a favorite child, but if I must \u2013 \u201cProfile\u201d has a special place for me. It captures that mix of vulnerability and groove that feels very \u201cus.\u201d And \u201cTruth,\u201d featuring Doobie Powell, is pure magic for me. Ask me tomorrow, and I\u2019ll probably pick a different one!<\/p>\n<p><strong>You describe it as a collection of songs born out of real conversations, late-night ideas, and the desire to connect through truth. What was the catalyst?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Life. The past few years have been full of questions \u2013 about identity, love, purpose, the stories we tell ourselves to get through the day. Those long conversations after shows, voice memos recorded at 3 AM, personal confessions among friends\u2026 we realized that the most meaningful music happens when you stop pretending and just tell the truth. Humanity is us being completely ourselves \u2013 flawed, hopeful, searching, alive.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What was the easiest and most challenging part of recording the album?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The easiest part was the chemistry \u2013 we genuinely love creating together, and when a song clicks, it really clicks. The hardest part was time. We tour a lot, we all have multiple creative lives, and aligning schedules can be a puzzle. But that challenge also gave the project depth\u2026 the songs had time to grow with us.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tell us about Kennedy Administration.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We got together for a single cover music gig in the West Village, and it was instant magic. Since then, we\u2019ve played hundreds of shows from Berlin to Jakarta, built a beautiful international fanbase, and grown into a family. We\u2019re rooted in soul, jazz, R&amp;B \u2013 but more than anything, we\u2019re rooted in feel.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kennedy your vocals are incredible, what are your three tips for keeping your voice in shape?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s an entire world that exists within the art of performance.<br \/>Being a vocalist isn\u2019t just about your voice \u2014 it\u2019s about using your whole body as an instrument.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why maintaining a strong cardio routine is essential, along with staying hydrated through nourishing options like okra or coconut water. Grapes are also a great natural source of hydration.<\/p>\n<p>And of course, do your best to steer clear of alcohol because it drys you out and delays vocal recovery, unnecessary stress, and energetically draining environments \u2014 your voice (and your spirit) will thank you.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You were formed in New York \u2013 what did you listen to starting out?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Anything that shook the walls of a club in Manhattan or Brooklyn. D\u2019Angelo, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Stevie Wonder on repeat\u2026 but also Roy Hargrove\u2019s RH Factor, Robert Glasper \u2013 that whole movement that fused soul with jazz and hip-hop. We\u2019ve always loved music that grooves but says something deeper.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll also add that watching how people in New York clubs light up when old records by Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Chaka Khan, Earth, Wind &amp; Fire, and others start spinning really drives home how essential the groove is. It reminds you that people don\u2019t just want to hear music\u2014they want to be taken on a journey by it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ondre, being a keyboard player \u2013 your three favourite keyboard players?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Only three? That\u2019s brutal :-D. Herbie Hancock \u2013 for limitless curiosity, Cory Henry \u2013 for pure fire and innovation and Larry Goldings \u2013 for taste, pocket, and storytelling<br \/>I could go on\u2026 but we\u2019d be here all day.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Being from New York \u2013 your three favourite things about it?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can hear world-class music on a Tuesday night\u2026 on any corner.<\/p>\n<p>The mix of people \u2013 the city is humanity.<\/p>\n<p>The creative electricity that never switches off. Even when it overwhelms you, it keeps you moving forward<\/p>\n<p>For me it would be all the serendipity that you come to experience in New York.<\/p>\n<p>Being able to meet legends.<\/p>\n<p>Having the opportunity to grow due to everything that makes New York special and possibly becoming a legend.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are you listening to at the moment?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Honestly these days it\u2019s mostly classical music.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are you looking forward to doing in 2026?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Bringing Humanity to as many people as possible \u2013 more shows, more collaboration, more connection. And personally, I\u2019m excited to continue growing as a writer and producer. I want 2026 to be the year where everything we\u2019ve been building truly blossoms.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\n<div id=\"jp-post-flair\" class=\"sharedaddy sd-like-enabled sd-sharing-enabled\">\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Congratulations on the release of Humanity- how does it feel? It feels like letting a secret out into the world \u2013 a beautiful secret we\u2019ve been patiently nurturing. We\u2019ve been performing some of these songs live for a while, so finally being able to share the studio versions feels like opening a bottle that\u2019s been &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7391,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[191,42,118,129,218,139,31,132,30,185,130,261,142,150,183,243,126],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alternative","category-band","category-bass","category-drums","category-folk","category-jazz","category-keyboards","category-lyricist","category-music","category-neo-soul","category-new-york","category-new-york-city","category-producer","category-songwriter","category-synthesizers","category-u-s","category-vocals"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7390"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7390\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7392,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7390\/revisions\/7392"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7391"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}