KennyHoopla
conditions of an orphan//
THE ORCHARD
KennyHoopla is undergoing a self-described rebirth as he preps for the release of his long-awaited debut album. The Cleveland-born indie rocker released the hypnotic rebirth // renaissance EP back in May, a major departure from the Travis Barker–assisted pop-punk that broke him onto the scene back in the early 2020s. Expanding on that renaissance is the new conditions of an orphan// EP, which sees Kenny lean into his songwriting capabilities over addictive indie-rock melodies to reflect on the resilience that’s carried him through the last few tumultuous years of his life.
Characterized as a “starting from scratch” moment by Kenny, conditions of an orphan// traces the losses that the songwriter has suffered since teaming up with Barker in 2021. The death of his mother and the loss of day-one friends linger behind the curtain, grounding the titular orphan metaphor and breathing authenticity into each line. “charity//” opens the EP with an earworm electric guitar melody before Kenny reflects on the heartache and pain he’s spent the last few years working through. Thoughts about his father writing letters home from prison flicker across his mind while lighthouses shining on the shore at night remind him that the energy of those who have passed never dies. The vulnerability is admirable, buoyed by production that urges contemplation and reflection from the listener.
Elsewhere on the EP, “orphan//” infuses dance-punk rhythms with the need to grieve, using the track as a way to work through the loss of his mother while feeding his sonic confidence. A driving bass line underscores Kenny’s shouts imploring the listner to “look alive,” as well as his assertion that there’s no one way to grieve. Crackling drum sequences pop in and out across the track courtesy of Paramore’s Zac Farro, who co-produced the EP and laid down the rhythms found on “orphan//.” It’s a lovely juxtaposition of what Kenny describes in press materials as “a constant tug of war between my personal and artistic lives”—sonically vibrant while lyrically uneasy.
KennyHoopla’s ascension to the peak of the indie scene seemed inevitable when he re-teamed with Barker and enlisted the help of Bloc Party in 2023, but personal and professional backslides have had other plans. With Farro and additional co-producer Mike Elizondo as his guides, conditions of an orphan// is the first true leg of a renaissance journey for the Cleveland native, setting the stage for that ascension once again.
