As A&E editor, I listen to a lot of music. As a music nerd, I go to a lot of concerts. As a journalist, I interview a lot of people. But not many have sent me into fan/idiot mode. Actually, only one has. And mark my words, this is the first of many times you will hear about him. His name is Kevin Garrett.
I first saw Garrett open for another insanely talented singer/songwriter, James Vincent McMorrow, at the Kessler back in November. I had the typical “who on earth is the opener?” attitude for about 10 minutes until Garrett nonchalantly slipped on stage and started playing. To this day, that was one of the most incredible performances I’ve seen. Within minutes, I knew I would be a lifelong fan.
In the past couple of months, Garrett released two entrancing singles, “Coloring” and “Control,” which both showcase his incisive writing style, honest lyrics, and standout vocal ability, which could captivate even the most cynical of listeners. Garrett, only just out of college, landed a spot on Spotify’s Viral 50 list and has garnered the attention of some of the biggest names in the music industry (I’m talking Katy Perry here). Point is, he’s going places, folks.
On Monday night, Garrett played his second show in Dallas at Prophet Bar, and needless to say, I was one of the first ones there. In typical Kevin fashion, he entered the stage without the usual fanfare of many of his fellow musicians, but then who needs fanfare when your talent speaks for itself.
He simply started with, “I’m going to a play a song now.” With two musicians backing him and his fingers on the keys, Garrett gave a more memorable performance than I’ve seen full bands give in a venue full of 20,000 people. In addition to his familiar tunes “Coloring” and “Control,” he played more “I know exactly what you mean, Kevin” and “You better sang” originals, which will be released on his EP coming soon (you’re welcome for those new descriptive terms by the way. Going for scholarly here).
In addition to his own work, Garrett graced the audience with a cover of the now infamous song “Skinny Love.” This song has been covered. And covered. And covered again. But guess who wins for the best cover yet? And the award goes to… Kevin Garrett (shocker I know). With only keys to support his voice, he took everybody to church with “Skinny Love.” Okay, I’ll admit it. I think I had a real life fan girl moment at that point. No shame though. All joking aside, Garrett’s musical presence packs a poignant punch.
Before his set, Garrett sat down with me to answer some questions (I managed to “Control” the nerd inside of me. See what I did there. Okay, there’s a reason I didn’t pursue a career in comedy). Anyway, here’s your exclusive Q&A with the man himself:
The DC: So why music? Is this something you have always wanted to pursue?
Garrett: “I started music when I was really young with private lessons. It didn’t really take until I was older and starting singing. Once I got to New York out of high school was kind of when I thought that I could hang. I was writing a lot at that point and playing as much as I could. There was maybe a week before college that I wanted to be something like a doctor or teacher, and then I came home from school, played guitar, and realized I didn’t want to do that. It’s always been music, at least as long as I’ve been cognizant of my future.”
The DC: Who has influenced your music?
Garrett: “Musically, I started with classical music with the violin, and that kind of theory is important, and I’ve been doing that for a while. In terms of the singers, I like Sam Cooke a lot. He’s been my biggest influence. Also, Willie Nelson before 1967 and a whole bunch of contemporary guys that are crushing it right now like James Vincent McMorrow. It’s kind of all over the place, but I think it’s good to be as diverse as possible with influences because you can create more.”
The DC: There’s a lot of heart in your music. Is it easy or hard to play it for people?
Garrett: “If I’m being real honest, when I play these five songs that are going to be on the EP, I’m kind of ahead of those feelings. You try to put everything you’ve got into a song on any given night. But for me, I’m already writing stuff that’s happening to me right now, so when I play songs like ‘Coloring’ and ‘Control,” which I wrote when I was 17, those feelings are there, but I’m over it. The songs mean everything to me, but they are not for me at this point. They are for everybody else.”
The DC: If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring musicians, what would it be?
Garrett: “It took me a long time to trust myself. I was always confident in my writing, but in terms of my musical choices, I was like ‘Well, what should I do?’ I’ve listened to enough of my own stuff, and I’ve written enough of my own stuff to know what I want. So what I really needed was to be more confident overall. Things that I really like, for instance the subtleties in production and the lack of bigger elements and things, are good, you know. So advice-wise, do what you love and trust yourself because it’s probably good if you really love it. Oh, and get good grades.”
Now, GO LISTEN TO HIM. Few artists produce music that captures the heart-wrenching singularity we feel going through common emotions. Garrett’s work embodies the feeling of isolation as well as the bliss of interaction and connection. His music isn’t just relatable. It’s powerful. And that, above any melody or production choice, is why people stop when he starts singing.
Guys, he is just freaking cool. And he doesn’t even know it.
