Meet Kenny DeShields, an Artist Bringing Healing to St. Louis
My purpose with this blog isn’t just to share my own thoughts. I also want to introduce you to people who are doing great creative work. One such person is Kenny DeShields.
I met Kenny a few years ago when he led worship for a Chapel service at St. Louis Christian College (where I teach). I was deeply impressed with his skill in leading worship, but even more so his warmth and humility. We have kept in touch and when he recently sent me a tweet, it struck me that I needed to introduce him to my audience.
Enjoy the following interview with my friend Kenny!
How did you get started in music?
I was born and raised in a very musical family and was introduced to various styles of music by my parents. My mother is one of our church’s musicians and my father had an amazing record collection featuring some of the greats like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and The Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rappers Delight.” I was classically trained on piano and played french horn in the Marching, Jazz and Concert Bands in high school. I went on to college and sang in the Tuskegee University “Golden Voices” Concert Choir, Men’s Glee Club and was the musician for a few churches during college. It was an incredible experience being exposed to such a rich musical palette at a young age and that has helped shape my scope and approach to music.
Tell us about your new album, The Real Love Project, and specifically, your song “That’s When You Love.”
The Real Love Project takes a plunge into the depths of love, allowing the listener to experience joy, pain and forgiveness. “That’s When You Love” is the first single from the record and is basically was the catalyst for the album. I knew I wanted to portray a more accurate depiction of love, not just the fuzzy, feel-good, warm moments. Honestly, I’ve learned what it really means to love during some of the darkest moments, and I believe that others have been in that place, looking for hope in hopeless situations. Since The Real Love Project is a concept record, I wanted to tell a story and capture not only personal moments but experiences my friends and others have lived.
The video for “That’s When You Love” represents a minimalist visual approach. How does that reflect the themes of the song?
Great question! I’m an artsy person and want all of my artwork to be meaningful. There are a few themes in The Real Love Project and one of them is the concept of darkness versus light which is displayed in the music video “That’s When You Love.” Black and white scenes are so epic to me. They’re very classy. I wanted to show the character of a guy who was falling apart internally and it started to spill over into his work and relationships. Through the video, he’s walking and singing towards you. He’s telling you his story, and sometimes it’s painful to watch. But by the end of the story, you witness the miracle of love! There’s such a powerful message here, and I wanted to drive that message home. Watch this video in its entirety, and you’ll see what I mean.
What do you hope to accomplish through your music?
I want my music to bring freedom, hope and healing. Here in the St. Louis community, we’ve experienced some really dark days with the unrest in Ferguson, and the world has been given an eye-opening view of it. I love encouraging others and hate to see people hurting. My hope and prayer is that others will be inspired, challenged and feel good when listening to my music and want to share it with others.
What projects will you be working on next?
I have an amazing concept for the next album and will jump right into it soon. I love collaborating with other artists, so I’m looking for the right opportunity to connect with other songwriters. I’d also love to create music for TV and film.
What’s the best way for people to get in contact with you?
You can connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and my blog. You can also download my single for free.
I hope you check out Kenny’s music! He’s the type of artist I love to follow: one who is not only doing great creative work, but is making a real difference by serving others.
