It’s easy to feel like you’ll be forever young under the purple lights of The End, a coveted longstanding rock club in Nashville. The vibes certainly were high this past Saturday night, when indie pop singer-songwriters Maxwell Luke and Kennadi took the stage, along with local artist Laken Campo in an event put on by Eva Simone Management.
Arriving a few minutes into Campo’s set, I was left mesmerized by her ability to not only connect with the crowd through her stage presence, but also with her relatability in between songs. She had audience members eagerly hushed during the introduction to her song “Somewhere Somehow Someday,” where she talked about the struggles of dealing with the past, but also learning to not become too comfortable with staying there.
Spectators also got to hear the recent Belmont graduate’s first and latest release, “Ghost,” which she admitted she “put out a day before graduating college.” Brutally honest but deeply approachable in her lyricism, Campo described the aftermath of dealing with a toxic environment, saying, “Haunting’s just for ghosts, so I must be your house to host.”
Having recently participated in Belmont’s Best Of The Best alongside Campo this past spring, pop-influenced songwriter Kennadi was more than prepared to co-headline alongside artist Luke and give spectators a show after Campo’s acoustic set. Channeling Tate Mccrae with a number 76 Jersey and platform boots, the artist came ready to sing, but also a sense of style and swag. She opened with her debut single, “OK,” and within just a few words, the song quickly became a collaborative effort as the crowd confidently sang along.
Showcasing her vocal ability, Kennadi gave a commanding performance of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love,” and closed up the set with another release of hers, “Jamie.” Also incredibly honest in her approach to performing, she expressed to the audience the struggles of dealing with comparison in the music industry, and how she found an outlet through “Jamie,” which ended up on Spotify’s Fresh Finds Pop last May.
Celebrating the release of his new single, “Girlfriend,” on June 28th, and his very first show in Nashville to date, Luke walked on stage to a crowd that seemed just as excited about his music as he was.
Opening with his January single, “here lies what could have been,” Luke got the crowd dancing from the start of the situationship breakup anthem, which currently has over 525,000 streams on Spotify alone. Infectious in his ability to control the crowd, he had the audience clamoring for songs like “The Thrill of Almost,” but also hushed and reflective for music like “happy anniversary darling.”
He kindly invited audience members to sit with him for a bit as he brought out a stool for slower songs, but was able to switch to a more energetic space, showcasing both versatility and charisma in his performance.
Luke’s latest song, “Girlfriend,” describes what it’s like to fall for someone who you know isn’t truly able to love you back. The gay summer anthem chants, “I was just something you wanted to try and now I just might ruin your life,” from an almost sarcastic vantage point, but describing a scenario that is relatable to so many. Like with much of Luke’s discography, listeners will be able to dance, cry, or even dabble in both with this single, which came out just at the end of Pride month.
