Artist 101: Declan McKenna

Your go-to guide for everything you need to know about British singer-songwriter Declan McKenna.

When is his birthday?

Born on 24th December 1998, Declan is just 18 years old.

What is his most popular song?

‘Brazil’. Originally released on YouTube in 2014 (gaining no less than 3 million views), ‘Brazil’ has recently had a re-vamp. The song’s unique infectious sound remains the same, but in April it was re-posted with an equally quirky music video.

‘Brazil’ has been gaining Declan a lot more mainstream attention, from 18 million Spotify streams to prominent Radio 1 airplay, with Declan taking the song to the BBC Introducing stage at Radio 1’s Big Weekend. The song has also earned Declan much political attention for its criticism of the decision to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, despite the country’s poverty.

Another of Declan’s popular songs is ‘The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home’, a reflection on his young generation and the problems facing the world of their future.

What else do I need to know about Declan McKenna?

Born in Hertfordshire, England, Declan is just 18 years old and has already achieved impressive success in the UK. Declan became known for his music after winning Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent competition in 2015. He shortly signed with Columbia Records, initially self-releasing ‘Brazil’ in August 2015.

Declan’s songs often include an element of sociopolitical commentary. In addition to ‘Brazil’ and ‘The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home’, Declan has released ‘Paracetemol’ about transgender misrepresentation in the media and ‘Isombard’ which discusses the comments of a right-wing news anchor on police brutality.

Declan received a fantastic response at Radio 1’s Big Weekend and later Glastonbury Festival. He is set to play a host of other festivals throughout 2017, including Lollapalooza and Reading & Leeds Festival. This is just the beginning for Declan McKenna. His debut album What Do You Think About the Car? is released on 21 July 2017. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.