KennyHoopla Gives Himself His Overdue Flowers in “ONE TULIP//“
Photo: Madeline Hampton
Ohio native KennyHoopla turns a dark new leaf of introspection on his freshly released single “ONE TULIP//." It’s a subdued yet cathartic anthem for people pleasers who often give their flowers away before filling up their own vases. “ONE TULIP//" pulses with undercurrents of that categorical KennyHoopla rage, except this time, instead of an outcry to the world, he addresses an intimate letter to himself. Self-written and produced, KennyHoopla bares all corners of his complex soul on this pivotal new release.
Dark wave-reminiscent riffs rustle through diluted cascades of percussion to set the stage for KennyHoopla’s contemplative soliloquy. He sings, “I wait all night for you to come around and haunt me / But it never happens, and I don't know why.” He leans into discomfort, ruminating on the questions that keep him up at night. How do people perceive him? Will the world ever understand his true intentions? “ONE TULIP//" gets stuck on the illusions of insecurity and lingers like the hours that drag on before dawn breaks.
“I didn’t realize while writing it but I think this song is about how when you’re trying so hard to make sure no one is let down at all but you forget about showing up for yourself," shares KennyHoopla. "I’ve tried to be of help my whole life and exhausted myself to be enough for my family and friends through empathy, currency, and just simply being there physically but you’ll always be half the person they need you to be until you learn to be a friend to yourself and make yourself whole.”
Currently on tour alongside Thirty Seconds To Mars, KennyHoopla is riding high on momentum and gaining traction with each performance. Since his 2016 SoundCloud debut, he’s collaborated closely with Travis Barker, Jesse Rutherford of The Neighbourhood, and Wiz Khalifa on a slew of tracks. “ONE TULIP//" is the first we’ve heard from him in 2024, and if the future sounds anything like it, we’ll be listening.
Watch the "ONE TULIP//" video below:
