{{Short description|Canadian singer-songwriter}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Mo Kenney | image = Mo Kenney.jpg | caption = Mo Kenney performing at East Coast Music Week in 2013. | image_size = | birth_name = Morgan Kenney | alias = | birth_place = Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|6|5|mf=yes}} | death_date = | origin = | instrument = Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Bass, Drums | genre = | occupation = songwriter, performer, recording artist | years_active = 2010-present | label = New Scotland Records, Pheromone Recordings | associated_acts = Joel Plaskett, Ron Sexsmith, Gordie Sampson, Rachel Sermanni | website = [http://mokenney.com/] }}
'''Mo Kenney''' (born 1990) is a Canadian singer/songwriter based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.<ref name=Atomique>{{cite web |url=http://musiqueatomique.com/portfolio/young-blood-mo-kenney/ |title=Young Blood: Mo Kenney |work=www.musicatomique.com |date=May 3, 2015 |access-date=2015-10-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304120856/http://musiqueatomique.com/portfolio/young-blood-mo-kenney/ |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Catching the ear of noted Canadian rocker Joel Plaskett while still in school, Kenney released their first album in 2012, which Plaskett produced.<ref name=Exclaim>{{cite web |url=http://exclaim.ca/Interviews/WebExclusive/mo_kenney|title=Mo Kenney |work=exclaim.ca |publisher=Exclaim! Magazine |date=November 2012}}</ref> Kenney is known for their lyrical prowess and engaging stage presence.<ref name=Gate>{{cite web |url=http://www.thegate.ca/reviews/016341/wildlife-ps-i-love-you-at-canadian-music-fest/ |last=Powell |first=W. Andrew |title=Wildlife, PS I Love You, Mad Ones & Mo Kenney at Canadian Music Fest |work=The Gate Entertainment Magazine |date=March 23, 2013 |accessdate=June 11, 2013}}</ref><ref name=Cooke>{{cite web |url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/151173-standing-out-means-less-is-mo |last=Cooke |first=Stephen |title=Standing out means less is Mo |work=thechronicleherald.ca |publisher=The Chronicle Herald |location=Halifax, Nova Scotia |date=October 19, 2012}}</ref> Called "Nova Scotia's rising star" by ''The Scene'' magazine, they<ref>{{Cite web |title= Mo Kenney (@mookenney) • Instagram photos and videos|url=https://www.instagram.com/mookenney/?hl=en}}</ref> have toured with Plaskett as well as with Ron Sexsmith.<ref name=Scene>{{cite web |last=Mikhaylova |first=Sofia |title=CMW Live Review - Mo Kenney |work =The Scene Magazine |publisher =TheSceneMagazine.ca |date=March 23, 2013 |url=http://www.thescenemagazine.ca/mcf-live-review-mo-kenney/ |accessdate=June 11, 2013}}</ref> In 2013, their song "Sucker" won the prestigious SOCAN Songwriting Prize.<ref name=CBC>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/mo-kenney-claims-socan-songwriting-prize-1.1377286 |title=Mo Kenney claims SOCAN songwriting prize |publisher= CBC News |date= July 10, 2013 |accessdate=June 1, 2018}}</ref>
==Background==
Kenney began playing guitar when they were 11. They became interested in music via classic rock; among their favourite artists in their early teens were Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Ozzy Osbourne.<ref name=CDbaby>{{cite web |url=http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/MoKenney |title=Mo Kenney - Biography |work=CD Baby |publisher= |accessdate=June 13, 2013 }}</ref> When they found themself grounded for two months by their parents at age 16, they began writing songs in earnest and listening to singer/songwriters such as Elliott Smith.<ref name=SoupeKitchen>{{cite web |last=Dahn |first=Jessica |title =The Welcoming Storyteller |work=Soupe Kitchen |publisher=Hot Soupe |location=Montreal, Quebec, Canada |url=http://www.hotsoupe.com/2013/02/the-welcoming-storyteller-mo-kenney-at.html |accessdate=June 11, 2013}}</ref> Smith in particular inspired Kenney to learn finger-picking. At around the same age, they also began to draw inspiration from the indie rock world, thanks to exposure to the films of Wes Anderson, and the adventurous soundtracks he favors.<ref name=Atomique/><ref name=CDbaby/>
==Career==
Kenney first began recording their songs at a small recording studio housed at the Shambhala School, a non-denominational private school in Halifax, when they were 17. Joel Plaskett visited the school one day to talk about playing and recording music, and listened to what they had recorded. Two years later, Plaskett's manager called Kenney with the news that they were invited to attend Gordie Sampson's Songcamp in Cape Breton. Kenney later began working on their first recording with Plaskett, starting in April 2011.<ref name=SoupeKitchen/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://thebrokenspeaker.com/2012/05/new-scotland-records-singles-mo-kenney-jeremy-fisher-and-joel-plaskett/ |last=Briggins |first=Jonathan |title=New Scotland Records singles: Mo Kenney, Jeremy Fisher and Joel Plaskett |work=The Broken Speaker |publisher= |location=Halifax, Nova Scotia |date=May 23, 2012}}</ref>
Although hampered by severe stage fright when first beginning to perform, Kenney now impresses critics with their at-ease and affable stage presence.<ref name=Gate/><ref name=Scene/><ref name=Aquinian>{{cite web |url=http://www.theaq.net/2013/mo-kenney-plaskett-approved/-15366 |last=O'Neil |first=Meghan |title=Mo Kenney: Plaskett Approved |work=The Aquinian |publisher=St. Thomas University |location=Fredericton, New Brunswick |date=January 22, 2013 |access-date=2013-06-18 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130620004539/http://www.theaq.net/2013/mo-kenney-plaskett-approved/-15366 |archive-date=2013-06-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Among their notable international performances to date, Kenney played at the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival in October 2012<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mokenney.com/news/iceland-airwaves/ |title=Mo Kenney - News |work=mokenney.com |accessdate=June 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110134855/http://mokenney.com/news/iceland-airwaves/ |archive-date=November 10, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and at the Great Escape Festival in Brighton in May 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB1dJDghbKE |title=Scene of the Crime by Mo Kenney, shot at the Great Escape Festival |work=youtube.com |publisher=YouTube, LLC |location=San Bruno, California |date=May 27, 2013}}</ref>
Their debut album, entitled ''Mo Kenney'', was produced by Plaskett and recorded at his studio in Dartmouth. The album was released in September 2012 by New Scotland Records and Pheromone Recordings.<ref name=Leader>{{cite web |url=http://www.stalbertleader.com/2013/03/20/surreal-times-for-mo-kenney |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628033123/http://www.stalbertleader.com/2013/03/20/surreal-times-for-mo-kenney |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 28, 2013 |last=Cook |first=Glenn |title=Surreal times for Mo Kenney |work=St. Albert Leader |publisher=RJ Lolly Media Ltd. |location=St. Albert, Alberta |date=March 20, 2013 }}</ref> Plaskett co-wrote two of the album's songs with Kenney. The two of them are the only musicians who play on the album.<ref name=Cooke/><ref name=CDbaby/> [[File:Mo Kenney at Hillside Festival 2015.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Mo Kenney performing at the 2015 Hillside Festival]] In March 2013, the album received an East Coast Music Association award nomination for Rising Star Recording of the Year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ecma.com/ecmw/awards |title=Award Winners & Nominees |work=East Coast Music Association |location=Halifax, Nova Scotia |date= |accessdate=June 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130708114728/http://www.ecma.com/ecmw/awards |archivedate=July 8, 2013 }}</ref>
In July 2013, Kenney's song "Sucker" won the SOCAN Songwriting Prize for the best song by an independent Canadian musician, sponsored by the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada.<ref name=CBC/> Also in 2013, Kenney won three Music Nova Scotia awards: pop recording of the year, female artist of the year, and new artist recording of the year. They received a similar designation, new/emerging artist of the year, at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.<ref>{{cite news|author=Wheeler, Brad|date=November 13, 2013|title=Kenney's awards haul stretches across the country|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|page=L7}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.musicnovascotia.ca/content/music-nova-scotia-music-industry-award-winners-2013 |title=Music Nova Scotia Music & Industry Award Winners 2013 |last=Stitt |first=Lisa |date=November 10, 2013 |work=Music Nova Scotia |location=Halifax Nova Scotia |access-date=December 12, 2013 |archive-date=February 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206140356/http://musicnovascotia.ca/content/music-nova-scotia-music-industry-award-winners-2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The awards for their debut album continued into 2014, when ''Mo Kenney'' picked up four ECMA award nominations, winning the award for pop recording of the year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ecma.com/members/mo-kenney |title=Artists: Mo Kenney |work=East Coast Music Association |location=Halifax, Nova Scotia |date= |accessdate=September 1, 2015}}</ref> Also in 2014, ''Mo Kenney'' was released in England, Ireland, and Germany.
In September 2014, Kenney released their second album, ''In My Dreams'', which was again produced by Joel Plaskett and released by New Scotland Records and Pheromone Recordings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://music.cbc.ca/#!/blogs/2014/9/First-Play-Mo-Kenney-In-My-Dreams |last=Gordon |first=Holly |title=First Play: Mo Kenney, In My Dreams |work=CBC Music |publisher=CBC Radio-Canada |location=Toronto, Ontario |date=September 23, 2014}}</ref> The album delivered Kenney an ECMA award for Pop Recording of the Year for the second straight year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://music.cbc.ca/#!/play/artist/Mo-Kenney |title=Artist: Mo Kenney |work=CBC Music |publisher=CBC Radio-Canada |location=Toronto, Ontario |access-date=September 2, 2015}}</ref> Kenney did a cross-country tour supporting the release of ''In My Dreams'', and went to perform on Joel Plaskett's Park Avenue Sobriety Test tour in the Spring of 2015, both opening for Plaskett and accompanying band on guitar and backing vocals for half of every show on the tour.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://music.cbc.ca/#!/blogs/2015/8/CBCMusicca-Festival-First-Play-Live-Joel-Plaskett |last=Skinner |first=Ron |title=CBCMusic.ca Festival First Play Live: Joel Plaskett |work=CBC Music |publisher=CBC Radio-Canada |location=Toronto, Ontario |date=August 21, 2015}}.</ref> ''In My Dreams'' was released in Ireland, the UK, and Germany in September 2015.
On September 29, 2017, they released their third album, ''The Details''.<ref>Laura Stanley, [https://exclaim.ca/music/article/mo_kenney-the_details "Mo Kenney: The Details"]. ''Exclaim!'', September 27, 2017.</ref> In April 2019, Kenney released a follow-up single entitled "Ahead of Myself".<ref>Micaela Cockburn, [http://www.theeastmag.com/2019/04/26/single-mo-kenney-returns-with-the-freedom-to-make-bad-decisions-in-ahead-of-myself/ "Single: Mo Kenney Returns With the Freedom to Make Bad Decisions in ‘Ahead of Myself’"]. ''The East'', April 26, 2019.</ref>
In 2021 Kenney released ''Covers'', an album of cover versions of songs by artists such as Patsy Cline, Daniel Romano, Stone Temple Pilots, The Kinks, Guided by Voices, Tom Petty and The Magnetic Fields.<ref>Stephen Cooke, [https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/lifestyles/local-lifestyles/mo-kenneys-got-this-covered-new-album-offers-fresh-takes-of-favourite-tunes-556363/ "Mo Kenney’s got this covered: new album offers fresh takes of favourite tunes"]. ''Halifax Chronicle-Herald'', February 24, 2021.</ref>
In 2025 Kenney contributed a cover of Plaskett's "Lonely Love" to the Plaskett tribute album ''Songs from the Gang''.<ref>Allie Gregory, [https://exclaim.ca/music/article/joel-plaskett-songs-from-the-gang "Sloan, the Sheepdogs, City and Colour, Bahamas Wish Joel Plaskett Happy Birthday with 'Songs from the Gang' Covers Album"]. ''Exclaim!'', April 11, 2025.</ref>
==Discography==
===Albums=== * ''Mo Kenney'' (2012) * ''In My Dreams'' (2014) * ''The Details'' (2017) * ''Covers'' (2021) * From Nowhere (2024)
===Singles=== * "Eden" (b/w "The Great Escape") (7-inch vinyl) (2012) * "Telephones" (2014) * "Ahead of Myself" (2019)
==Awards and nominations==
* 2018 ** Nova Scotia Music Award Winner Solo Recording of the Year – "The Details" ** Nova Scotia Music Award Winner Rock Recording of the Year – "The Details" ** Nova Scotia Music Award Nomination Recording of the Year – "The Details" ** Nova Scotia Music Award Nomination Entertainer of the Year ** The Coast "Best of Halifax" – Best Songwriter (Silver) ** The Coast "Best of Halifax" – Best Solo Artist (Silver) ** ECMA Award Winner Solo Recording of the Year - "The Details" ** ECMA Award Nomination Rock Recording of the Year - "The Details" * 2016 ** JUNO Nomination Adult Alternative Album of the Year - "In My Dreams" ** International Acoustic Music Awards Nomination Best Female Artist – In My Dreams" ** The Coast "Best of Halifax" Award Winner – Best Female Solo Artist ** ECMA Award Nomination Album of the Year - "In My Dreams" ** ECMA Award Nomination Solo Recording of the Year - "In My Dreams" ** ECMA Award Winner Video of the Year - "Telephones" ** ECMA Award Nomination Fans' Choice Video of the Year - "Telephones" * 2015 ** The U.S.A. Songwriting Competition 1st Place Winner (Folk) – "I Faked It" ** Nova Scotia Music Award Winner Recording of the Year – "In My Dreams" ** Nova Scotia Music Award Winner Pop Recording of the Year – "In My Dreams" ** Nova Scotia Music Award Winner Solo Recording of the Year – "In My Dreams" ** Nova Scotia Music Award Winner Music Video of the Year – "Telephones" ** The Coast "Best of Halifax" Award Winner – Best Female Solo Artist ** Unsigned Only Songwriting Competition Semi-Finalist – "Telephones" ** ECMA Award Winner Pop Recording of the Year - ''In My Dreams'' ** ECMA Award Nomination Song of the Year - "Telephones" ** ECMA Award Nomination Fans' Choice Entertainer of the Year * 2014 ** The U.S.A. Songwriting Competition Top 20 Honourable Mention Winner - "Sucker" ** The U.S.A. Songwriting Competition Folk Category Finalist - "Sucker" ** CBC Shortlist Award Nomination Best Song/Earworm of the Year - "Telephones" ** ECMA Award Winner Pop Recording of the Year - ''Mo Kenney '' ** ECMA Award Nomination Songwriter of the Year - "Sucker" ** ECMA Award Nomination Solo Recording of the Year - ''Mo Kenney '' ** ECMA Award Nomination Fan's Choice Entertainer of the Year ** Music Nova Scotia Award Nomination Entertainer of the Year * 2013 ** 2013 English SOCAN Songwriting Prize Winner ** Canadian Folk Music Award Winner New/Emerging Artist of the Year ** Music Nova Scotia Award Winner New Artist Recording of the Year - ''Mo Kenney '' ** Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Pop Recording of the Year – ''Mo Kenney '' ** Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Female Artist Recording – ''Mo Kenney '' ** Music Nova Scotia Award Nomination SOCAN Songwriter of the Year – "Sucker" ** ECMA Award Nomination Rising Star Recording of the Year – ''Mo Kenney '' ** Ottawa Folk Festival Supernova Award Winner ** CBC Radio 2 Top 100 Songs of 2013 - "The Great Escape" (#73) and "Sucker" (#34) * 2012 ** CBC Radio 3 Bucky Award Nomination Rookie of the Year ** iTunes Best Singer Songwriters of 2012
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.mokenney.com/}}
{{SOCAN Songwriting Prize}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenney, Mo}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Halifax, Nova Scotia Category:Canadian Folk Music Award winners Category:Canadian folk-pop singers Category:Canadian LGBTQ singer-songwriters Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people Category:21st-century Canadian singer-songwriters Category:Canadian non-binary musicians Category:Singers from Nova Scotia