MAIN PHOTO: Kennedy Austin (right) and a schoolmate sing as backup singers for another friend during GPV’s Showcase before March Break. (Healey photo)
FALL RIVER: What started out as something fun to do for Kennedy Austin has turned into a labour of love and has become something she loves doing.
Austin, who has grown up in the Fall River and Grand Lake area, began singing as a young four-year-old before she started singing lessons and teaching herself to play the piano at age 11.
“Not long after that I started writing and composing my own music,” said the 14-year-old. “I still to this day cannot read music notes as I do everything by ear. Maybe someday I will be able to teach myself how to read a music note.”
She was among the performers to hit the stage at Georges P. Vanier Junior High’s 2020 Showcase before March Break. Her two songs wowed the crowd of family, friends and her peers.
The songs she sang were “Don’t Live A Lie” a song based of those people who struggle with various difficulties on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. She also performed “Broken”, which is about something most young teenagers will experience or feel during their adventure through the first relationship side of life.
Austin said she’s working with Scott Ferguson, her producer at FMP Matrix Studios in Dartmouth, with an aim to have a single in the not-too-distant future.
“We’re working on more production which includes co-writing of new material,” she said. “I’m presently preparing to release my first single on YouTube and other various streaming formats very soon with lots more to follow. “
She said she was inspired to sing after watching the Hannah Montana movie and seeing Miley Cyrus take the stage in front of a crow, singing her heart out like no one was watching.
“This really motivated me to work on building the knowledge to sing and play instruments so that I could sing and have the confidence to get up on stage just like her,” said Austin. “One other person that was a strong influence and inspiration to me was the late Maxine Hibbitts who was the organist at my church.
“She inspired me to learn how to play the piano with her helping hands.”
What does her future hold (besides school at GPV and then Lockview High)?
“My future plan is to accomplish releasing my first CD and lots more after with my hard work,” she said. “I want to share my passion for music with the world.”
