Mo Kenney

Based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canadian artist Mo Kenney has, since the early 2010s, developed a songwriting approach that sits between indie folk, alternative rock and melodic pop. Initially raised on classic rock and later turning to songwriters such as Elliott Smith and the indie scenes highlighted by Wes Anderson soundtracks, Mo Kenney began recording as a teenager at Halifax’s Shambhala School. A decisive meeting with Joel Plaskett led to a self-titled debut album in 2012, produced and recorded with him. That record established Mo Kenney on Canadian and European stages and paved the way for In My Dreams (2014) and The Details (2017), two albums that deepen an aesthetic built on guitar, direct melodies and introspective lyrics. Alongside extensive touring — notably with Joel Plaskett and Ron Sexsmith — the artist has performed at festivals such as Iceland Airwaves and The Great Escape. In 2013 the song “Sucker” won the SOCAN Songwriting Prize, confirming Mo Kenney’s place in the Canadian songwriting landscape. The trajectory continued with Covers in 2021, devoted to selected reinterpretations from a wide repertoire, and with From Nowhere in 2024, where Mo Kenney returned to original compositions while further tightening the bond between intimate folk and an indie-rock sensibility.