RISING STAR ARTIST KIWAT KENNELL UNVEILS HIS INSPIRING NEW SINGLE "THE MOMENT"

Photo: Kiwat Kennell Credit: Kiwat Kennell

Kiwat Kennell, a proud Eastern Torres Strait Islander from the islands of Ugar, is making waves in the music industry as a singer-songwriter, producer, and radio host.

His latest single, "The Moment," showcases his musical talent and illuminates the often-overlooked issues of mental health and emotional resilience.

In a recent conversation, Kennell shared insights about his creative process, the significance of pivotal moments, and the duality of love and hate in his forthcoming project.

“The moment was a song that I wrote as part of the mushroom First Nations pathway program, and in this program, they linked us up with a whole bunch of mentors, and so it was a whole bunch of other artists’’.

Music became Kiwat’s outlet, a way to give voice to the internal struggles he could never fully express. The weight of living in a society that marginalizes Indigenous peoples, combined with the pressure to conform, often left him feeling compressed, silenced, and spiralling into depression and anxiety.

“I struggle with depression and anxiety, and sometimes, when depression takes over, I can't see what is happening. I can't take in positive information, and it always comes down to a single point or a single point: you or a reason why. And it's it's something that I wanted to capture because it's not spoken about as much”.

Kennell is currently working on his next project, "Love and Hate." This body of work will explore the complexities of living as a Black person in Australia, navigating both the love and the hate inherent in that experience. "I want to find balance in how I see this country," he explains, highlighting the dualities that shape his identity and artistry.