Kendall Patrick believes that art should serve a purpose greater than the ego and influence of the artist who creates it.
Like the poet and troubadour of days gone by, Patrick is firm in the conviction that her melodic musings should challenge preconceived notions and conventional thinking.
Patrick is an artist whose passion and purpose guide her every career move.
“I believe that, for me, the gift of songwriting comes with a social responsibility,” the Ladysmith native says on her website. “Music can have a big impact on people. Because I choose my influences carefully, I have been guided to strength, validation, empowerment, and hope. I find a lot of mainstream pop music parallels political tragedy, where leaders with great power use their words to undermine and control the population, playing on fear and insecurity.”
With her new band, Kendall Patrick and The Headless Bettys, featuring Lena Birtwistle, Caleb Burness, Brendan Holm, Brent Chauvin and Amelia Thomas, Patrick is creating music that not only has a profound and powerful message but songs that are conveyed in a manner that is both accessible and memorable.
The band will share that message this Sunday (Aug. 17) during Concerts in the Park at the Transfer Beach Amphitheatre.
Kendall Patrick and the Headless Bettys is centralized around showcasing Patrick’s original music. Also in the mix are original tunes by Lena Birtwistle, and select cover songs including Sydney by Brett Dennen and Kids by MGMT.
Patrick has released three albums under her own name, but the music she is now creating with The Headless Bettys is somewhat of a departure from what was heard on House of Ink, See It Coming and The Other Side, according to Patrick’s bio.
“The overall sound of the new material differs from my other albums because we are using specific and consistent voices and instruments,” she says. “The music is very relatable to audiences during the live experience. It has a more enlightening, refreshing and even fun sound to it.”
Kendall Patrick and the Headless Bettys performs Sunday, Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. at the Transfer Beach Amphitheatre, weather permitting. Admission is by donation, and the money raised helps the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association provide programs for people in our community free of charge.